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HISTORICAL  COLLECTIONS 


RELATING  TO  THE 


American  Colonial  Church. 


EDITED  BY 


WILLIAM  STEVENS  PERRY,  D.D. 


Volume  III. — MASSACHUSETTS. 


PRINTED  FOR  THE  SUBSCRIBERS. 
MDCCCLXXIII. 


BOSTON  COLLEGE  LIBRARY 

chestnut  hill,  mass, 


OMBtS  \Zt 


5&D 

i/*  3 


Two  hundred  and  fifty  Copies  Printed. 

No . 


The  Church  Press, 

Hartford,  Conn. 


INTRODUCTION. 


Many  causes  have  contributed  to  delay  the  appearance  of  this  volume. 
Its  preparation  has  been  attended  with  not  a  few  difficulties  arising  from  the 
imperfection  of  the  transcripts  made,  under  the  direction  of  the  late  Rev.  Dr. 
Hawks,  from  the  originals  of  these  papers  on  file,  abroad.  The  occasional 
evidences  of  the  incompetence  or  carelessness  of  the  copyists,  which  these 
pages  betray,  in  no  case  affect  the  integrity  of  the  documents,  or  their  his¬ 
torical  value,  and  are  often  such  as  would  naturally  arise  in  the  transcription 
of  various  and  often  difficult  styles  of  handwriting,  or  in  deciphering  the  in¬ 
volved  signatures  not  uncommon  a  century  since.  To  have  attempted  the 
correction  of  these  slight  blemishes  would  have  hazarded  too  much.  With¬ 
out  access  to  the  originals — many  of  which,  it  is  said,  exist  no  longer — it 
would  have  been  often  difficult  to  decide  whether  the  copyist  or  the  writer 
were  at  fault.  It  has,  therefore,  been  deemed  wiser  to  reproduce  these  tran¬ 
scripts  with  all  their  errors  and  omissions,  as  accurately  as  was  possible,  and 
to  note,  in  the  brief  annotations,  such  probable  blunders  of  the  copyists  as 
might  possibly  affect  the  sense,  or  leave  an  erroneous  impression  on  the 
reader’s  mind. 

The  Appendix  will  be  found  to  contain  some  additional  documents  of 
interest  and  value,  copied  for  the  Editor  from  original  MSS.  in  the  Bodleian 


IV 


Library,  Oxford,  England.  Further  additions  might  have  been  made  from 
unpublished  MSS.  in  the  Editor’s  possession,  but  the  volume  has  attained 
undue  proportions,  and  the  more  important  of  these  unused  papers  will, 
without  doubt,  see  the  light  in  other  ways. 

Trinity  Rectory,  Geneva,  New  York, 

Monday  in  Easter-week,  1873. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


PAGES. 

The  Present  State  of  New  England.  By  Mr.  Randolph,  ....  1-24 

Lambeth  MSS.  ( No .  745). 

To  the  King’s  most  Excellent  Majesty.  A  short  Narrative,  touching  the  delivery  of 
His  Majesty’s  Letters  to  the  Magistrates  of  Boston  in  New  England.  By 
Edward  Randolph,  ........  25-35 

Lambeth  MSS.  (No.  745). 

Mr.  Secretary  Morris,  his  Answer  to  a  Petition  of  the  Council  of  Boston,  etc.,  .  35-39 

Lambeth  MSS.  (No.  745). 

An  account  of  the  Colonies  and  Provinces  of  New  England  in  general,  more  particu¬ 
larly  of  that  of  the  Massachusetts,  ......  39—5  3 

La7tibeth  MSS.  (No.  841). 

A  Particular  Account  of  the  late  Revolution  at  Boston,  in  the  Colony  and  Province 

of  Massachusetts,  ........  53-64 

Lambeth  MSS.  (No.  1025). 

The  Memorial  and  Petition  of  Thomas  Coram,  .....  64-67 

Lambeth  MSS.  (No.  1123). 

An  Act  for  Incorporating  Harvard  College  at  Cambridge  in  New  England,  .  .  67-71 

Fro7ti  aTi  attested  MS.  copy. 

Col.  Lewis  Morris,  of  East  Jersey,  to  Mr.  Archdeacon  Beveridge  (extract),  .  .  72,  73 

Letter  Book  of  the  Ven.  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign 

Farts  (Vol.  1). 

Mr.  John  Brown,  of  Swansea,  to  the  Lord  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  .  .  73,  74 

Ibid. 

The  Governour  of  New  England,  &  other  Members  of  the  Church  at  Boston,  to  his 

Grace  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  .  .  .  .  .  74,  75 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Samuel  Myles  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Beveridge,  .....  75,  76 

Ibid. 

Mr.  Ew4  Bromfield  to  Mr.  Thomas  Bromfield,  ......  76-79 

Ibid.  (Vol.  2). 


VI 


PAGES. 

The  Rev.  Christopher  Bridge  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Venerable  Society,  .  .  79>  8° 

From  MSS.  of  the  Ven.  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign 

Parts  {  Vol.  3). 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Myles  to  the  Secretary,  8° 

Ibid. 

Gov.  Joseph  Dudley  to  the  Secretary,  .....••  80,  81 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Bridge  to  the  Secretary,  .  .  .  .  •  •  81 

Ibid. 

Vestry,  &c.,  at  Boston,  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  .....  82 

Letter  Book  of  the  Ven.  Society  {  Vol.  4). 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Myles  to  the  Secretary,  .......  83 

Ibid. 

An  Answer  of  the  Church  of  England  in  Braintree,  to  a  Charge  laid  against  them  by 

Mr.  Newman,  &c.,  ........  84,  85 

Fulham  MSS.  {unbound'). 

Petition  for  Protection  in  building  the  Church  at  Newbury,  ....  86,  87 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  John  Lambton,  of  Newbury,  to  Gen.  Nicholson,  ....  87,  88 

Letter  Book  of  the  Ven.  Society  {Vol.  9). 

The  Same  to  the  Same,  .........  88 

Ibid. 

The  Same  to  the  Same,  ........  89 

Ibid. 

The  Same  to  the  Secretary,  ........  89,  90 

Ibid. 

Gen.  Nicholson  to  the  Secretary,  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  91 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Thomas  Eager,  of  Braintree,  to  the  Secretary,  ....  91-93 

Ibid.  (  Vol.  8). 

The  humble  Address  of  the  Minister,  Churchwardens,  Vestrymen,  and  Inhabi¬ 
tants  of  the  Church  of  England  in  the  West  Precinct  of  Newbury  in  New 
England,  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  93,  94 

Ibid. 

Memorial  Concerning  Braintree,  &c.,  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  95,  96 

Ibid. 

The  Secretary  of  the  Venerable  Society  to  Gov.  Dudley,  ....  96 

Ibid. 

Gov.  Dudley  to  the  Secretary,  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  •  97 >  98 

Ibid.  {Vol.  9). 

The  Rev.  Gershom  Rawlins  to  the  Lord  Bishop  of  London,  ....  98,  99 


Ibid. 


vu 


State  of  the  Church  at  Newbury,  .... 

Ibid. 

99- 

AGES. 

-108 

The  Case  of  the  Churchmen  at  Newbury, 

Ibid. 

109, 

no 

A  Memorial  of  the  People  of  Newbury  to  Gen.  Nicholson, 

Ibid. 

in 

Remonstrance  of  several  Inhabitants  of  Newbury  to  Gen.  Nicholson, 

,  . 

112, 

”3 

Ibid. 

Church  at  Marblehead  to  Gen.  Nicholson, 

•  •  • 

Xl3> 

114 

Ibid.  {Vol.  10). 

The  Rev.  Henry  Lucas,  of  Newbury,  to  the  Secretary, 

• 

XI5 

Ibid.  {Vol.  11). 

The  Lord  Bishop  of  London’s  Instructions  to  the  Rev.  Henry  Harris,  Assistant  to 

the  Rev.  Mr.  Myles,  at  Boston, 

• 

XI5> 

116 

Ibid.  {Vol.  10). 

The  Rev.  William  Shaw,  of  Marblehead,  to  the  Secretary, 

• 

1 1 6, 

117 

Ibid.  {Vol.  11). 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Lucas  to  the  Secretary,  .... 

•  • 

117- 

-119 

Ibid.  {Vol.  10). 

Lt.-Gov.  William  Tailer  to  the  Secretary, 

Ibid.  {Vol.  n). 

120 

Gov.  Samuel  Shute’s  Memorial,  .... 

•  •  « 

121- 

-126 

From  an  original  MS. 

Churchwardens  &  Vestry  of  Marblehead  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

. 

126, 

127 

Letter  Book  of  the  Ven.  Society  (  Vol.  1 2). 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Lucas  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  _ . 

Ibid. 

127, 

128 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Shaw  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

. 

128, 

129 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  William  Guy,  of  Rhode  Island,  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

Ibid. 

129 

Churchwardens  and  Vestry  of  Marblehead  to  the  Hon1*10  Society  (extract),  . 

130 

Ibid.  {Vol.  13). 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Shaw’s  Memorial  to  the  Society,  . 

.  • 

X3°, 

X3X 

Ibid. 

Mr.  John  Bridger  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  . 

Ibid. 

X3L 

132 

Mr.  Bridger  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Lucas  (extract),  . 

Ibid. 

132 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Lucas  to  the  Secretary,  .... 

Ibid.  {Vol.  14). 

x32> 

x33 

Mr.  Bridger  to  the  Secretary,  .  .  •  .  • 

. 

x34 

Ibid. 

Mr.  Bridger  to  the  Secretary,  . 


Vlll 


The  Rev.  David  Mossom,  of  Marblehead,  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 
Mr.  John  Usher’s  Memorial  to  the  Honble  Society, 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Mossom  to  the  Secretary, 

Mr.  John  Checldey’s  Petition  to  the  Society,  . 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Mossom’s  Petition  to  Gov.  Shute, 

Gov.  Shute’s  Order  upon  Mr.  Mossom’s  Petition, 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Mossom’s  Petition  to  the  Justices  at  Salem, 

The  Rev.  Matthias  Plant,  of  Newbury,  to  the  Secretary, 


Ibid 

Ibid.  (  Vol.  1 6) 
Ibid 

Ibid.  { Vol .  17) 
Ibid. 
Ibid. 
Ibid. 
Ibid. 

Minute  of  Action  of  Council  in  Boston,  on  the  Publication  of  “A  Short  and  Easie 
Method  with  the  Deists,”  ...... 

Fulham  IIS'S,  {unbound ) 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Timothy  Cutler,  of  Boston,  to  the  Secretary,  . 

Letter  Book  of  the  Ven.  Society  {  Vol.  1 7) 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Harris  to  the  HonWe  William  Dummer,  Lt.-Gov.,  and  Action  upon  the 
Same,  ......... 

From  an  attested  contemporary  MS. 
Gov.  William  Dummer  to  the  Secretary,  ...... 

Letter  Book  of  the  Ven.  Society  {Vol.  18). 

Queries  to  be  Answered  by  Every  Minister : 

Christ  Church,  Boston,  ....... 

Marblehead,  ........ 

Newbury,  ........ 

Fulham  MSS.  { unbound ). 

Queries  to  be  Answered  by  Commissaries : 

The  Rev.  Samuel  Myles,  for  New  England,  .  .  .  . 

Ibid. 

Churchwardens  and  Vestry  of  Trinity  Church,  Newport,  Rhode  Island,  to  the  Sec¬ 
retary,  ......... 

Letter  Book  of  the  Ven.  Society  {Vol.  18). 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Harris  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  ..... 

Fulham  MSS.  ( unbound ). 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Secretary,  ....... 

Letter  Book  of  the  Ven .  Society  {Vol.  19). 
The  Secretary  of  the  Venble  Society  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Mossom  (extract), 

Lbid. 


PAGES. 

134,  135 
135 
i36“i38 
138 

x39 

140 
140,  141 

141 

142 
142-144 

i44,  i45 
146,  147 


147-149 
149-151 
I5I>  i52 


J53>  i54 

iS4,  iS5 
156-162 
162-165 

165 


IX 


The  Bishop  of  London  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Myles, 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Mossom  to  the  Bishop  of  London, 


Fulham  MSS.  (unbound} 


Ibid 


The  Memorial  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Myles  to  the  Lt.-Governor, 

Letter  Book  of  the  Ven.  Society  (  Vol.  19) 
The  Address  of  the  New  England  Ministers,  ..... 

Lambeth  MSS.  (Mo.  1123) 

Extract  from  the  New  England  Courier,  ..... 

Letter  Book  of  the  Ven.  Society  (Vol.  19) 
The  New  England  Clergy  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  .... 

From  the  Original  MS 

The  Clergy  of  New  England  to  the  Secretary,  ..... 

Letter  Book  of  the  Ven.  Society  (Vol.  19) 
Copy  of  Letter  from  the  Bishop  of  London  to  the  Duke  of  Newcastle, 

Lambeth  MSS.  (No.  1x23) 

Extract  from  the  Boston  News  Letter,  ...... 

Letter  Book  of  the  Ven.  Society  (Vol.  19) 
The  Bishop  of  London  to  the  Duke  of  Newcastle,  .... 

La??ibeth  MSS.  (No.  1123) 

Dr.  Cutler’s  Representation  to  Mr.  Dummer,  Lt.-Gov., 

Letter  Book  of  the  Ven.  Society  (Vol.  19) 
The  Bishop  of  London  to  the  Duke  of  Newcastle,  .... 

Lambeth  MSS.  (No.  1123) 

Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Secretary,  ....... 

Letter  Book  of  the  Ven.  Society  ( Vol.  18) 
Advice  of  the  Council  of  Boston  upon  Dr.  Cutler’s  Representation,  . 

Ibid.  (Vol.  19) 

Letter  from  the  Lords  Justices  to  the  Lord  Bishop  of  London, 

Lambeth  MSS.  (No.  1123) 

Letter  from  Charles  Delafaye,  Esq.,  to  Mr.  Attorney  and  Mr.  Solicitor  General, 

Ibid 

From  the  Same  to  the  Same,  ....... 

Ibid 

From  the  Same  to  the  Govr  of  New  England,  ..... 

Ibid 

The  Petition  of  the  New  England  Clergy  to  the  King, 

Ibid 

The  Rev.  Messrs.  Harris  &  Mossom  to  the  Lord  Bishop  of  London,  . 

Fulham  MSS.  ( unbound ) 

Acc‘  of  the  Steps  which  were  taken  on  the  Petition  of  the  Rev.  Timothy  Cutler  anc 
others,  ........ 

B  Lambeth  MSS.  (No.  1123) 


PAGES. 

166,  167 
168-1 70 
170,  171 
172,  173 

1 73— 1 75 
i75»  176 
177,  178 
179 

179,  180 

180,  181 
182,  183 

184 
184,  185 
186 

186,  187 

187,  188 
188 

189,  190 
191-200 

200-202 

202 


The  Rev.  Mr.  Plant  to  the  Secretary,  . 
Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  . 


PAGES. 

.  203,  204 


Letter  Book  of  the  Ven.  Society  { Vol.  19). 


Ibid. 


205 


Papers  enclosed  in  Rev.  Mr.  Plant’s  Letter,  Dec.  20,  1726,  relating  to  the  Members 

of  the  Church  of  England  being  Rated  or  Taxed  to  pay  Dissenting  Teachers,  205-207 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Plant  to  the  Secretary,  .......  207,  208 

Ibid. 

Some  Members  of  the  Church  of  England  at  Braintree  to  Gen.  Nicholson,  .  .  208,  209 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Secretary,  .  .  .  .  .  .  .210,  21 1 

Ibid.  {Vol.  20). 

Dr.  Cutler’s  &  Mr.  Myles’s  Memorial  relating  to  their  Sitting  as  Overseers  of  Har¬ 
vard  College,  .........  2 1 2-2 1 4 

Ibid. 

The  Memorial  of  sundry  Ministers  and  Others  of  the  Church  of  England  to  the 

Honble  Lt.-Gov.  &  the  Honble  Council,  & c.,  .....  214-216 

Ibid. 

Orders  of  the  General  Court  relating  to  Harvard  College,  1648  &  1650,  enclosed  in 

.  .  .  216-219 


Dr.  Cutler’s  Letter, 

The  Rev.  Ebenezer  Miller’s  Papers, 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Secretary,  . 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Pigot  to  the  Secretary,  . 

The  Clergy  of  New  England  to  the  Secretary, 
The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  Gen.  Nicholson, 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Secretary,  . 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Plant  to  the  Secretary,  . 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  Gen.  Nicholson, 


Ibid. 


220,  221 


Ibid. 


Ibid. 


222,  223 


223,  224 


Ibid. 


.  2  2  4-2  2  7 


Ibid. 


.  227,  228 


Ibid. 


.  228—232 


Ibid. 


Ibid. 


Ibid. 


232>  233 


234,  235 


Answer  of  the  Overseers  of  Harvard  College  to  Dr.  Cutler’s  and  Mr.  Myles’s  Memo¬ 
rial,  &c.,  .........  235—245 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Harris  to  the  Lord  Bishop  of  London,  .....  245,  246 

Fulham  MSS.  {unbound'). 


XI 


The  Rev.  Mr.  Harris  to  the  Lord  Bishop  of  London,  . 
Mr.  Benjamin  Colrnan  to  the  Lord  Bishop  of  London, 
Mr.  John  Checkley  to  the  Lord  Bishop  of  London, 
The  Rev.  Ebenezer  Miller  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  . 


Ibid. 

Ibid. 

Ibid. 

Ibid. 


PAGES. 

246-248 

249 

250-252 

252 

253 


The  Rev.  Mr.  Pigot  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  .  . 

Letter  Book  of  the  Ven.  Society  (  Vol .  21). 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  .....  253,  254 

Fulham  MSS.  {unbound'). 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Mossom  to  the  Secretary,  ......  254-256 

Letter  Book  of  the  Ven.  Society  (  Vol.  20). 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Secretary,  .  .  .  ,  .  .  .  256 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Overseers  of  Harvard  College,  Cambridge,  .  .  257-259 

Fulham  MSS.  {unbound). 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  .....  259-261 

Fro7)i  the  original  MS. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Pigot  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  .....  262 

Letter  Book  of  the  Ven.  Society  {Vol.  23). 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Secretary,  .......  263 

Lbid. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  Captain  John  Delapp,  ......  264-266 

Fulham  MSS.  (unbound). 

The  Rev.  Thomas  Harwood  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  ....  266-269 

Lbid. 

Gov.  Belcher  to  the  Lord  Bishop  of  London,  .  .  .  .  .  .  270,  271 

Ibid. 

Memorial  of  Roger  Price,  Clerk  &  Commissary  of  ye  Episcopal  Churches  in  New 

England,  to  His  Excellency,  Jonathan  Belcher,  Esq.,  .  .  .  272,  273 

From  an  attested  contemporary  MS. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Secretary,  ......  273,  274 

Letter  Book  of  the  Ven.  Society  (Vol.  24). 

Opinion  of  Messrs.  Yorke  &  Talbot  respecting  certain  Grievances  complained  of  by 

the  Church  of  England  Clergy  in  the  Massachusetts  Bay,  .  .  .  274-288 

From  the  original  MS. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Plant  to  the  Secretary,  ......  288,  289 

Letter  Book  of  the  Ven.  Society  (Vol.  24). 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Miller  to  the  Secretary,  ......  289.  290 

Ibid. 


Xll 


The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

The  Clergy  of  New  England  to  the  Secretary, 

Gov.  Belcher  to  the  Lord  Bishop  of  London, 

The  Rev.  Commissary  Price  to  the  Bishop  of  London, 


PAGES. 

•  290,  291 
Ibid. 

•  291,  292 
Ibid. 

•  292,  293 

Fulham  MSS.  ( unbound ). 

•  293-295 
Ibid. 


Letter  Book  of  the  Ven.  Society  (Vo/.  24). 

•  ••••• 

Ibid.  (Vo/.  25). 

•  •  •  •  •  • 

Ibid. 

Fulham  MSS.  (unbound). 

Ibid. 


The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Secretary, 

The  Rev.  John  Pierson  to  the  Secretary, 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Secretary, 

Mr.  Wm.  Williams  &  Others  to  the  Ld.  Bp.  of  London, 

Mr.  Benj“.  Colman  to  the  Lord  Bishop  of  London,  . 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Pigot  to  the  Secretary,  ....... 

Letter  Book  of  the  Ven.  Society  (Vol.  25). 
Comtee  of  Members  of  the  Church  of  England  at  Salem  to  the  Society, 

Ibid. 

The  Same  to  the  Lord  Bishop  of  London,  ...... 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Secretary,  ...... 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Addington  Davenport  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  .... 

Ibid. 

Mr.  David  Shaw  to  Gov.  Belcher,  ....... 

Fulham  MSS.  ( unbound ). 

The  Rev.  Jona  Arnold  to  the  Lord  Bishop  of  London,  .... 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Commissary  Price  to  the  Lord  Bishop  of  London,  .  .  .  . 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Pigot  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  ..... 

Letter  Book  of  the  Ven.  Society  (  Vo/.  25). 
The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Secretary,  ...... 

Ibid.  (Vol.  26). 

The  Rev.  Commissary  Price  to  the  Lord  Bishop  of  London,  . 

Fulham  MSS.  (a unbound ). 

Mr.  Matthew  Ellis  to  the  Society,  ....... 

Letter  Book  of  the  Ven.  Society  (  Vol.  26). 


295,  296 

296,  297 

297,  298 
299-301 

3°2>  3°3 
3°3>  3° 4 
3°5>  3°6 
3°6 

3°7 

308-310 

3ri>  312 
312 
3X3>  3*4 

31 4 

315 
3I5~3I7 

31 7,  3r8 


Xlll 


To  Abp.  Potter,  in  favour  of  Rob1  Auchmuty,  Esq.,  . 

Lambeth  MSS.  (No.  1123). 

Petition  from  the  Inhabitants  of  Scituate,  Hanover,  &c.,  .  .  . 

From  MSS.  of  the  S.  P.  G. ,  Letter  Book  No.  2,  “ Bearcroft." 
The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Secretary,  ...... 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Commissary  Price  to  the  Secretary,  ..... 

Ibid. 

The  Same  to  the  Lord  Bishop  of  London,  ...... 

Fulham  MSS.  {unbound'). 

The  Same  to  the  Secretary,  ........ 

MSS.  of  the  S.  P.  G.,  Letter  Book  No.  2,  “ Bearcroft 
The  Same  to  the  Same  (extract),  ....... 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Ebenr  Miller  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  .  .  .  .  . 

Ibid. 

Churchwardens  of  Scituate  to  the  Secretary,  ...... 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Commissary  Price  to  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury, 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Secretary,  ...... 

Ibid. 

The  Same  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  ....... 

Fulham  MSS.  {unbound). 

The  Rev.  Commissary  Price  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  .... 

MSS.  of  the  Ven.  Soc.,  Letter  Book  No.  2,  “ Bearcroft." 
The  Rev.  Chs  Brockwell  to  the  Secretary,  ...... 

Ibid. 

The  Same  to  the  Same  (extract),  ....... 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Commissary  Price  to  the  Bishop  of  London  (extract), 

Fulham  MSS.  (unbound). 

From  the  United  Vestries  to  the  Secretary,  ...... 

MSS.  of  the  Ven.  Soc.,  Letter  Book  No.  2,  “ Bearcroft." 
The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  ..... 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Bearcroft  to  the  Lord  Bishop  of  Oxford,  .... 

Lambeth  MSS.  (No.  1123). 

The  Same  to  the  Same,  ........ 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Commissary  Price  to  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury, 

Ibid. 


PAGES. 

3X8,  319 
32°,  321 
321,  322 
322>  323 
323>  324 

325 
325»  326 

326 

327,  328 

328,  329 

329>  33° 
33°,  33i 
33U  332 

332 

333 

333,  334 

334,  335 

335,  336 
336-338 

338,  339 

339,  34o 


XIV 


PAGES. 

The  Rev.  Commissary  Price  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  ....  340?  341 

Fulham  MSS.  { unbound ). 

The  Same  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  .  .  .  .  .  •  •  341 

MSS.  of  the  Ven.  Soc.,  Letter  Book  No.  2,  “ Bearcroft." 

Mr.  Thomas  Coram  to  the  Secretary,  .......  342-345 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  .....  345-348 

Fulham  MSS.  {unbound'). 

The  Same  to  the  Secretary,  ........  348-350 

MSS.  of  the  Ven.  Soc.,  Letter  Book  No.  3,  “ Bearcroft .” 

The  Same  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  .......  350-352 

Fulham  MSS.  {unbound). 

The  Rev.  Commissary  Price  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  .  .  .  .  352 

MSS.  of  the  Ven.  Soc.,  Letter  Book  No.  3,  “ Bearcroft . ” 

The  Rev.  Ch5  Brockwell  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  .....  353,  354 

Ibid.  " 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Secretary,  .......  354,  355 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Chs  Brockwell  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  .  .  .  .  .  356 

Fulham  MSS.  {unbound). 

The  Same  to  the  Secretary,  ........  356,  357 

MSS.  of  the  Ven.  Soc.,  Letter  Book  No.  3,  “ Bearcroft .” 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Secretary,  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  357,  358 

Ibid.  " 


The  Rev.  Addington  Davenport  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  .  .  .  *  358,  359 

Fulham  MSS.  {unbound). 


The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  .....  359,  360 

MSS.  of  the  Ven.  Soc.,  Letter  Book  No.  3,  “ Bearcroft .” 

The  Rev.  Ebenr  Miller  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  .  .  .  .  .  360 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Commissary  Price  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  ....  361,  362 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Secretary,  .......  362,  363 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Plant  to  the  Secretary,  ........  364 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Stephen  Roe  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  .....  364-366 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  .....  366-368 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Plant  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  .....  368 


Ibid. 


XV 


The  Rev.  Mr.  Plant  to  the  Secretary,  . 

MSS.  of  the  Ven.  Soc.,  Letter  Book  No. 
The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Secretary,  .... 

The  Rev.  Alexr  Malcom,  of  Marblehead,  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

Gov.  W.  Shirley  to  the  Secretary,  .... 

The  Rev.  James  Macsparran,  D.D.,  to  the  Secretary,  . 

The  Rev.  Commissary  Price  to  the  Secretary,  . 

Mr.  Lawton’s  Deed  of  Gift,  ..... 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Bearcroft  to  Mr.  John  Meadows, 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Plant  to  the  Secretary,  .... 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  (extract), 

The  Rev.  John  Checkley  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

Churchwardens  of  St.  Paul’s,  Newbury,  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

The  Rev.  Alexr  Malcom  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Secretary,  .... 

The  Rev.  Commissary  Price  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Brockwell  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

The  Rev.  Commissary  Price  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Brockwell  to  the  Secretary, 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

Churchwardens,  &c.,  of  Salem,  to  the  Society  (extract), 


.  , 

PAGES. 

369 

‘  Near  croft.  ’  ’ 

369.  37o 

Ibid. 

37i 

Ibid. 

37D  372 

Ibid. 

373 

Ibid.  {No.  4). 

374 

Ibid. 

375 

Ibid. 

375 >  376 

Ibid.  {No.  5). 

376,  377 

Ibid.  {No.  4). 

377>  378 

Ibid.  {No.  5). 

378 

Ibid. 

379 

Ibid. 

379 

Ibid. 

Oj 

00 

0 

Ibid. 

380-382 

Ibid. 

Os> 

00 

Ibid. 

383 

Ibid. 

383,  384 

Ibid. 

384-387 

Ibid. 

387*  388 

Ibid. 

388,  389 

Ibid. 

XVI 


PAGES. 


The  Rev.  Mr.  Miller  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

Ibid. 

389 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Malcom  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

Ibid. 

39° 

Mr.  Nathan  Prince  to  the  Secretary, 

Ibid. 

39I_394 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

•  •  •  •  • 

Ibid. 

394,  395 

Commissary  Price  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  . 

Ibid. 

395>  396 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

Ibid. 

396 

Commissary  Price  to  the  Secretary, 

•  •  •  •  • 

Ibid. 

397 

The  Same  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  . 

•  •  •  •  • 

Fulham  MSS.  {unbound). 

398 

Gov.  Shirley  to  the  Secretary,  . 

MSS.  of  the  Ven.  Soc., 

•  •  •  •  • 

Letter  Book,  Vol.  7,  “ Bear croft." 

398-402 

The  Same  to  the  Same, .... 

•  •  •  •  • 

Ibid. 

403,  404 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Secretary,  . 

Ibid. 

404,  405 

The  Rev.  Will"1  M°Gilclirist,  of  Salem,  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  .  .  .  406 

Ibid.  (  Vol .  8.). 

Churchwardens  of  Braintree  to  the  Secretary,  ......  406,  407 

Ibid. 


Churchwardens  of  Newbury  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 
Gov.  Wm  Shirley  to  the  Secretary, 


Ibid 

Ibid 


The  Rev.  Mr.  Malcom  to  the  Bishop  of  London, 


Fulham  MSS.  {unbound) 

The  Rev.  Wm  Hooper,  of  Boston,  to  the  Secretary,  .... 

MSS.  of  the  Ven.  Soc.,  Letter  Book,  Vol.  8,  “  Bear  croft.' 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Plant  to  the  Secretary,  ...... 


Ibid 


407 
407-41 1 
412,  413 
4I3-4I5 
415-41 7 


The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Secretary,  . 
The  Same  to  the  Same  (extract), 


Ibid 

Ibid 

Ibid 


41 7-41 9 

419?  420 
420,  421 


The  Same  to  the  Same, 


xvu 


Church  at  Mansfield  to  the  Secretary,  ....... 

AfSS.  of  the  Ven.  Soc.,  Letter  Book,  Vol.  g,  “  Bear  croft." 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Thompson  to  the  Secretary,  ...... 


Ibid. 

A  Letter  from  Sir  Harry  Frankland  to  his  Uncle,  about  the  State  of  Religion  at 
Boston,  ........ 


Vestry  of  Newburyport  to  the  Society, 

La??ibeth  MSS.  {No.  1123). 

MSS.  of  the  Ven.  Soc. ,  Letter  Book,  Vol. 

8,  “ Bear  croft .” 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Secretary,  . 

• 

... 

A  List  of  the  Churches  in  Massachusetts,  &c.,  1748,  . 

Ibid.  {Vol.  9). 

President  Edward  Holyoke,  of  Harvard  College,  to  the  Secretary, 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Plant  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

Ibid. 

Commissary  Price  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  . 

Ibid.  {Vol.  10). 

♦  •  • 

Churchwardens,  &c.,  to  the  Society,  . 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

Ibid. 

0  •  • 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Plant  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

Ibid. 

•  •  • 

Commissary  Price  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  . 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Malcom  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

Ibid. 

The  Same  to  the  Same  (extract), 

Ibid. 

Marblehead  Vestry  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  . 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Plant  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

Ibid. 

Commissary  Price  to  the  Secretary, 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Secretary,  . 

Ibid.  {Vol.  11). 

The  Same  to  the  Same,  ..... 

Ibid.  {Vol.  13). 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Brockwell  to  the  Bishop  of  London, 

Ibid. 

C 

Fulham  MSS.  { unbound ). 

PAGES. 
421,  422 

422,  423 

423-425 
425,  426 
427,  428 
429,  43O 

43° 

43i 

431 

432 

433 

434 

434 

435 
435 
43  6 
437 

438,  439 
439>  440 

440,  441 

441,  442 


XV111 


The  Rev.  Dr.  Miller  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  . 

MSS.  of  the  Ven.  Soc.,  Letter  Book  Vol.  13,  il  Bear  croft." 

PAGES. 

442,  443 

The  Same  to  the  Same  (extract), 

Ibid. 

443 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Bearcroft  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Miller  (extract), 

Ibid. 

444 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

Ibid. 

444>  445 

The  Same  to  the  Same  (extract), 

Ibid. 

445 

Commissary  Price  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  . 

Ibid. 

446 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Caner  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

Ibid. 

446 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Brockwell  to  the  Bishop  of  London, 

Fulham  MSS.  {unbound). 

447.  448 

Extract  from  a  Letter  from  Rev.  Tho“  Prince,  . 

Lambeth  MSS.  {No.  1123). 

448-450 

Samuel  Colburn’s  Will,  ........ 

MSS.  of  the  Ven.  Society  { unbound  letters ). 

45°-452 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Caner  to  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury, 

Lambeth  MSS.  {No.  1123). 

452.  453 

Letter  from  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  to  Dr.  Caner, 

Ibid. 

453 

Churchwardens  &  Vestry  of  Christ  Church,  Boston,  to  the  Secretary, 

MSS.  of  the  Ven.  Society  { unbound  letters'). 

454 

The  Rev.  Edwd  Bass  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

Ibid. 

455 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Thompson  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  . 

Ibid. 

455 

The  Rev.  Mr.  McGilchrist  to  the  Secretary, 

Ibid. 

456 

The  Rev.  Peter  Bours,  of  Marblehead,  to  the  Secretary, 

Ibid. 

45  6,  457 

The  Rev,  East  Apthorp  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

Ibid. 

457 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Thompson  to  the  Secretary, 

Ibid. 

458 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Caner  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

Ibid. 

458 

The  Same  to  the  Same,  .... 

Ibid. 

459-461 

The  Same  to  the  Same, 


XIX 


The  Same  to  the  Same,  .... 

*  •  • 

PAGES. 

462,  463 

MSS.  of  the  Ven.  Society  ( unbound  letters). 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Apthorp  to  the  Secretary, 

•  •  • 

Ibid. 

463,  464 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Bass  to  the  Secretary,  . 

•  •  • 

464 

From  the  original  MS. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Thompson  to  the  Secretary, 

. 

Ibid. 

465 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Miller  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

• 

465,  466 

MSS.  of  the  Ven.  Society  {unbound  letters). 

The  Rev.  Mr.  M'Gilchrist  to  the  Secretary, 

. 

Ibid. 

466 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Bours  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

. 

467 

. 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Bass  to  the  Secretary, 

. 

Ibid. 

467,  468 

Churchwardens  of  Queen  Anne’s  Chapel,  in  Newbury, 

to  the  Secretary, 

Ibid. 

468,  469 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Bass  to  the  Secretary, 

•  •  • 

Ibid. 

469 

Inhabitants  of  Amesbury  to  the  Secretary, 

. 

Ibid. 

469,  470 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Price  to  the  Secretary,  . 

. 

Ibid. 

47°,  47i 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Caner  to  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury, 

.  .  . 

47D  472 

Lambeth  MSS.  {No. 

1123). 

The  Rev.  Messrs.  Bass  &  Browne  to  the  Secretary, 

. 

473 

MSS.  of  the  Ven.  Society  {unbound  letters). 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Apthorp  to  the  Secretary, 

. 

Ibid. 

473>  474 

The  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Caner, 

. 

474-476 

Lambeth  MSS.  {No. 

1123). 

The  Bishop  of  London  (Obaldiston)  concerning  the  N.  E.  Society,  . 

476,  477 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Wm  Smith,  D.D.,  to  the  Archbishop, 

. 

Ibid. 

477-481 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Caner  to  the  Archbishop, 

. 

Ibid. 

482-489 

The  Same  to  the  Same, ..... 

. 

Ibid. 

489-491 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Apthorp  to  the  Secretary, 

. 

491,  492 

MSS.  of  the  Ven.  Society  ( unbound  letters). 


XX 


PAGES. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Caner  to  the  Secretary,  .......  492>  493 

MSS.  of  the  Ven.  Society  ( unbound  letters'). 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Thompson  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  .  .  .  .  .  493 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Bass  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  ......  494 

Ibid. 

The  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Caner,  ....  494-496 

Fulham  MSS.  (No.  1123). 

Extract  from  the  Council  Books,  concerning  the  Act  of  the  Assembly  at  Boston,  for 

a  Society  to  Propagate  Christian  Knowledge  among  the  Indians,  .  .  497 

Ibid , 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Caner  to  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  .  .  .  .  497,  498 

Ibid. 

The  Same  to  the  Same,  ........  499 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Apthorp  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  .....  500-502 

MSS.  of  the  Ven.  Society  ( unbound  letters). 

The  Rev.  Mr.  M°Gilchrist  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  .....  503 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Caner  to  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  .  .  ■  .  .  503-505 

Fulham  MSS.  (No.  1123). 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Bass  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  ......  505,  506 

MSS.  of  the  Ven.  Society  ( unbound  letters). 

Mr.  Thos  Barnard  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Hooper,  concerning  Mr.  William  Walter,  .  .  506-508 

Fulham  MSS.  (No.  1123). 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Caner  to  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  ....  508,  509 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  W“  Hooper  to  the  Same,  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  510,  511 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Joshua  Wingate  Weeks  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  .  .  .  .  jn 

MSS.  of  the  Ven.  Society  ( unbound  letters). 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Apthorp  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  .  .  .  .  .  ^I2 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Bass  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  .  .  .  .  .  .512,  513 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Thompson  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  .  .  .  .  . 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Caner  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  .  .  .  .  .513,  514 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  McGilchrist  to  the  Secretary,  .  .  .  .  .  •  5J4>  515 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Weeks  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  .  .  .  .  , 

Ibid. 


XXI 


The  Rev.  Edwd  Winslow,  of  Braintree,  to  the  Secretary  (extract) 

MSS.  of  the  Ven.  Society  ( unbound 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Weeks  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Caner  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

The  Rev.  Mr.  M'Gilchrist  (extract),  ..... 
Churchwardens,  &c.,  of  Christ  Church,  Boston,  to  the  Secretary  (extract,) 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Winslow  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Caner  to  the  Secretary,  . 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Thompson  to  the  Secretary, 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Wingate  Weeks  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

The  Rev.  Mr  M°Gilchrist  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Winslow  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

Churchwardens  of  Christ  Church,  Boston,  to  the  Secretary, 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Thompson  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

Clergy  of  Boston,  &c.,  to  the  Secretary, 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Winslow  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

The  Rev.  James  Greaton,  of  Boston,  to  the  Secretary, 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Winslow  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

The  Rev.  John  Graves  to  the  Secretary, 

Churchwardens  of  Christ  Church,  Boston,  to  the  Secretary, 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Wingate  Weeks  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

The  Rev.  Mr.  McGilchrist  to  the  Secretary, 


PAGES. 

letters). 

5i6>  5r7 

Ibid. 

517,  518 

Ibid. 

5*8,  5*9 

Ibid. 

5r9 

Ibid. 

520 

Ibid. 

52I>  522 

Ibid. 

522>  523 

Ibid. 

523 

Ibid. 

524 

Ibid. 

524 

Ibid. 

52S 

Ibid. 

526-529 

Ibid. 

53° 

Ibid. 

530-532 

Ibid. 

532,  533 

Ibid. 

534,  535 

Ibid. 

535,  536 

Ibid. 

536,  537 

Ibid. 

537-539 

Ibid. 

539 

Ibid. 

540 

xxu 


The  Rev.  Mr.  Wilson  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  .... 

MSS.  of  the  Ven.  Society  (unbound  letters ) 

The  Clergy  in  Convention  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  . 


The  Rev.  Mr.  Bass  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  . 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Winslow  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Winwood  Serjeant  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Winslow  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

The  Rev.  Mather  Byles,  of  Boston,  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 


Ibid 

Ibid 

Ibid 

Ibid 

Ibid 

Ibid 


PAGES. 

540,  541 

541 

542 

542 

543 

543,  544 

544,  545 


The  Rev.  Mr.  Thompson  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  . 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Wingate  Weeks  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 
The  Rev.  Mr.  M°Gilchrist  to  the  Secretary, 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Winslow  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

The  Rev.  Wm  Clark,  of  Dedham,  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Thompson  to  the  Secretary  (extract),  . 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Wingate  Weeks  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Clark  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Wingate  Weeks  to  the  Secretary, 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Clark  to  the  Secretary,  . 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Wingate  Weeks  to  the  Secretary, 

The  Rev.  Mr.  M°Gilchrist  to  the  Secretary, 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Winslow  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Byles  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 


Ibid. 

545,  546 

Ibid. 

546 

Ibid. 

546,  547 

Ibid. 

547 

Ibid. 

548 

Ibid. 

548 

Ibid. 

549,  55° 

Ibid. 

55o,  55i 

Ibid. 

55i 

Ibid. 

552,  553 

Ibid. 

553,  554 

Ibid. 

555 

Ibid. 

556 

Ibid. 

556,  557 

XX111 


The  Rev.  Mr.  Winslow  to  the  Secretary,  ..... 

MSS.  of  the  Ven.  Society  (unbound  letters ) 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Clark  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

Ibid 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Thompson  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 


The  Rev.  Jacob  Bailey  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 
The  Rev.  Mr.  M°Gilchrist  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Winslow  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 
The  Same  to  the  Same  (extract), 


Ibid 

Ibid 

Ibid 

Ibid 

Ibid 


The  Rev.  Messrs.  Caner  &  Byles  to  the  Secretary, 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Winslow  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Clark  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 


Ibid 

Ibid 

Ibid 


Petition  of  the  Members  of  the  Church  at  Dedham, 


Ibid 


The  Rev.  Mr.  Serjeant  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Clark  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 


Ibid 

Ibid 


The  Rev.  Mr.  Winslow  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 
The  Same  to  the  Same  (extract), 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Caner  to  the  Secretary, 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Byles  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 
The  Rev.  Dr.  Caner  to  the  Secretary, . 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Winslow  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 
The  Rev.  Dr.  Caner  to  the  Secretary, 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Winslow  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 


Ibid 

Ibid 

Ibid 

Ibid 

Ibid 

Ibid 

Ibid 

Ibid 


PAGES. 

558 

558- 

-561 

561 

56i> 

562 

563 

563> 

564 

564, 

565 

565 

565> 

566 

566, 

567 

567, 

568 

569 

570- 

-572 

572, 

573 

574- 

-578 

57  8, 

579 

579> 

580 

580, 

58i 

582, 

583 

583, 

584 

584, 

585 

XXIV 


PAGES. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Caner  to  the  Secretary,  . 

.  i 

585.  586 

MSS.  of  the  Ven.  Society  ( unbound  letters). 

587>  588 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Byles  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

• 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Winslow  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

•  • 

588-59! 

Ibid. 

59D  592 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Clark’s  Address,  . 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Clark  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

• 

593-596 

The  Same  to  the  Same  (extract),  . 

Ibid. 

596-598 

Ibid. 

State  of  the  Church  in  1778,  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Weeks, 

. 

599-601 

Ibid. 

602-604 

State  of  the  Evidence  against  the  Rev.  Mr.  Bass, 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Winslow  to  the  Secretary,  . 

Ibid. 

604-606 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Clark  to  the  Secretary,  .  .  .  . 

Ibid. 

607,  608 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Walter  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

Ibid. 

608-610 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Byles  to  the  Secretary  (extract), 

• 

610,  611 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Clark  to  the  Secretary,  .  .  .  . 

•  • 

611-613 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Walter  to  the  Secretary,  .  .  .  . 

Ibid. 

613-615 

The  Same  to  the  Same,  ...... 

•  , 

615,  616 

- 

Ibid. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Bass  to  the  Secretary,  .  .  .  .  . 

Ibid. 

616,  617 

The  Same  to  the  Same,  ...... 

Ibid. 

617,  618 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Walter  to  the  Secretary,  .  .  .  . 

Ibid. 

618,  619 

Declaration  of  Churchwardens  of  St.  Paul’s,  Newburyport,  . 

Ibid. 

620 

Declaration  of  Mr.  Wentworth  &  Mr.  Jaffray, 

Ibid. 

620,  621 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Bass  to  the  Secretary,  . 

Ibid. 

621,  622 

XXV 


The  Rev.  Mr.  Bass  to  Governor  Wentworth,  ...... 

MSS.  of  the  Ven.  Society  ( unbound  letters). 

PAGES. 

622 

The  Rev.  Sam'  Peters  to  the  Secretary, 

Ibid. 

622-624 

Affidavit  of  Mr.  William  Miller, 

Ibid. 

624,  625 

Mr.  Sam1  White’s  Declaration, 

Ibid. 

625 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Peters  to  the  Secretary, 

Ibid. 

625,  626 

The  Same  to  the  Same, 

Ibid. 

627 

Col.  S.  Frye  to  the  Secretary,. 

Ibid. 

628,  629 

Gov.  Wentworth  to  the  Secretary, 

Ibid. 

629 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Peters  to  the  Secretary, 

Ibid. 

629,  630 

The  Same  to  the  Same, 

.  Ibid. 

630,  631 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Bass  to  the  Secretary,  . 

Ibid. 

631-633 

Mr.  Sam1  Hale  to  the  Secretary, 

ibid. 

633.  634 

Account  of  Mr.  Hale, 

Ibid. 

634 

Declaration  of  Henry  Atkins, 

Ibid. 

635 

Reasons  Humbly  Offered,  &c., 

Ibid. 

635-637 

Mr.  Joseph  Cutler  to  the  Secretary, 

Ibid. 

637.  638 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Bass  to  the  Secretary,  . 

From  the  original  MS. 

639 

The  Secretary  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Bass,  . 

u  \ 

MSS.  of  the  Ven.  Society  (; unbound  letters). 

639,  640 

' 


PAPERS  RELATING 


TO  THE 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH 

IN  MASSACHUSETTS. 


T/ie  Present 


BY  ME.  RANDOLPH. 


To  the  Right  Honble  the  Lords  of  his  Majesty’s  most  Honble  Privy  Council, 
appointed  a  Committee  for  trade  and  plantations. 


Whereas,  amongst  the  Severall  Colonies,  and  plantations  settled  there,  that 
of  the  Massachusetts  Bay,  commonly  called  the  Corporation  of  Boston,  is  the 
most  flourishing  &  powerfull,  &  and  at  present  gives  laws  to  a  great  part  of 
this  Country,  by  a  pretended  Charter  from  his  late  Majesty. 

It  is  first  in  relation  to  this  Colony  most  humbly  answered : 

To  the  First  Enquiry — 

Where  the  Legislative  &  Executive  powers  of  the  Government  of  New 
England  are  seated? 

The  Legislative  power  is  seated  in  a  general  Court,  from  which  there  is 
no  appeal,  consisting  at  present  of  a  Governour,  Deputy  Governour,  &  ten 
Magistrates,  with  the  Deputies  of  the  Severall  Towns  in  that  Jurisdiction:  all 
which  are  yearly  elected. 


1676.] 


2 


This  Court  is  the  Supreme  Judicature  of  the  Colony,  &  only  hath  power 
to  make  Laws,  raise  money,  &  lay  taxes  upon  the  whole  Colony,  dispose 
lands,  give  and  confirme  proprietyes,  impeach,  sentence  &  pardon,  &  receive 
appeals  from  all  inferiour  Courts,  &  cannot  be  adjourned  or  dissolved  without 
the  Consent  of  the  major  part. 

The  Governour,  Deputy  Governour,  &  Magistrates  are  chosen  by  the 
majority  of  votes  of  the  Freemen  of  the  Colony,  who  are  to  attend  at  Boston 
either  in  person  or  by  proxy,  without  any  Summons,  the  last  Wednesday  in 
Easter  Terme,  &  upon  that  day  to  consummate  the  Election,  which  is  done  by 
writing  the  names  in  paper.  But  no  person  that  hath  been  a  Magistrate  the 
year  before  is  to  be  left  out  at  the  New  election  and  is  to  have  the  precedency 
in  nomination  before  all  others. 

The  Deputies  for  the  General  Court  are  chosen  by  the  Freemen  of  every 
Town,  which  have  the  full  power  of  all  the  freemen  transferred  to  them.  No 
Town  can  send  more  than  two  Deputies,  &  where  a  Town  hath  but  Twenty 
freemen,  that  Town  can  send  but  one,  Deputy,  &  where  not  ten  freemen  that 
Town  sends  none.  No  person  being  an  Attorney  is  to  be  chosen  a  Deputy. 

No  person  is  admitted  to  be  a  freeman  of  the  Colony,  or  to  have  vote  in 
any  election,  but  Church  members  who  are  in  full  Communion  &  approved  of 
by  the  General  Court. 

The  Governour  &  Magistrates  sit  apart,  &  act  all  business  by  themselves, 
by  drawing  up  Bills  &  orders,  which  haveing  agreed  upon,  they  send  to  the 
Deputies  to  be  considered,  &  accordingly  to  give  their  consent  or  dissent 
thereunto. 

The  Deputies  likewise  sit  by  themselves,  &  consult  about  such  matters  as 
they  shall  find  meet  for  the  Common  good — which  being  agreed  on  they  pre¬ 
sent  to  the  Magistrates  to  be  considered,  who  may  give  their  Consent  or  Dis¬ 
sent. 

No  Law  is  made  without  the  consent  of  the  major  part  of  the  Magistrates 
&  greater  number  of  Deputies.  The  Governour  hath  a  casting  vote  in  all 
Courts  &  assemblies,  &  can  call  a  general  Court  or  any  other  Court,  or 
Councill  at  his  pleasure. 

The  Executive  power  is  in  the  Governour  &  Council,  whereof  seven  make 
a  Quorum,  the  Governour  or  Deputy  Governour  to  be  one.  But  where  the 
business  is  urgent  the  acts  of  so  many  as  do  assemble  are  accounted  valid  & 
sufficient  &  can  impress  souldiers,  seamen,  ships,  all  manner  of  ammunition 


3  [1676. 

&  provisions,  &  all  other  necessaries,  &  gives  warrants  to  the  Treasurer  to 
make  payment  or  the  same. 

The  Council  sits  twice  a  week  constantly  &  is  summoned  at  the  pleasure 
of  the  Governour,  &  oftener  if  it  need  be. 

There  be  two  Courts  of  Assistants  yearly  kept  at  Boston  by  the  Governour 
or  Deputy  Governour,  and  the  rest  of  the  Magistrates  upon  the  first  Tuesday 
in  March,  &  the  first  Tuesday  in  September,  to  hear  &  determine  all  actions 
of  appeal  from  inferiour  Courts,  &  all  Capitall  &  Criminall  causes,  extending 
to  life  member  or  banishment. 

There  are  also  County  Courts  held  in  General  Towns  of  the  Colony,  upon 
set  days,  by  such  Magistrates,  as  the  general  Court  shall  appoint  for  to  hear 
&  determine  all  causes  civil  &  criminall,  not  exceeding  to  life,  member  or  ban¬ 
ishment,  to  make  &  constitute  needful  officers,  and  to  Summon  Juries  of 
Inquest;  the  time  of  holding  the  said  Courts  is  always  upon  a  Tuesday. 

The  Governour  and  Deputy  Governour  jointly  agreeing,  or  any  three 
Magistrates  consenting,  have  power  to  reprieve  a  condemned  person,  until  the 
next  General  Court. 

Every  Magistrate  is  a  Justice  of  the  peace  and  can  determine  any  cause 
under  fourty  shillings,  can  commit  to  prison  &  punish  ofifendours  for  breach  of 
Laws,  &  impose  fines  according  to  discretion. 

The  Secretary  of  the  Council  signs  all  warrants  for  the  execution  of  per¬ 
sons  sitting  the  general  Court  or  Court  of  Assistants. 

The  Governour  and  Magistrates  at  all  Courts,  meetings  &  Assemblys,  have 
a  public  Table  kept  &  their  necessary  expences  borne  at  the  charge  of  the 
Country. 

And  for  keeping  all  persons  in  perfect  obedience  to  their  authority  it  is 
enacted, 

That  whosever  shall  revile  the  person  of  any  Magistrate  or  Minister,  or 
shall  defame  any  Court  of  Justice,  or  the  sentence  &  proceedings  of  the 
same,  or  the  Judges  of  any  such  Court,  in  respect  of  any  Act  or  Sentence 
therein  passed,  shall  be  punished  by  whipping,  fine,  imprisonment,  disfran- 
chisment,  or  banishment,  as  the  quality  or  measure  of  the  offence  shall 
deserve. 

And  whosoever  shall  conspire  &  attempt  any  invasion,  Insurrection  or 
public  rebellion  against  their  Commonwealth,  or  shall  endeavour  to  surprise 
any  Town  or  Forts,  or  shall  treacherously  &  perfidiously  attempt  the  altera- 


1 676.] 


4 


tion  &  subversion  of  their  frame  of  polity  or  Government  fundamental,  he 
shall  be  put  to  Death. 

And  as  a  mark  of  Sovereighnty  they  coin  money  of  four  sorts,  viz.:  shil¬ 
lings,  sixpence,  threepence,  &  twopence,  which  are  stamp’d  with  this  Inscrip¬ 
tion:  Mathathusets,  &  a  tre  on  the  Centre  on  the  one  side,  &  New  England 
with  the  year  1652  and  the  value  of  the  piece  on  the  other  reverse. 

Their  money  is  of  the  standard  of  England  for  fineness;  the  shillings  weigh 
three  pennyweight  Troy,  which  is  in  value  of  English  money  Ninepence  farth¬ 
ing,  &  the  smaller  Coins  proportionable.  These  are  the  Current  Moneys  of  the 
Colony,  &  not  to  be  transported  thence  (except  twenty  shillings  for  necessary 
expences)  on  penalty  of  confiscation  of  the  whole  visible  Estate  of  the  trans¬ 
porter. 

All  the  money  is  stamped  with  these  figures,  1652,  that  year  being  the  era 
of  their  Commonwealth  wherein  they  erected  themselves  into  a  Free  State, 
enlarged  their  Dominions,  subjected  the  adjacent  Colonies  under  their  obedi¬ 
ence,  &  summoned  Deputies  to  sit  in  the  General  Court,  which  year  is  still 
commemorated  on  their  Commissions. 

All  Commissions  are  made  in  the  name  of  the  Governour,  with  the  con¬ 
sent  of  the  Councill,  but  all  Passes  for  Ships  &  Certificates  are  in  the  name 
of  the  Governour  only  in  these  forms  : 

“  John  Leveret,  Esquire,  Governour  of  the  Massachusetts  Jurisdiction  in 
New  England,  with  consent  of  the  Council, 

“  To  A.  B.,  Captain. 

“  Whereas  you  are  chosen  and  appointed  to  be  Captain  to  a  foot  Company 
under  the  command  of  C.  D.,  General  &  Commander  of  the  Forces  now  to 
be  sent  forth  in  this  expedition  against  the  treacherous,  barbarous  enemies. 
These  are  therefore  to  will  &  require  you  to  take  care  and  charge  of  the  said 
Company  as  their  Captain  &  diligently  to  attend  the  same  charge  of  exercis¬ 
ing  the  inferiour  officers  &  souldiers,  and  with  your  best  skill  &  endeavour  to 
pursue,  kill  &  destroy  the  said  enemies,  commanding  your  Company  to  obey 
you  as  their  Captain,  for  the  service  of  the  Country,  &  you  to  observe  and 
obey  all  such  orders  &  directions  as  from  time  to  time  you  shall  receive  from 
your  superior  officers,  the  General,  the  Council,  or  General  Court  of  the  Mas¬ 
sachusetts  Jurisdiction  in  New  England.  At  Boston,  the  13th  of  June,  1676.” 

It  is  Sealed  with  the  Seal  of  the  Colony. 


5 


[1676. 


“To  all  unto  whom  these  presents  shall  Come,  Greeting — I,  John  Leverett, 
Esquire,  Governour  of  his  Majesty’s  Colony  of  the  Massachusetts  in  New 
England  doe  testifie  &  make  known  that  I.  W.,  Master  or  Commander  of  the 
Sarah,  Frigat,  hath  appeared  before  me,  &  hath  declared  by  solemn  oath,  that 
the  said  ship  or  vessel  of  which  he  is  at  present  Master  or  Commander,  con¬ 
taining  about  one  hundred  Tuns,  doth  belong  to  the  Inhabitants  of  the  City  of 
London,  within  the  Dominions  of  the  Most  Serene  &  Mighty  Prince  the  King 
of  England,  Scotland,  France  &  Ireland,  Defender  of  the  Faith,  so  help  him 
God.  And  in  regard  it  would  be  most  acceptable  unto  me,  that  the  said  Mas¬ 
ter  or  Commander  be  assisted  in  his  just  &  lawful  affairs,  I  do  request  you  & 
every  of  you  wheresoever  the  said  Master  or  Commander  shall  arrive  with 
his  ship,  &  the  goods  laden  on  board  &  arrived  in  her,  that  you  would  please 
to  receive  him  Courteously;  use  him  kindly,  and  admit  him  upon  paying  the 
lawful  and  usual  Customs  and  other  duties  to  enter  into,  remain  in  &  pass 
from  your  ports,  rivers  &  dominions,  &  there  to  enjoy  all  kind  of  right  of 
Navigation,  traffick  &  Commerce  in  all  places  where  he  shall  think  fit,  which 
I  shall  most  willingly  &  readily  acknowledge  upon  all  occasions**-  In  testimony 
&  confirmation  whereof,  I  have  with  my  hand  signed  these  presents,  &  caused 
them  to  be  Sealed  with  the  publick  seal  of  the  Colony  above  written.  Dated 
in  Boston  April  the  29th,  anno-dom.  1676  and  in  the  28th  year  of  his  Majesty’s 
reigne.” 

Second  Enqtiiry.  What  Laws  &  Ordinances  are  now  in  force  there  derog¬ 
atory  or  Contrary  to  those  of  England,  and  what  Oath  is  prescribed  by  the 
Government  ? 

The  Laws  &  ordinances  made  in  that  Colony  are  no  longer  observed,  then 
as  they  do  stand  with  their  convenience,  the  Magistrate  not  so  strictly  mind¬ 
ing  the  letter  of  the  Law  when  their  publick  Interest  is  concerned,  in  all  cases 
more  regarding  the  quality  &  affection  of  the  person  to  their  Government, 
than  the  nature  of  the  offence.  They  see  no  evil  in  a  Church  member  and 
therefore  it  is  very  difficult  to  get  any  sentence  or  Verdict  against  them 
though  in  the  smallest  matters. 

No  Law  is  in  force  or  esteeme  there,  but  such  as  are  made  by  the  General 
Court,  &  therefore  it  is  accounted  a  Breach  of  their  priviledges,  &  a  betraying 
of  the  Liberties  of  their  Commonwealth  to  urge  the  observation  of  the 
Laws  of  England  or  his  Majesty’s  Commands. 

The  Laws  most  derogatory  &  contradictory  to  those  of  England. — All 


1676.] 


6 


persons  of  the  age  of  one  and  twenty  years  being  excommunicated  or  con¬ 
demned,  have  liberty  to  make,  will,  &  dispose  Lands  &  Estates. 

In  Capital  cases,  as  dismembering  or  banishment,  where  no  Law  is  made 
by  the  General  Court,  or  in  case  of  a  defect  of  a  Law  in  any  particular  Case, 
the  offender  to  be  tried  by  the  Word  of  God,  and  to  be  judged  by  the  Gen¬ 
eral  Court. 

Ministers  are  ordained  by  the  people,  and  no  injunction  to  be  put  upon 
any  Church  Officer  or  member  in  point  of  Doctrine,  Worship  or  Discipline, 
whether  for  substance  or  circumstance  besides  the  Institution  of  the  Lord. 

Whosever  shall  observe  Christmas  Day  or  the  like  festivals  by  forbearing 
Labour,  feasting  or  any  other  way,  shall  pay  5  shillings,  &  whosoever  shall  not 
resort  to  their  meetings  upon  the  Lord’s  Day,  &  such  days  of  fasting  &  thanks¬ 
giving,  as  shall  be  appointed  by  authority  shall  pay  five  Shillings.  No  days 
commanded  to  be  observed  by  the  Church  of  England  are  regarded. 

No  person  shall  be  impressed  or  compelled  to  serve  in  any  wars,  but  such 
as  shall  be  interprized  by  that  Commonwealth  by  the  Consent  of  a  General 
Court  or  by  Authority  derived  from  the  same. 

No  person  whatsoever  shall  join  any  persons  in  Marriage,  but  a  magis¬ 
trate,  it  being  an  Honourable  Ordinance  and  therefore  should  be  accordingly 
solemnized. 

All  strangers  professing  the  true  Christian  religion  shall  fly  to  them  for 
succor,  from  the  tyranny  or  oppression  of  their  persecutors,  or  from  any  or 
compulsary  cause,  they  shall  be  entertained  &  protected  amongst  them 
according  to  that  power  &  prudence  God  shall  give  them.  By  which  Law, 
Whaley,  Goffe  &  other  Trai tours  were  kindly  received  &  entertained  by  Mr. 
Guggins  &  other  Magistrates. 

Whosever  shall  be  in  possession  of  any  land  5  years,  altho’  the  grant  of 
the  said  Lands  was  to  another  person,  &  the  possessor  having  nothing  to 
shew  for  the  alienation  thereof  but  his  possession,  the  possessour  shall  have 
the  Land  confirmed  unto  him. 

No  oaths  shall  be  urged  or  required  to  be  taken  by  any  person,  but  such 
oaths  as  the  General  Court  hath  considered  allowed  &  required. 

The  oaths  of  Allegiance  &  Supremacy  are  neither  taken  by  the  Magis¬ 
trates,  or  required  to  be  taken  by  the  Inhabitants,  only  an  oath  of  fidelity  to 
their  Government  is  imposed  upon  all  persons,  as  well  strangers  as  Inhabi¬ 
tants  upon  penalty  of  ^5  for  every  week  they  shall  refuse  the  said  oath. 


7 


[1676. 


THE  OATH  OF  A  STRANGER. 

“You,  A.  B.,  do  acknowledge  yourself  subject  to  the  Laws  of  this  jurisdic¬ 
tion  during  your  residence  under  this  *  Government,  and  doe  Swear  by  the 
great  name  of  the  Everlasting  God,  &  engage  yourself  to  be  true  and  faithful 
to  the  same,  and  not  to  plot,  contrive  or  conceal  anything  that  is  to  the  hurt 
or  detriment  thereof.  So  help  you  God  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.” 

THE  OATH  OF  AN  INHABITANT. 

“Whereas  I,  A.  B.,  am  amlnhabitant  within  the  Jurisdiction.  Considering 
how  I  stand  obliged  to  the  King’s  Matie,  his  Heirs  &  Successors  by  our  Char¬ 
ter,  &  the  Government  Established  thereby,  doe  swear  accordingly  by  the 
great  &  dreadful  name  of  the  Everlasting  God,  that  I  will  bear  faith  &  true 
allegiance  to  our  Sovereign  Lord  the  King,  his  Heirs  and  Successors,  and 
that  I  will  be  true  and  faithfull  to  this  Government,  &  accordingly  yield  assist¬ 
ance  thereunto  with  my  person  &  Estate  as  in  Equity  I  am  bound.  And 
will  also  truly  endeavour  to  maintain  &  preserve  all  the  liberties  &  priviledges 
thereof,  submitting  myself  unto  the  wholsome  Laws  made  &  Established  by 
the  same. 

“  And  farther  that  I  will  not  plot  or  practice  any  evil  against  it,  or  consent 
to  any  that  shall  soe  do,  but  will  timely  discover  &  reveal  the  same  to  lawful 
authority  now  here  established  for  the  speedy  preventing  thereof.  So  help 
me  God  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.” 

These  and  all  other  Oaths  are  taken  by  holding  up  the  hand,  and  not  by 
laying  the  hand  upon  the  Bible. 

Third  Enquiry.  What  number  of  Church  Members,  freemen,  Inhabitants, 
Planters,  Servants  or  Slaves  there  are,  of  what  Profession  &  Estates,  & 
how  many  of  them  are  men  able  to  bear  Arms  ? 

The  Magistrates  &  all  other  Officers  in  the  Civil  Government  in  any  place 
of  profit  or  advantage,  are  Church  Members  and  so  consequently  freemen. 
But  the  number  of  the  Church  members  &  freemen  compared  with  the  rest 
of  the  Inhabitants  of  that  Jurisdiction  (who  are  termed  the  dissenting  party), 
is  very  Inconsiderable,  not  being  reckoned  above  one  sixth  part,  the  most 
wealthy  persons  of  all  professions  being  men  of  good  principles,  &  well 
affected  to  his  Majesty.  It  is  nothing  but  Interest  &  designe  that  draws  most 
of  that  people  into  their  Churchmembership  &  to  think  well  of  that  religion 
&  Government  they  thrive  under. 


1676.] 


8 


The  Inhabitants  within  that  Government  including  Hampshire  &  Maine 
are  computed  to  be  upwards  of  1 50,000  Souls. 

The  Chief  professions  are  Merchants  who  are  principally  seated  at  Boston, 
Salem,  Charlestown,  &  Portsmouth,  &  wealthy  Shop  keepers  or  Retailours 
who  dwell  in  most  Towns  of  the  Colony,  &  got  good  Estates.  There  are  rich 
men  of  all  callings  and  professions,  &  all  mechanical  Arts  and  Occupations 
thrive  very  well. 

The  Farmers  are  numerous  &  wealthy,  live  in  good  houses,  are  given  to 
Hospitality,  &  make  good  advantage  by  their  Corn,  Cattle,  poultry,  butter 
&  Cheese. 

There  are  thirty  merchants  that  are  esteemed  worth  from  10  to  20,000 
pounds ;  most  have  considerable  Estates  &  very  great  trades,  &  are  indust¬ 
rious  &  thriving  people. 

y  There  are  no  Servants  but  upon  hired  Wages,  except  some  few  who  serve 
four  years  for  the  charge  of  being  transported  thither  by  their  masters  and 
not  above  two  hundred  Slaves  in  the  Colony,  &  those  are  brought  from 
\  Guinea  &  Madagascar. 

There  are  men  able  to  bear  arms  between  Thirty  &  fourty  thousand,  &  in 
the  Town  of  Boston  is  computed  about  four  thousand. 

Fourth  Enquiry.  What  number  of  horse  &  foot,  and  whether  they  be 
trained  bands  or  Standing  forces,  &  what  Old  &  Experienced  Officers  they 
have  amongst  them  ? 

They  have  no  Standing  Army  but  the  trained  bands  &  twelve  troop  of 
Horse  &  six  thousand  foot,  each  troop  consisting  of  sixty  Horse  besides 
Officers,  are  all  well  mounted,  &  compleatly  Armed,  with  Back,  breast,  head- 
piece,  &  Buff  Coat,  Sword,  Carbine,  &  pistols,  each  troop  distinguished  by 
their  Coats. 

The  foot  also  are  very  well  furnished  with  swords,  muskets,  bandeleers. 
There  are  no  pikemen,  they  being  of  no  use  in  the  Wars  with  the  Indians. 
The  late  Wars  have  hardened  their  Infantry,  made  them  good  freemen,  and 
taught  them  the  ready  use  of  their  arms. 

The  soldiers  in  time  of  peace  are  exercised  six  days  in  the  Year,  when 
the  Captain  or  Chief  Officer  shall  appoint. 

The  pay  in  time  of  War  to  a  Captain  of  Horse  is  six  pounds  a  Month,  to 
a  Captain  of  foot,  four  pounds,  &  to  a  Common  Souldier,  One  shilling  per  day, 
besides  victuals,  and  in  time  of  peace  the  Officers  have  an  allowance  for  their 
Expences  upon  the  days  of  Muster. 


9 


[1676. 

The  present  Governour  Mr.  Leverett  is  the  only  Old  Soldier  in  that  Colony. 
He  served  in  the  late  Rebellion  under  the  Usurper  Oliver  Cromwell,  and 
was  a  Captain  of  Horse.  The  Governour  of  the  Colony  is  always  General,  & 
out  of  the  rest  of  the  Magistrates  is  chosen  the  Major  General.  They  are 
places  of  good  profit  and  no  danger;  they  stay  at  home  and  share  the  Spoil, 
while  younger  Command  the  Army  in  the  field  against  the  Enemies. 

Fifth  Enquiry.  What  Castles  &  forts  are  in  New  England,  and  how 
situated,  and  what  store  of  provisions  they  are  furnished  withall  ? 

Three  miles  from  Boston  upon  a  small  Island  there  is  a  Castle  of  stone 
lately  built,  &  is  in  good  repair,  made  with  Four  Bastions  and  Mounted  with 
38  Guns  whereof  Sixteen  are  whole  Calverins  commodiously  seated  upon 
rising  ground,  sixty  paces  from  the  Water  side,  under  which  at  high  Water 
Mark  is  a  small  stone  battery  of  six  Guns.  These  command  all  the  Ships  or 
Vessels  sailing  up  or  down  the  Channel  of  Boston.  There  is  six  fathom 
Water  by  the  Castle  &  no  good  going  up  any  other  way. 

The  present  Commander,  is  one  Captain  Clapp,  an  old  man ;  his  salary 
Fifty  pounds  a  year.  There  belong  to  it  Six  Gunners,  each  ten  pounds  a  year, 
no  souldiers  are  there,  and  seldome  above  the  Captain  and  a  Gunner,  who 
upon  sight  of  any  Vessels  coming  up  set  up  his  Majesty’s  Flag,  the  only 
demonstration  of  his  Matie  in  those  parts,  to  which  all  Vessels  are  to  strike,  & 
none  are  to  sail  out  from  Boston,  but  they  must  send  their  pass  to  this  Captain, 
which  is  signed  by  the  Governour  for  which  is  paid  ten  shillings  &  if  it  be  a 
Bill  of  health  then  fourteen  shillings. 

There  is  a  small  Brick  Fort  lately  made  at  the  South  end  of  Boston,  with 
Two  Tier  of  Guns,  Six  in  each  Tier.  As  it  is  made,  it  is  of  little  use,  there 
are  no  Officers  or  Soldiers  belonging  to  it. 

One  platform  on  the  North  side  of  the  Town  commanding  the  River  going 
to  Charlestown  is  made  of  loose  Stone  &  Turf  mounted  with  five  demi  Cul- 
verins  &  two  small  Guns ;  no  Officers  belong  to  it. 

There  is  a  small  Fort  at  Marblehead  lying  upon  a  Neck  of  land,  going  up 
to  the  Bay  of  Boston,  but  of  little  use. 

Upon  the  Western  point  of  Great  Island  at  the  Mouth  of  the  River  of 
Piscataway  is  a  small  fort  in  good  repair  very  commodiously  seated  & 
mounted  with  five  Guns,  formerly  built  by  John  Mason  Esquire.  From  this 
River  is  brought  all  the  Masts  and  planks  that  come  for  England. 

Every  Vessel  above  Twenty  Tuns  not  belonging  to  the  Inhabitants  of  that 


1676.] 


IO 


Colony  pay  pr  tun  half  a  pound  of  powder,  or  nine  pence  in  money,  which 
amounts  to  a  considerable  stock. 

There  are  in  the  public  Stores  commonly  1000  Barrels  of  powder,  and 
other  Ammunition  and  Arms  proportionable,  besides  Six  thousand  Small 
Arms  that  came  lately  from  England. 

At  Dorchester  seven  miles  from  Boston  is  a  powder  Mill  in  good  repair 
&  well  wrought ;  there  is  in  the  Country  great  quantities  of  Saltpetre, 
especially  upon  Islands  where  Fowls  frequent,  &  in  Bramps  where  pigeons 
usually  roost,  the  powder  is  as  good  &  strong  as  the  best  English  powder. 
The  Master  of  the  work  is  one  Eneisdon  formerly  of  Battle  in  Sussex. 

Great  Guns  have  been  formerly  cast  in  the  Country,  but  at  present 
there  are  none,  the  Undertakers  quarrelling  among  themselves,  &  so  the 
Works  fell. 

There  is  great  plenty  of  Iron  Ore,  &  as  good  Iron  made  as  any  in 
Spain.  There  are  six  forges  for  making  of  Iron  in  that  Colony. 

The  Town  of  Boston  the  Metropolis  of  the  Colony,  &  the  residence  of  the 
Governour  &  Council  is  seated  upon  a  peninsula,  which  with  a  small  charge 
might  be  made  very  strong,  it  being  by  nature  favoured  from  any  sudden 
attempt,  and  encompassed  by  the  sea,  except  a  small  neck  of  land  of  One 
hundred  rods  at  low  water,  but  not  twenty  at  high.  The  town  contains  about 
two  thousand  houses,  most  built  of  timber,  and  Cover’d  with  Shingles  of 
Cedar,  as  are  most  of  the  houses  in  the  Country.  Some  few  are  brick  build¬ 
ings  and  covered  with  tiles. 

Sixth  Enqttiry.  What  are  the  reported  boundaries  and  Contents  of  land  ? 

The  Ancient  bounds  of  the  Massachusetts  Colony  was  not  above  twenty 
miles  upon  the  Sea  Coast,  but  the  present  limits  are  as  large  as  that  Govern¬ 
ment  please  to  make  them  having  some  years  since  taken  in  the  two 
provinces  entire  of  Hampshire  &  Maine,  by  them  now  called  after  their 
names,  and  divided  into  four  Counties,  Norfolk,  Suffolk,  Middlesex  and  York¬ 
shire,  besides  several  considerable  Towns  in  the  other  Colonies  of  New 
Plimouth  &  Connecticut,  for  the  Massachusetts  having  the  preeminence  in 
trade,  strength  &  riches,  they  take  the  liberty  to  claim  so  far  as  their  con¬ 
venience  or  interest  directs,  never  wanting  a  pretense  of  right  to  any  place 
that  is  commodious  for  them,  declaring  they  do  not  yet  know  the  boundaries 
of  their  Commonwealth. 

And  altho’  his  Majesty’s  Commissioners  in  the  year  1665  did  settle  the 


[1676. 


1 1 

limits  of  several  Colonies,  especially  the  Provinces  of  Hampshire  and  Maine, 
and  declared  to  the  Inhabitants  that  by  his  Majesty’s  Commission  and  Author¬ 
ity  they  were  taken  off  from  the  Government  of  the  Massachusetts,  to  the 
general  satisfaction  and  rejoicing  of  the  people,  and  did  constitute  Justices  of 
the  peace,  &  other  Officers  (with  the  consent  and  approbation  of  the  pro¬ 
prietors)  to  act  and  Govern  according  to  the  Laws  of  England,  &  by  such 
Laws  of  their  own  as  were  not  repugnant  thereunto,  untill  his  Majesty  should 
take  further  order  therein.  Whereupon  his  Majesty  by  his  declaration  to  the 
Corporation  of  Boston  of  the  10th  of  April,  1666,  did  approve  of  the  Actings 
&  proceedings  of  his  said  Commissioners,  &  did  require  &  command  that  no 
alteration  be  made  either  in  the  boundaries  or  government  of  those  Colonies, 
and  that  all  determinations  made  by  His  Majesty’s  Commissioners  should  be 
observed  and  continue  until  his  Majesty  should  make  his  own  final  deter¬ 
mination. 

Yet  nevertheless  no  sooner  were  his  Majesty’s  Commissioners  returned 
for  England,  but  M1'.  Leveret  the  present  Governour,  Mr.  Tyng,  Captain  Pike, 
and  some  others,  entered  those  provinces  in  an  hostile  manner  with  horse  & 
foot,  &  subverted  the  Government,  those  settled  by  the  Commissioners,  im¬ 
prisoned  several  persons,  &  compelled  the  Inhabitants  to  submit  to  their 
usurpations.  And  thus  taking  all  opportunities  &  advantages  to  improve 
their  dominions  &  authority,  the  Jurisdiction  of  the  Massachusetts  is  swelled 
into  a  very  large  territory. 

Seventh  Enquiry.  What  Correspondence  do  they  keep  with  their  Neigh¬ 
bors  the  French  on  the  North,  &  the  Government  of  New  York  on  the 
South? 

The  French  upon  the  last  treaty  of  peace,  concluded  between  the  two 
Crowns  of  England  and  France,  had  Nova  Scotia,  now  called  Acadie,  deliv¬ 
ered  up  to  them,  to  the  great  discontent  and  murmuring  of  the  Goverment  of 
Boston,  that  his  Majesty  without  their  knowledge  or  consent  should  part  with 
a  place  so  profitable  to  them,  whence  they  drew  great  quantities  of  Beaver 
and  other  peltry,  besides  the  fishing  for  Codd. 

Nevertheless  the  people  of  Boston  have  continued  a  private  trade  with  the 
French  and  Indians  inhabiting  those  parts  for  Beaver  skins  and  other  Com¬ 
modities,  &  have  openly  kept  on  their  fishing  upon  the  said  Coast  tho’  often 
forbid  by  the  French  King  Laivetenant  in  Acadie.  Last  year  Monsr  La  Bourne, 
Governour  for  the  French  King  there,  upon  pretence  of  some  affront  & 


1 676.] 


12 


injuries  offered  him  by  the  Government  of  Boston,  did  strictly  inhibit  the 
inhabitants  any  trade  with  the  English,  and  moreover  laid  an  imposition  of 
Four  hundred  Codfish  upon  every  vessell  that  should  fish  upon  their  Coast, 
&  such  as  refused  had  their  fish  &  provision  taken  away. 

The  French  have  held  a  civil  Correspondence  with  the  Inhabitants  of 
Hampshire  &  Maine  &  the  Duke’s  province,  although  the  Government  of 
Boston  is  upon  all  occasions  imposing  upon  the  French,  and  encouraging  an 
enterloping  trade  which  causeth  Jealousies  &  fears  in  the  Inhabitants  bor¬ 
dering  upon  Acadie,  that  the  French  will  suddainly  some  time  or  other  fall 
upon’  them  to  the  breach  of  the  National  peace.  The  Government  of  the  Mas¬ 
sachusetts  hath  a  perfect  hatred  for  the  French  because  of  their  too  near 
Neighborhood,  &  loss  of  their  trade,  and  look  upon  them  with  an  evil  eye, 
believing  they  have  had  an  hand  in  the  late  Wars  with  the  Indians. 

As  for  New  York  there  were  several  things  in  matter  of  trade  that  occa¬ 
sions  a  difference  between  the  two  Governments,  which  at  length  rose  so 
high  that  it  came  to  a  stop  of  trade  the  Governour  of  New  York,  not  per¬ 
mitting  any  European  goods  to  be  imported  into  that  Colony  from  Boston, 
that  had  not  a  certificate  or  other  Sufficient  proof  to  have  paid  Customs  in 
England,  which  hath  ever  since  occasioned  a  misunderstanding  between  them. 

In  the  late  Indian  War  the  Government  of  Boston  did  greatly  complain  of 
Fort  Albanies,  that  from  thence  the  Indians  Avere  supplied  with  Arms  & 
Ammunition  &  were  encouraged  to  begin  and  prosecute  the  War.  But  this 
great  outcry  is  judged  by  the  Wiser  &  Sober  part  of  people,  to  be 
without  any  just  cause  or  ground,  but  rather  a  report  raised  out  of  malice 
&  envy,  for  the  Government  of  Massachusetts  loves  no  Government  that  is 
not  like  their  own,  &  therefore  they  were  more  kind  and  friendly  to  the 
Dutch  (even  in  time  of  war)  when  they  were  possessed  of  New  York,  than 
they  are  to  their  countrymen  the  English.  However  the  Governour  of  Ne  w 
York  hath  proved  very  friendly  &  serviceable  to  the  Massachusetts  in  this 
War,  and  had  the  Majistrates  of  Boston  either  conferred  with,  or  hearkened 
to  the  advice  of  Coll.  Andross,  the  Indian  War  had  either  been  diverted  or 
proved  less  destructive,  for  he  offered  and  would  have  engaged  the  Mohawks 
and  Maquot  Indians  to  have  fallen  upon  the  Sachem  Phillip  and  his  confed¬ 
erates,  but  his  friendship,  advice  and  offers  were  slighted.  Nevertheless  Col. 
Andross’  act  of  his  duty  to  his  Majesty  kept  the  aforesaid  Indians  from  taking 
any  part  with  the  Sachem  Phillip. 


i3 


[1676. 


Eighth  Enquiry.  What  hath  been  the  original  cause  of  the  present  war 
with  the  Indians ;  what  are  the  advantages  or  disadvantages  arising  thereby, 
&  will  probably  be  the  final  end  thereof? 

Various  are  the  reports  &  conjectures  of  the  causes  of  the  late  Indian 
War.  Some  impute  it  to  an  imprudent  zeal  in  the  Majistrates  of  Boston  to 
Christianize  those  heathens,  before  they  were  civilized,  &  enjoyning  them  to 
the  strict  observation  of  their  Laws,  which  to  a  people  so  rude  &  licentious 
hath  proved  even  intolerable  &  that  the  more,  for  while  the  Majistrates 
for  their  profit  severely  put  the  laws  in  execution  against  the  Indians,  the 
people  on  the  other  side  for  Lucre  &  gain  enticed  &  provoked  the  Indians  to 
the  breach  thereof  especially  to  Drunkenness,  to  which  those  people  are  so 
generally  addicted,  that  they  will  strip  themselves  to  the  skin  to  have  their  fill 
of  Rum  and  Brande,  the  Massachusetts  Government  having  made  a  Law  that 
every  Indian  being  drunk  should  pay  ten  shillings  or  be  whipped  according  to 
the  direction  of  the  Majistrate.  Many  of  those  poor  people  willingly  offered 
their  backs  to  the  Lash  to  save  their  money,  whereupon  the  Majistrates  finding 
much  trouble  &  no  profit  to  arise  to  the  Government  by  whipping  did  change 
that  punishment  of  the  whip  into  a  ten  days’  work  for  such  as  could  not  or 
would  not  pay  the  fine  of  ten  shillings,  which  did  highly  incense  the  Indians. 

Some  believe  that  there  hath  been  vagrant  &  Jesuistical  priests,  who  have 
made  it  their  business  &  designe  for  some  years  last  past  to  go  from  Sachem 
to  Sachem  to  exasperate  the  Indians  against  the  English  &  to  bring  them  into 
a  confederacy,  &  that  they  were  promised  Supplies  from  France  &  other  parts 
to  Extirpate  the  English  Nation  out  of  the  Continent  of  America. 

Others  impute  the  Cause  to  Arise  from  some  injuries  offered  the  Sachem 
Phillip  for  he  being  possessed  of  a  tract  of  Land  called  Mount  Hope,  a  very 
fertile  pleasant  &  rich  soil,  some  English  had  a  mind  to  dispossess  him 
thereof,  who  never  wanting  some  pretence  or  other  to  attain  their  ends  com¬ 
plained  of  injuries  done  by  Phillip  &  his  Indians  to  his  Stock  and  Cattle 
whereupon  the  Sachem  Phillip  was  oftened  summoned  to  appear  before  the 
Majistrates,  sometimes  imprisoned,  &  never  released  but  upon  parting  with  a 
considerable  number  of  his  Lands. 

But  the  Government  of  the  Massachusetts  (to  give  it  in  their  own  words) 
do  declare  these  are  the  great  &  provoking  evils  for  which  God  hath  given 
the  barbarous  heathen  Commission  to  rise  against  them. 

The  woful  breach  of  the  fifth  Commandment,  in  contempt  of  their  Authority 


1676.] 


H 


(which  is  a  sin  highly  provoking  to  the  Lord),  for  men  wearing  long  hair  & 
perriwigs  made  of  Woman’s  hair,  for  Women  wearing  borders  of  hair  &  for 
cutting,  curling  and  laying  out  their  hair  and  disguising  themselves  by  follow¬ 
ing  strange  fashions  in  their  apparel,  for  profaneness  in  the  people  in  not 
frequenting  their  Meetings,  &  and  others  going  away  before  the  blessing  be 
pronounced,  for  suffering  the  Quakers  to  live  among  them,  &  to  set  up  their 
thresholds  by  God’s  thresholds,  contrary  to  their  Old  Laws  &  Resolutions. 

With  many  such  reasons,  but  whatever  was  the  cause  the  English  have 
contributed  very  much  to  their  misfortunes,  for  they  first  taught  the  Indians 
the  use  of  Arms,  and  admitted  them  to  be  present  at  all  their  musters  and 
trainings  and  showed  them  how  to  handle,  mend  &  fire  their  muskets,  &  have 
been  constantly  furnished  with  all  sorts  of  Arms  by  permission  of  the  Govern¬ 
ment  so  that  the  Indians  are  become  excellent  firemen,  &  at  Natick  a  Town 
not  far  distant  from  Boston,  there  was  a  gathered  Church  of  praying  Indians, 
who  were  exercised  as  a  trained  bande  under  Officers  of  their  own.  These 
have  been  the  most  cruel  and  barbarous  enemies  to  the  English,  above  any 
other  Indians,  Captain  Tom,  their  leader  being  lately  taken  &  hanged  at  Bos¬ 
ton  with  one  other  of  their  Chiefs. 

That  notwithstanding  the  Antient  Law  of  the  Country  made  in  the  year 
1633  that  no  persons  should  sell  any  Arms  or  Ammunition  to  any  Indian  upon 
the  penalty  of  Ten  pounds  for  every  Gun,  Five  pounds  for  a  pound  of 
powder,  &  forty  shillings  for  a  pound  of  shot.  Yet  the  Government  of  the 
Massachusetts  in  the  year  1657,  upon  designe  to  monopolize  the  whole  Indian 
trade  to  themselves  did  publish  and  declare  that  the  trade  of  Furs  &  peltry 
with  the  Indians  within  that  Jurisdiction  solely  and  properly  belong  to  their 
Commonwealth,  &  not  to  every  indifferent  person,  &  did  enact  that  no  per¬ 
son  should  trade  with  the  Indians  for  any  sort  of  peltry  except  such  as  were 
authorized  by  that  Court  under  the  penalty  of  one  hundred  pounds  for  every 
such  offence,  giving  liberty  to  all  such  as  shall  have  license  from  them  to  sell 
unto  any  Indian,  guns,  swords,  powder  &  shot,  paying  unto  the  Treasurer  for 
the  same  these  rates  (viz.):  three  shillings  for  each  Gun,  three  shillings  for  a 
dozen  of  Swords,  six  pence  for  a  pound  of  powder,  and  six  pence  for  every 
ten  pounds  of  shot,  by  which  means  the  Indians  have  been  abundantly  fur¬ 
nished,  with  great  store  of  Arms  and  Ammunition  to  the  utter  ruin  &  undo¬ 
ing  of  many  families  in  the  Neighbouring  Colonies,  for  to  enrich  some  few 
of  their  relations  &  Church  members. 


15 


[1676. 


No  advantages  but  many  disadvantages  have  risen  to  the  English  by  this 
war,  for  about  six  hundred  men  have  been  slain,  and  twelve  Captains,  most  of 
them  stout  &  brave  persons,  &  of  loyal  principles,  whilst  the  Church  mem. 
bers  have  liberty  to  stay  at  home  &  not  hazard  their  persons  in  the  wilder 
ness. 

The  loss  to  the  English  in  their  several  Colonies  in  their  habitations  & 
Stocks  is  reckoned  to  Amount  unto  one  hundred  &  fifty  thousand  pounds, 
there  having  been  about  Twelve  hundred  houses  burned,  Eight  thousand  load 
of  Cattel  great  &  small  Killed,  &  many  thousand  bushels  of  Wheat,  pease  & 
other  grain  burned,  of  which  the  Massachusetts  Colony  hath  not  been  damni¬ 
fied  one  third  part  (the  great  loss  falling  upon  New  Plimouth  and  Connecti¬ 
cut  Colonies),  and  upwards  of  three  thousand  Indians,  men,  women  &  child¬ 
ren  destroyed,  who  if  well  managed  would  be  very  serviceable  to  the  English, 
which  makes  all  manner  of  labour  dear. 

The  War  at  present  is  near  ended,  for  the  Sachem  Phillip  not  being  able 
to  support  his  party  or  Confederates  hath  left  them  to  make  the  best  terms 
they  can,  he  himself  sculking  in  the  woods,  with  a  small  party  of  two  or  three 
hundred  men,  being  in  despair  of  making  his  peace. 

In  Plimouth  Colony  the  Indians  surrender  themselves  to  the  Governour 
Winslow  upon  Mercy,  &  bring  in  all  their  arms,  &  are  wholly  at  his  disposal, 
excepting  life  &  transportation,  but  for  all  such  as  have  been  notoriously 
Cruel  to  women  &  children  so  soon  as  discovered  they  are  to  be  executed  in 
the  sight  of  their  fellow  Indians. 

The  Governour  of  Boston  has  concluded  a  peace  upon  these  terms: 

1.  That  there  be  from  henceforward  a  firme  peace  between  the  English 
and  Indians. 

2.  That  after  publication  of  the  Articles  of  peace  by  the  General  Court, 
if  any  English  shall  wilfully  kill  an  Indian,  upon  due  proof  he  shall  dye  for  the 
fact,  &  if  an  Indian  kill  an  Englishman  &  Escapeth,  the  English  are  to  pro¬ 
duce  him,  &  he  to  pass  tryal  by  the  English  Laws. 

That  the  Indians  shall  not  conceal  or  entertain  any  known  enemies  to  the 
English,  but  shall  discover  them,  &  bring  them  to  the  English. 

That  upon  all  occasions  the  Indians  are  to  aid  &  assist  the  English  against 
their  Enemies  and  to  be  under  English  Command. 

That  all  Indians  have  liberty  to  sit  down  at  their  former  habitations  without 
any  let  or  Interruption. 


1676.] 


i6 

Ninth  Enquiry.  What  are  the  Commodities  of  the  production,  growth  & 
manufacture  of  the  Country,  &  what  are  those  imported  from  other  places,  & 
particularly  how  the  trade  &  Navigation  is  carried  on,  whether  directly  to 
&  from  England  or  otherwise,  what  number  of  ships  do  trade  thither  yearly, 
&  of  what  burthen  they  are,  where  built,  &  lastly,  what  notice  is  taken  of  the 
Act  of  Navigation  ? 

The  commodities  of  the  production,  growth  &  manufacture  of  New  Eng¬ 
land  are  all  things  necessary  for  shipping  and  naval  furniture  in  great  abund¬ 
ance,  as  excellent  Oke,  Elme,  Beech,  Firr,  Pine  for  masts,  the  best  in  the 
world,  &  iron  not  inferiour  to  that  of  Bilboa;  clapboard,  pipe  staves,  planks  & 
deal  boards,  so  that  his  Majesty  need  not  be  beholding  to  other  Nations  for 
supply  of  Naval  Stores. 

It  abounds  with  Horses,  Beefs,  Sheep,  Hogs,  &  Goats,  with  mighty  num¬ 
bers  of  wild  beasts,  as  Beaver,  Otter,  Moose,  Dear,  Staggs,  Foxes,  Musquash 
&  several  other  sorts  whose  skins  produce  great  profit  yearly. 

Also  great  plenty  of  Wheat,  Rye,  Barley,  Oats  and  Pease,  fruits  of  most 
kinds,  especially  apples  whereof  they  make  very  great  quantities  of  Excellent 
Cider — fish  of  all  sorts,  Chief  Cod,  Mackarel,  Herring,  which  are  very  large 
and  fat. 

These  are  the  Staple  and  Merchantable  Commodities  and  are  exported, 
viz.:  To  Virginia,  Jamaica,  &  Maryland, — Beef  &  pork  salted,  pease,  flour, 
bisket,  &  mault,  Codfish  &  Salt  Mackarel. 

To  Barbadoes,  Mevis,  S\  Christopher,  Antego  and  the  other  Islands,  the 
above  said  Commodities,  together  with  Horses,  deal  boards,  pipe  staves  and 
houses  ready  framed. 

To  Spain,  Portugal,  &  the  Straights,  Maderas  &  Canary  Island, — Fish  & 
timber,  pipe  staves  &  Deal  boards. 

To  England, — Masts  &  yards  for  ships,  fir  &  oak  planks  with  all  sorts  of 
peltry. 

The  Commodities  imported  from  the  plantations,  are  Tobacco,  Sugar, 
Indico,  Cotton,  Wool,  Ginger,  Logwood,  Fustick,  Cocao  &  Rum,  the  which 
are  again  transported  to  other  parts. 

The  trade  &  Navigation  is  carried  on  by  a  general  traffick  to  most  parts 
of  Europe,  as  England,  Scotland,  Ireland,  Spain,  France,  Portugal,  Holland, 
Canaries,  and  the  Hans  Town  in  Germany,  carrying  to  each  place  such  Com¬ 
modities  as  are  vendible,  either  of  their  own  growth  &  manufacture,  or  those 


i7 


[1676. 


of  the  other  plantations,  &  do  make  their  returns  in  such  goods  as  are  neces¬ 
sary,  useful  &  vendible,  either  in  New  England  or  in  any  other  of  his  Majes¬ 
ty’s  dominions  in  America,  as  Brande,  Canary,  Spanish  &  French  wines, 
Bullion,  salt,  fruits,  oyles,  silks,  Laces,  Linen  of  all  sorts,  Cloths,  sarges,  Bays, 
Kersayes,  Stockings  &  many  other  Commodities  which  they  distribute  into 
all  parts  of  the  West  Indies,  so  that  there  is  little  left  for  the  merchant  resid¬ 
ing  in  England  to  import  into  any  of  the  plantations.  Those  of  New  England 
being  able  to  afford  their  goods  much  cheaper  than  such  who  pay  the  Cus¬ 
toms  and  are  laden  in  England,  by  which  means  this  kingdom  hath  lost  the 
best  part  of  the  Western  trade,  there  being  very  little  exported  hence,  but 
only  such  Commodities  as  are  properly  the  produce  &  manufacture  of  Eng¬ 
land  &  cannot  be  had  in  other  parts. 

It  is  the  great  care  of  the  Merchants  to  keep  their  ships  in  constant 
employment,  which  makes  them  try  all  ports  &  places  to  force  a  trade, 
whereby  they  abound  in  all  sorts  of  commodities  and  Boston  may  be  esteemed 
the  Mart  Town  of  the  West  Indies. 

There  are  some  ships  lately  sent  to  Guinea,  Madagascar  &  those  Coasts, 
&  some  to  Scanderoon  laden  with  masts  &  yards  for  ships. 

There  are  several  vessels  yearly  built  there  &  sould  in  England  &  other 
parts  by  way  of  merchandize,  which  they  Build  very  cheap.  There  are  built 
in  and  belonging  to  that  Jurisdiction, 


A  C  A  C  A 


30 

100 

250 

200 

>-  Vessels  from  - 

50 

Y 

O 

H 

100 

>•  Tuns. 

200 

30 

50 

300 

6 

10 

V  > 

There  are  about  thirty  Master  builders  of  ships,  &  Ship  Carpenters,  & 

other  workmen  and  artificers  proportionable. 

The  Chief  places  for  Building  are,  Boston,  Charlestown,  Salem,  Upswich, 
Salisbury,  &  Portsmouth.  Good  ships  are  built  for  four  pounds  the  Ton. 

There  is  no  notice  taken  of  the  Act  of  Navigation,  Plantation  Act  or  any 
other  Laws  made  in  England  for  the  regulation  of  their  trade,  all  Nations 
having  free  liberty  to  come  into  their  ports,  &  vend  their  commodities  without 
3 


i8 


1676.] 

any  restraint,  and  in  this  as  well  as  in  other  things,  that  Government  would 
make  the  world  believe  they  are  a  free  state  and  doe  act  in  all  matters  accord¬ 
ingly,  &  do  presume  to  give  passports  to  ships  not  only  belonging  to  that 
Colony  but  also  to  England  without  any  regard  to  those  rules  prescribed  by 
his  Majesty. 

Tenth  Enquiry.  What  are  the  Taxes  &  fines  laid  upon  the  Country? 
What  rates  &  duties  are  laid  upon  goods  exported  &  imported?  What  pub- 
lick  revenue  doth  arise  to  the  Government?  Of  what  nature  it  is,  and  how 
and  by  whom  it  is  Collected  &  Exacted? 

The  taxes  layd  upon  the  Country  &  duly  collected  are, 

1.  Poll  Money. 

Every  male  person  of  sixteen  years  of  age  &  upwards,  both  Inhabitant, 
Lodger,  Child,  Servant  or  Slave,  pays  yearly  one  shilling  and  eightpence  the 
head. 

2.  Land  Tax. 

Upon  all  Estates  real  &  personal  there- is  paid  one  penny  for  every  Twen¬ 
ty  Shillings  value,  upon  lands,  houses,  mills,  ships,  goods,  cattle  &  all  other 
known  Estate  whether  on  shore  or  at  sea. 

The  Estates  of  merchants  &  shopkeepers  being  Inhabitants  are  rated  by 
the  rule  of  Common  Estimation,  according  to  the  will  and  doom  of  the  asses- 
sours. 

All  handycraft  men  are  rated  for  their  returns  and  gains  in  their  calling, 
proportionable  unto  others. 

Every  Merchant  Stranger’s  Estate  is  rated  &  pays  according  to  the  Cargo 
he  brings  into  the  Country. 


3.  Law  Suits. 

All  actions  of  the  value  of  two  pound  pays  at  entry  10  ^ 

“  “  ten  pound  pays  15 

“  “  twenty  pound  &  upwd  20  'p 

Petitions  to  the  Court  to  obtain  a  debt  or  favour  pay  10  ^ 


Magistrates,  Ministers,  &  Church  Elders  pay  no  poll  money  or  other 
taxes  upon  lands  or  personal  Estates. 


19 


[1676. 


4-  Customs,  upon  all  goods  imported  either  by  sea  or  land. 


All  goods,  wares,  and  merchandizes,  living  cattle,  &  provisions 
doth  pay  for  every  hundred  pound  value, 

Fyal  wines  or  of  the  Western  Islands,  per  Tun, 

Maidera  Wine, 

Canarie,  Sherry  &  Malaga  Wine,  - 
French  Wines, 

Brande  Wine,  ----__ 
Every  ship  of  200  Tuns  &  upwds  pays  - 

And  smaller  vessels  each  voyage,  - 
Strangers’  vessels  according  to  their  burden  pr  Tun, 

Every  vessel  above  20  Tuns  not  built  in  that  Colonie  pays  each 
voyage  half  a  pound  of  powder  pr  Tun  or  in  money, 


10  s.  o  d. 
10  o 
13  o 
o  o 
10  o 
o  o 
10  o 
6  8 
o  6 

o  9 


5.  Excise. 


Upon  all  Liquors  retayled  in  public  houses,  Cider,  Beer  and 
Ale  per  Hogshead,  - 
Rum  the  Hogshead,  - 

Vintners  &  retailours  of  Wine  do  pay  pr  Tun, 

Brande  &  all  strong  Liquors  the  Gallon,  - 
All  publick  Houses  are  licensed  by  the  Magistrates  and  are 
obliged  to  clear  their  Accounts  of  Excise  Monthly  upon 
Oath. 

For  Arms  &  Ammunition  sold  the  Indians,  for  each  Gun, 

For  a  dozen  of  swords,  - 
Powder  the  pound, 

Shot,  for  every  ten  pound,  ----- 
No  customs  for  anything  exported  except  horses,  which  pays 


2  6 

15  o 
500 
o  8 


3  o 
3  o 
o  6 
o  6 
o  6 


The  public  revenue  of  the  Colony  is  very  considerable,  and  is  computed 
to  Amount  unto  upward  of  Twenty  thousand  pound,  and  is  disposed  of  as 
the  Governour  and  Magistrate  think  fit,  without  giving  any  account  to  the 
Country,  by  which  means  whosoever  comes  into  the  magistracy  hath  an  oppor¬ 
tunity  of  growing  rich  and  advancing  his  relations,  it  being  exceeding  profit¬ 
able  to  be  a  Magistrate  of  that  Corporation. 


1676.] 


20 


It  was  generally  believed  there  was  a  great  Bank  of  money  in  the  Treas¬ 
ury,  thete  having  been  large  sums  collected  from  the  year  1652  &  little 
occasion  of  public  expence  besides  salaries  to  the  Magists  and  other  officers, 
and  maintaining  a  public  Table.  But  upon  occasion  of  a  present  supply  for 
carrying  on  the  late  Indian  War,  it  was  desired  by  several  of  the  principal 
Inhabitants,  that  moneys  might  be  issued  out  of  the  public  Treasuries.  But 
upon  examination  it  appeared  that  stock  had  been  otherwise  disposed  of,  & 
not  one  penny  to  be  found,  so  that  for  defraying  the  Charge  of  that  War,  the 
sum  of  Fifty  thousand  pound  hath  been  raised  upon  the  Colony. 

The  poll  money  &  land  taxes  are  paid  in  money  and  collected  by  the  Con¬ 
stables  of  each  Town. 

The  Customs  are  most  commonly  paid  in  money,  or  else  in  the  best  of  the 
specie  at  price  Current,  and  are  collected  by  officers  purposely  appointed,  the 
present  Collector  being  the  Governour’s  Son  in  Law — &  the  late  Treasurer’s 
Son. 

The  excise  is  collected  by  such  persons  as  the  Treasurer  doth  depute, 
and  is  paid  in  money. 

There  is  a  reasonable  quantity  of  Silver  money  in  the  Colony  but  no  Gold. 

Eleventh  Enquiry .  How  they  generally  stand  affected  to  the  Government 
of  England,  what  persons  are  the  most  popular,  and  at  present  in  the  Magis¬ 
tracy,  or  like  to  be  at  the  next  Election? 

The  Inhabitants  are  generally  well  affected  to  his  Majesty  &  his  Govern¬ 
ment,  as  well  the  Merchants,  Farmers,  as  the  meaner  traders  &  Artificers 
who  groan  under  the  yoak  of  the  present  Government,  &  are  in  daily  hope 
and  expectation  of  a  change,  by  his  Majesty  reassuming  the  authority,  &  set¬ 
ting  a  General  Government  over  the  whole  Country,  without  which  it  is  feared 
civil  wars  will  in  a  short  time  break  out  between  the  Colonies.  The  Govern¬ 
ment  of  the  Massachusetts  imposing  &  encroaching  upon  their  neighbours, 
and  therefore  the  Loyal  Colonies  of  New  Plimouth,  Connecticut  &  New 
Hampshire  &  Maine,  seeing  these  inconveniences  daily  increasing  by  a  divided 
government  are  very  desirous  of  submitting  to  a  General  Governour  to  be 
Established  by  his  Majesty. 

Amongst  the  Magistrates  some  are  good  men  &  well  affected  to  his  Maj¬ 
esty,  and  would  be  well  satisfied  to  have  his  Majesty’s  authority  in  a  better  man¬ 
ner  Established,  but  the  major  part  are  of  different  principles,  having  been  in 
the  Government  from  the  time  they  formed  themselves  into  a  Commonwealth. 


21 


[i  676. 


These  direct  and  manage  all  affairs  as  they  please,  of  wch  number  are  Mr. 
Leveret  the  Governour,  Mr.  Simmons,  Deputy  Governour,  Mr.  Danforth,  Mr. 
Ting.  Major  Clark  &  Major  Hawthorne  still  continued  a  Magistrate,  altho’ 
commanded  by  his  Majesty  upon  his  allegiance  to  come  to  England,  yet 
refused,  being  encouraged  in  his  disobedience  by  a  vote  of  the  Court,  not  to 
appear  for  some  reasons  best  known  to  themselves.  These  with  some  few 
others  of  the  same  faction,  keeps  the  Country  in  subjection  &  slavery,  backed 
with  the  Authority  of  a  pretended  Charter. 

These  Magistrates  have  continually  disobeyed  all  his  Majesty’s  commands 
contained  in  the  Royal  Letters  of  1662,  1664,  1665,  1666  and  those  of  March 
last,  ever  reserving  to  themselves  a  power  to  alter,  evade  or  disanul,  any  law 
or  command  not  agreeing  with  their  humour  or  the  absolute  authority  of  their 
Government,  acknowledging  no  superiour  or  admitting  any  appeal  to  his  Maj¬ 
esty,  whose  arms  are  not  set  up  in  any  of  their  Courts,  meetings  or  public 
Assemblies. 

The  most  popular  &  well  principled  men  are  Major  Dennison,  Mr.  Brod- 
street,  &  Mr.  Dudley  in  the  magistracy,  and  of  military  men,  Major  Savage, 
Captn  Curwin,  Captn  Saltenstall,  Captn  Brattle,  Captn  Richards,  Captn  Gilham, 
Captn  Mosely,  Major  Champernoon,  Major  Shapley,  Major  Phillips,  with  many 
others  who  only  wait  for  an  opportunity  to  express  their  duty  to  his  Majesty. 

The  Present  Magistrates  are — 

Mr.  Leveret — Governour, 

Mr.  Simmons — Deputy  Governour, 

Major  Dennison, 

Mr.  Ting,  . 

Mr.  Danforth, 

Mr.  Brodstreet, 

Whoever  are  in  the  Magistracy  do  for  the  most  part  continue  till  death 
by  the  help  of  persons  of  their  faction,  and  of  a  Law  commanding  that  at 
every  new  Election  the  former  Magistrate  be  first  put  to  vote  upon  penalty 
of  Ten  pound. 

The  Clergie  are  for  the  most  part  very  civil,  &  inclining  to  his  Majesty’s 
Government  being  held  in  subjection  by  the  ruling  Elders  who  Govern  all 
affairs  of  the  Church. 

Twelfth  Enquiry.  What  is  the  present  state  of  the  Ecclesiastical  Govern¬ 
ment,  how  the  Universities  are  at  present  filled,  &  by  whom  governed? 


Mr.  Stoton, 

Mr.  Pinchon, 

Major  Hawthorn, 

Major  Clark, 

Mr.  Dudley, 

Mr.  Russel  (lately  deceased). 


1676.] 


22 


The  Ecclesiastical  Government  is  in  the  hands  of  lay  Elders;  these  being 
the  Laws  &  Constitutions,  no  person  is  permitted  to  gather  a  Church  without 
the  approbation  of  three  of  the  Magistrates  and  the  Elders  of  the  neighbour 
Churches. 

Every  Church  hath  liberty  of  Election  &  Ordination  of  Officers  and  Min¬ 
isters. 

To  exercise  all  the  Ordinances  of  God  according  to  the  Rule  of  the  Script¬ 
ure. 

To  Celebrate  days  of  fasting,  prayer  &  thanksgiving,  according  to  the 
Word  of  God. 

No  Injunction  to  be  put  upon  any  Church,  Church  officer,  or  member 
in  point  of  Doctrine,  Worship,  or  Discipline,  whether  for  substance  or  circum¬ 
stance  besides  the  Institution  of  the  Lord. 

Hath  liberty  of  admission,  recommendation,  dismission  &  expulsion  of 
their  officers  and  members,  with  free  exercise  of  the  Discipline  and  censures 
of  Christ  according  to  the  Rules  of  the  Word. 

The  Civil  authority  hath  power  to  see  the  peace,  ordinances  and  rules  of 
Christ  observed  in  every  Church,  &  to  deal  with  any  Church  member  in  a 
way  of  Civil  Justice,  notwithstanding  any  Church  relation,  office,  or  Interest. 

No  Church  censure  shall  degrade  or  depose  any  man  from  any  civil  Dig¬ 
nity,  office  or  authority  he  shall  have  in  the  Commonwealth. 

Whosoever  shall  interrupt  any  Minister  in  his  preaching,  or  charging  him 
with  any  error  that  he  hath  not  taught,  shall  pay  five  pound. 

The  Ministers  in  Boston  are  paid  by  a  Collection  weekly  made  in  the  sev¬ 
eral  Congregations  by  the  Elders,  who  give  the  Ministers  what  they  think  fitt, 
but  in  other  Towns  they  have  a  settled  maintenance  by  a  rate  laid  upon  every 
Inhabitant,  &  houses  are  provided  for  them. 

There  are  three  Colleges  built  in  Cambridge,  a  Town  seven  miles  from 
Boston.  One  Built  of  Timber  &  Covered  with  Shingles  of  Cedar  at  the 
Charge  of  Mr.  Harvard  and  bears  his  name.  A  small  Brick  building  called 
the  Indian  College,  where  some  few  Indians  did  study  but  now  converted  to  a 
printing  House. 

New  College  built  at  the  publick  Charge,  is  a  fair  pile  of  brick  building, 
&  covered  with  tiles,  by  reason  of  the  late  Indian  Warr  not  quite  finished;  it 
contains  twenty  Chambers  for  Students,  two  studys  in  a  Chamber ;  a  Large 
Hall  which  serves  for  a  chappel ;  over  that  is  a  convenient  Library,  with  some 


23 


[1676. 


few  Books  of  the  ancient  Fathers  &  School  Divines.  But  in  regard  Divinity 
is  the  general  study,  there  are  many  English  Books  of  the  late  non-conform¬ 
ist  writers,  especially  Mr.  Baxter  &  Dr.  Owen’s  works. 

Here  they  teach  Hebrew  before  they  well  understand  Latin,  no  formalities 
or  distinction  of  habits,  or  other  decencies,  as  in  England,  much  less  those 
Exhibitions  &  supports  for  Schollars ;  they  take  no  degree  above  Mr.  of  Arts. 

Their  commencement  is  kept  yearly  the  second  of  August  in  the  meeting 
house  at  Cambridge,  where  the  Governour  &  Magistrates  of  the  Colony  are 
present  attended  with  throngs  of  illiterate  Elders  &  Church  Members,  who 
are  entertained  with  English  speeches  &  verses;  most  of  the  students  are 
come  from  England,  &  at  present  no  settled  President,  but  one  Mr.  Oakes,  a 
rigid  Independant,  supplies  the  place. 

The  allowance  to  the  President  is  one  hundred  pound  pr  Anm  &  a  good 
house;  there  are  but  four  fellowships,  the  two  Seniors  have  each  thirty  pound 
per  Anm.  The  two  Junior  fifteen  pounds,  but  no  diet  is  allowed.  These  are 
Tutors  to  all  such  as  are  admitted  students.  Mr.  Thomas  Graves,  an  ingeni¬ 
ous  and  worthy  person,  was  put  by  his  fellowship  by  the  late  president  Dr. 
Hoare,  because  he  would  not  renounce  the  Church  of  England. 

The  Government  of  these  Colleges  are  in  the  Governour  &  Magistrates 
of  the  Massachusetts,  and  the  President  of  the  College  for  the  time  being 
together  with  the  teaching  Elders  of  the  six  adjacent  Towns. 

As  to  the  Colonies  of  New  Plimouth  &  Connecticut  it  is 

Humbly  answered. 

The  Laws  of  England  are  there  observed,  with  such  of  their  own  as  are 
not  contradictory  thereunto. 

The  oath  of  allegiance  is  taken  by  every  Magistrate  &  officer,  whether 
civil  or  military,  &  by  all  freemen ;  all  Commissions,  proclamations,  Writts  & 
Summons  are  to  his  Majesty’s  name. 

The  Number  of  Inhabitants  in  both  Colonies  are  computed  to  be  about 
four  score  thousand  Souls.  There  are  no  Slaves,  only  hired  Servants. 

The  Chief  professions  are  Farmers,  Grasiers  and  fishermen,  very  few 
merchants,  they  being  supplied  with  all  foreign  Commodities  from  Boston. 

The  Militia  consists  of  four  troops  of  horse  &  five  Regiments  of  foot  who 
are  well  armed  &  disciplined,  no  old  Soldiers  among  them.  The  number  of 
men  fitting  to  bear  arms  are  reckoned  about  Twenty  thousand. 

The  Country  is  very  fertile  and  pleasant,  &  abounds  in  corn  &  Cattle  & 


1676.] 


24 


produces  very  good  horses,  the  best  in  all  New  England,  which  are  sent  into 
several  parts.  There  is  great  abundance  of  tare  and  excellent  good  hemp,  & 
there  is  made  good  quantity  of  Whale  Oil,  which  Fish  they  take  upon  their 
Coasts. 

The  act  of  Navigation  is  duly  observed,  no  stranger  is  permitted  to  come 
into  their  ports;  they  have  no  Ships  of  Burthen,  but  only  small  Notches  and 
Barkes  to  trade  along  the  Coast  and  to  take  fish. 

They  are  generally  a  very  Loyal  &  good  people,  and  doe  upon  all  occa¬ 
sions  express  great  love  to  the  person  &  Government  of  his  Majesty  and  do 
heartily  wish  that  his  Majesty’s  authority  were  established  over  the  whole 
Country. 

The  present  Governour  of  New  Plimouth  is  Josiah  Winslow,  Esquire,  a 
person  eminently  popular,  and  beloved  in  all  the  Colonies  of  New  England, 
&  was  General  of  the  United  forces  against  the  Indians. 

The  Governour  of  Connecticut  is  William  Leat,  Esquire,  a  very  worthy 
person,  as  are  most  of  the  Magistrates  of  both  Colonies. 

The  losses  which  these  Colonies  have  sustained  by  the  Indian  war  is  very 
great,  being  estimated  to  be  near  one  hundred  thousand  pound. 

This  is,  may  it  please  your  Lordships,  the  best  account  I  have  been  able 
to  gather  during  my  short  stay  in  those  parts,  as  well  from  my  own  observa¬ 
tion,  as  from  the  information  of  others,  &  for  what  passed  particularly  between 
the  Magistrates  of  Boston  and  myself,  upon  the  delivery  of  his  Majestie’s  let¬ 
ters,  &  with  the  inhabitants  of  that  &  the  other  Colonies,  I  have  presented  his 
Majesty  with  a  short  narrative,  a  copy  whereof  is  hereunto  annexed. 

EDWARD  RANDOLPH. 

12  Octr,  1676. 


25 


[1676. 


To  the  King  s 


Most  Excellent  Majesty . 


A  short  narrative  touching  the  delivery  of  your  Majesty’s  letters  to  the  Mag¬ 
istrates  of  Boston  in  New  England.  By  Edward  Randolph. 

May  it  please  your  Majesty, 

Having  received  Your  Majesty’s  letters  for  the  Governour  &  Magistrates 
of  Your  Majesty’s  Town  of  Boston  in  New  England,  dated  the  20th  of  March 
last,  with  my  particular  instructions  from  the  Right  Honble  Mr.  Secretary  Cov¬ 
entry,  upon  the  30th  of  the  said  Month  I  sailed  from  the  Downs  &  after  a  tedi¬ 
ous  passage  of  ten  weeks  arrived  at  Boston  the  tenth  of  June. 

At  my  landing  I  went  immediately  to  the  Governour,  John  Leveret,  and 
shewed  him  your  Majesty’s  pass,  &  acquainted  him  with  the  cause  of  my 
coming,  &  that  I  had  brought  a  letter  from  your  Majesty  unto  the  Magistrates 
of  that  Colony,  &  did  therefore  desire  him  that  with  what  convenient  speed 
might  be,  the  Magistrates  might  be  assembled  to  hear  your  Majesty’s  letters 
read,  the  Governour  answered  that  the  Council  was  to  meet  that  afternoon 
upon  other  business,  &  that  then  I  should  be  sent  for  to  deliver  your  Majes¬ 
ty’s  said  Letters.  I  was  accordingly  sent  for  by  the  Marshall  of  their  Court, 
where  being  come  and  admitted  into  their  Council,  I  delivered  your  Majestie’s 
Letters  to  the  Governour,  there  being  six  of  the  Magistrates  &  their  Secretary 
assembled  with  him,  and  there  being  a  chair  placed  purposely  for  me,  I  was  de¬ 
sired  by  the  Governour  to  sit. 

The  Governour  having  opened  your  Majesty’s  letters,  said  to  the  rest  of 
the  Magistrates  it  was  a  letter  from  your  Majesty,  &  looking  to  the  bottom  of 
the  letter  he  read,  By  his  Majesty’s  command,  Henry  Coventry, — the  Gov¬ 
ernour  asked  me,  who  that  Mr.  Coventry  was.  I  told  him  he  was  your  Maj¬ 
esty’s  principal  Secretary  of  State. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  reading  of  Your  Majesty’s  letters,  the  whole 
Council  being  covered  I  put  off  my  hat,  whereupon  three  of  the  Magistrates 
took  off  their  hats,  and  did  sit  uncovered  all  the  time  your  Majesty’s  letters 
were  reading,  but  the  Governour  with  the  rest  continued  to  keep  their  hats 
on. 

Your  Majesty’s  Letters  with  the  enclosed  petitions  of  Mr.  Mason  &  Mr. 


4 


1676.] 


26 


Georges  being  read  in  my  hearing,  the  Governour  told  the  Council  that  the 
matters  therein  contained,  were  very  inconsiderable  things  and  easily 
answered,  &  it  did  no  way  concern  that  Government  to  take  any  Notice 
thereof.  I  acquainted  them  that  your  Majesty  had  commanded  me  to  require 
an  answer  of  your  Majesty’s  said  letters,  &  for  which  your  Majesty  had 
ordered  me  one  month  to  attend,  the  Governour  answered  that  they  should 
consider  of  those  things  ;  whereupon  I  withdrew. 

Then  I  delivered  the  particular  letters  of  Mr.  Mason,  which  he  had  writ 
unto  several  of  the  most  Eminent  Inhabitants  of  Boston,  some  whereof  are 
the  principal  officers  in  the  Militia.  Those  Gentlemen  received  me  with  much 
kindness,  &  expressed  great  loyalty  to  your  Majesty.  The  letters  he  writ 
were  to  give  an  Account  of  the  contents  of  your  Majesty’s  letters,  his  own 
complaint  against  the  proceedings  of  that  Government,  with  the  occasion  of 
my  coming  into  those  parts,  desiring  them  to  communicate  the  same  to  others, 
the  which  was  soon  spread  abroad,  to  the  great  pleasure  &  satisfaction  of  all 
those  who  are  well  wishers  to  your  Majesty. 

Within  a  day  or  two  after  my  arrival,  I  met  with  a  report  which  seemed 
artificially  raised  to  amuse  &  distract  the  people,  about  domestique  troubles, 
here  in  England,  the  summe  whereof  amounted  to  this,  that  the  Duke  of 
York  with  divers  of  the  Nobility  upon  discontent  had  left  the  Court,  and  had 
apply’d  themselves  to  the  City  for  assistance,  &  that  all  was  going  to  confu¬ 
sion  at  home.  This  was  reported  with  much  confidence,  &  said  to  be  writ 
from  some  very  good  people  in  London,  and  therefore  must  be  true.  I  soon 
confuted  this  report,  &  by  many  arguments  shewing  them  the  falseness  of  it, 
&  so  in  a  short  time  that  report  vanished. 

After  two  days’  consideration  it  was  resolved  in  their  Council,  that  thanks 
be  returned  to  your  Majesty  for  your  gracious  letter,  and  that  an  answer  be 
forthwith  sent  by  a  Master  of  a  ship  in  that  harbour  &  ready  to  sail  for 
London. 

The  15th  of  June  I  was  sent  for  to  the  Council,  the  Governour  asked  me 
if  I  intended  for  London  by  that  Ship  that  was  then  in  harbour,  and  ready  to 
sail,  if  soe  that  I  should  have  a  duplicate  of  their  letter  to  Your  Majesty,  the 
original  being  to  accompany  his  own  particular  answer  to  a  letter  he  had 
received  from  Mr.  Secretary  Williamson  by  the  same  Master  of  the  Ship  I 
came  with.  I  told  him  I  had  other  matters  of  concern  under  my  charge,  & 
that  I  should  not  return  so  soon,  &  withall  assured  them  if  they  had  well  con- 


2  7 


[1676. 

sidered  of  your  Majesty’s  letters,  &  the  enclosed  petitions  in  so  short  a  time, 
&  had  concluded  on  their  Agents,  &  the  time  of  their  going  for  England,  to 
which  they  gave  me  no  reply.  But  the  Governour  asked  me  if  I  had  any¬ 
thing  further  to  offer  them  from  your  Majesty.  I  told  them  I  had  nothing 
farther  to  communicate  unto  them,  whereupon  the  Governour  said  that  they 
looked  upon  me  as  Mr.  Mason’s  Agent,  &  that  I  might  withdraw. 

The  day  after  I  went  to  visit  the  Governour  at  his  House,  &  among  other 
discourse  I  told  him,  that  I  took  notice  of  several  Ships  that  were  arrived  at 
Boston,  some  since  my  being  there,  from  Spain,  France,  Straits,  Canaries,  & 
other  parts  of  Europe  contrary  to  your  Majesty’s  Laws  for  encouraging  Nav¬ 
igation  &  regulating  the  trade  of  the  plantations.  He  freely  declared  unto 
me  that  the  Laws  made  by  Your  Majesty  &  your  Parliament  obligeth  them  in 
nothing  but  what  consists  with  the  Interest  of  that  Colony;  that  the  Legisla¬ 
tive  power  is  &  abides  in  them  solely,  to  act  &  make  Laws  by  virtue  of  a 
charter  from  your  Majesty’s  Royal  Father,  &  that  all  matters  in  differance  are 
to  be  concluded  by  their  final  determination,  without  any  appeal  to  your  Maj¬ 
esty.  And  that  your  Majesty  ought  not  to  retrench  their  Liberties  but  may 
enlarge  them  if  your  Majesty  please,  and  said  that  your  Majesty  had  con¬ 
firmed  their  Charter  and  all  their  priviledges  by  Your  Majesty’s  letter  of  the 
28th  June,  1662.  And  that  Your  Majesty  could  doe  no  less  in  reason  than  let 
them  enjoy  their  Liberties  &  trade,  they  having  upon  their  own  charge,  and 
without  any  contribution  from  the  Crown  made  so  large  a  plantation  in  that 
wilderness,  &  that  during  the  Dutch  wars  your  Majesty  sent  ammunition  to 
New  York  for  defence  of  that  place,  but  sent  them  word  they  must  shift  for 
themselves,  and  make  the  best  defence  they  could,  and  that  notwithstanding 
their  Colony  had  many  enemies  yet  they  did  believe  your  Majesty  to  be  their 
very  good  Friend,  for  that  your  Majesty  had  by  several  letters  expressed  your 
great  kindness  unto  them. 

Within  a  few  days  after  I  met  with  one  Mr.  Harris,  a  Gentleman  who 
arrived  there  from  England  about  6  months  before,  who  told  me  that  at  his 
arrival  in  Boston,  he  was  according  to  their  Law  conducted  to  the  Governour 
which  enjoyns  all  masters  of  Vessels  to  bring  all  passengers  to  the  Governour 
under  the  penalty  of  twenty  pounds,  who  enquiring  of  him  if  he  knew  Mr. 
Mason,  &  whether  he  was  coming  over,  &  what  commissioners  were  coming 
with  him,  Mr.  Harris  told  him  that  there  was  a  report  that  Mr.  Mason  was  to 
come  over.  The  Governour  then  told  him  that  he  had  received  information 


1676.] 


28 


from  England,  that  Commissioners  had  come  over  the  last  Summer  or  this 
Spring,  but  that  your  Majesty  had  not  money  to  defray  that  charge  and  set 
them  forth,  and  did  therefore  no  Commissioners  come. 

The  23rd  of  June  I  gave  in  a  Memorial  to  the  Governour,  the  Council 
being  then  assembled  at  his  house,  wherein  I  acquainted  them,  that  in  pursu¬ 
ance  of  my  instructions  I  did  remind  them  of  your  Majesty’s  commands  of 
sending  over  Agents,  that  might  be  sufficiently  qualified  and  empowered,  and 
did  desire  that,  seeing  a  General  Court  seemed  much  more  proper  for  dispatch 
of  matters  of  soe  great  and  weighty  concerns,  that  a  General  Court  might  on 
this  occasion  be  assembled,  that  soe  I  might  receive  their  deliberate  &  solemn 
answer  to  your  Majesty’s  letters,  for  the  which  I  would  attend.  But  hereunto 
they  gave  me  no  other  answer  than,  that  when  I  was  ready  to  sail  for  Eng¬ 
land,  I  should  have  a  Copy  of  their  letter  which  they  had  writ  unto  Your 
Majesty. 

About  the  beginning  of  July  I  went  into  the  province  of  New  Hampshire 
belonging  unto  Mr.  Mason,  but  now  divided  by  the  Bostoners  into  three 
Counties,  and  by  them  called  Norfolk,  &  Suffolk,  &  Middlesex,  and  travelled 
through  most  of  the  considerable  Towns,  acquainting  the  Inhabitants  with  the 
occasion  of  my  coming  into  the  Country  &  read  Mr.  Mason’s  letters  unto 
them,  which  gave  them  great  satisfaction, — the  whole  country  complaining 
of  the  oppression  &  usurpation  of  the  Magistrates  of  Boston,  imposing  Min¬ 
isters  upon  them,  not  admitting  them  to  the  Sacrament  of  the  Lord’s  Supper, 
denying  Baptism  to  their  Children,  &  liberty  of  choosing  their  own  Majistrates 
&  officers,  because  they  are  not  members  of  their  Congregations,  &  as  a 
farther  mark  of  their  power  and  sovereignty  over  them,  they  send  twice  every 
year  Magistrates  from  Boston  to  keep  Courts  for  hearing  of  causes,  &  that 
they  lay  at  pleasure  what  impositions,  fines,  &  taxes,  they  think  fit  upon  their 
Estates,  persons  &  trade,  contrary  to  the  Laws  of  England,  and  that  they 
have  been  for  a  long  time  earnestly  expecting  to  have  been  delivered  from 
the  Government  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay,  and  do  now  humbly  hope  Your 
Majesty  will  not  permit  them  any  longer  to  be  oppressed,  but  will  be  gra¬ 
ciously  pleased  to  give  them  relief,  according  to  the  promise  made  them  by 
your  Majesty’s  Commissioners  in  1665,  who  were  then  in  that  province  and 
declared  them  not  to  be  under  the  Government  of  Boston. 

And  being  at  Portsmouth,  a  Town  of  very  great  trade  lying  upon  the  river 
of  Pascataway  in  the  northermost  part  of  New  Hampshire,  about  70  miles 


29 


[1676. 


from  Boston,  several  of  the  principal  Inhabitants  of  the  province  of  Maine, 
belonging  unto  Mr.  Georges,  &  now  by  the  Bostoners,  since  their  seizing 
thereof  called  Yorkshire,  came  unto  me  making  the  same  complaints  with 
those  of  New  Hampshire,  entreating  me  to  represent  their  condition  to  Your 
Majesty,  &  are  passionately  expecting  relief,  some  of  them  having  been  suf¬ 
fered  to  be  ruined  by  the  Indians  for  having  formerly  expressed  their  duty  to 
Your  Majesty,  when  Your  Majesty’s  Commissioners  were  in  that  Country,  & 
having  taken  Commissions  from  them  to  act  as  Justices  of  the  Peace. 

At  my  return  to  Boston  I  received  a  Message  from  Josiah  Winslow, 
Esquire,  Governour  of  Your  Majesty’s  Colonie  of  New  Plimouth,  desiring  I 
would  give  him  a  visit  before  I  left  New  England,  whereupon  I  made  a  Jour¬ 
ney  to  him,  being  about  forty  miles  to  the  Southwards  of  Boston,  whom  I 
found  a  Gentleman  of  Loyal  principles  &  hath  shewed  himself  a  person  of 
great  Courage  &  Conduct  in  the  management  of  the  Indian  War,  those  bar¬ 
barous  people  being  chiefly  overcome  by  his  conduct  &  troops,  which  makes 
him  to  be  feared  but  not  loved  by  his  Neighbours  the  Bostoners.  In  his  dis¬ 
course  he  expressed  his  great  dislike  of  the  Carriage  of  the  Magistrates  of 
Boston  to  Your  Majesty’s  royal  person  and  your  subjects  under  their  Govern¬ 
ment,  of  their  encroaching  upon  the  rights,  trades  &  possessions  of  the  Neigh¬ 
bouring  Colonies,  laying  what  rates  &  Impositions  they  please  on  the  Com¬ 
modities  &  products  of  the  other  Colonies  imported  into  their  harbours,  their 
daily  breach  of  your  Majesty’s  Laws  concerning  trade  &  navigation,  trading 
with  &  encouraging  all  nations  to  trade  with  them,  to  the  great  prejudice  and 
detriment  of  Your  Majesty  &  this  Your  Kingdom.  And  that  he  finding  the 
inconveniences  of  a  divided  Government  daily  arising  did  say  that  New  Eng¬ 
land  could  never  be  secure,  flourish,  nor  be  serviceable  to  your  Majesty,  until 
the  several  Colonies  &  plantations  were  reduced  under  your  immediate  Gov¬ 
ernment,  &  that  the  Colonies  of  New  Plimouth  &  Connecticut  would  readily 
and  willingly  submit  to  your  Majesty’s  pleasure  &  commands  in  the  disposal 
&  Settlement  of  the  Civil  Government. 

That  during  my  stay  at  Boston  I  made  acquainted  with  many  of  the  Chief 
Inhabitants,  &  some  of  the  Magistrates  &  did  particularly  inform  myself  of  the 
humour,  dispositions  &  affections  of  the  People,  &  found  the  principal  Inhab¬ 
itants,  some  whereof  are  the  chief  officers  of  the  Militia,  &  the  generality  of 
the  people  complaining  of  the  Arbitrary  Government  and  oppression  of  their 
Magistrates,  and  do  hope  your  Majesty  will  be  pleased  to  free  them  from  the 


i6  76.] 


30 


bondage  by  Establishing  your  own  Royal  Authority  among  them,  and  govern 
them  according  to  your  Majesty’s  Laws,  &  many  of  the  better  sort  did  entreat 
me  to  represent  this  their  Condition  to  your  Majesty,  not  daring  publickly  to 
express  their  desires  or  complaints  by  Petition,  because  of  the  severity  & 
Arbitrary  proceedings  of  their  Rulers,  and  that  many  of  them  have  been 
sufferers  for  petitioning  formerly  unto  the  great  Court  in  October,  1666, 
upon  occasion  of  Your  Majesty’s  letter  &  Declaration  of  the  tenth  of  April  in 
the  said  year,  which  petition  was  subscribed  by  upwards  of  one  hundred  of 
the  principal  Inhabitants  of  that  Colony,  wherein  they  did  assert  your  Majes¬ 
ty’s  right  of  Jurisdiction  &  Sovereignty  over  them,  a  copy  whereof  is  hereunto 
annexed  being  given  me  by  some  of  the  Chief  persons  that  had  subscribed 
it,  desiring  that  your  Majesty  might  see  the  same.  These  Gentlemen  for 
delivering  did  then  receive  a  severe  check — the  Petition  voted  scandalous, 
they  styled  the  betrayers  of  the  liberties  of  that  Colony,  &  ill  affected  to  that 
Government,  for  which  some  of  them  have  been  greatly  prejudiced  in  their 
Estates  &  fortunes,  and  still  lye  under  many  ill  conveniences  &  are  not  admit¬ 
ted  into  any  offices  of  the  Government  or  choice  of  the  Magistrates. 

Being  ready  to  returne  for  England,  the  time  allotted  by  your  Majesty 
being  expired,  I  went  to  the  Governour  upon  the  20th  of  July  for  my  dis¬ 
patches,  &  was  by  him  entertained  with  a  sharp  reproof  for  publishing  the 
substance  of  my  Errand  into  those  parts,  contained  in  your  Majesty’s  letters 
as  also  in  Mr.  Mason’s  Petition,  &  what  he  represented  unto  his  friends  there 
with  that  of  Mr.  Georges,  unto  the  Inhabitants  of  Boston,  New  Hampshire  & 
Maine,  telling  me  that  I  designed  to  make  a  mutiny  and  disturbance  in  the 
Country,  and  to  withdraw  the  people  from  their  obedience  to  the  Magistracy 
of  that  Colony  and  the  authority  thereof.  I  told  him  if  I  had  done  anything 
amiss  upon  complaint  made  to  your  Majesty  he  would  certainly  have  justice 
done  him. 

The  Governour  then  gave  me  the  duplicate  of  a  letter  directed  unto  the 
Right  Honourable  Mr.  Secretary  Coventry,  which  he  told  me  was  the  Answer 
the  Council  thought  fit  to  give  to  your  Majesty’s  letters,  the  original  being 
sent  for  England  a  month  before. 

At  my  departure  from  him  both  he  &  some  of  the  Magistrates  severally 
entreated  me  to  give  a  favorable  report  of  the  Country,  and  the  Magistracy 
thereof,  adding  that  those  that  blessed  them  God  would  bless,  and  those  that 
cursed  them  God  would  curse,  and  withall  desired  me  to  acquaint  your  Maj- 


3i  [1676. 

esty  that  whatever  reports  were  raised  against  them  by  wicked  &  evil  minded 
men  to  draw  away  your  Majesty’s  grace  &  favour  from  them,  yet  they  were  a 
people  truly  fearing  the  Lord,  and  very  obedient  to  your  Majesty. 

So  that  altho’  by  your  Majesty’s  command  I  was  sent  to  the  Magistrates 
of  Boston,  and  was  named  in  your  Royal  letters  as  one  who  should  solicit  a 
fit  determination  in  the  business  depending,  and  bring  back  the  answer 
thereof,  yet  I  must  only  refer  myself  to  their  own  answer,  they  not  having 
thought  fit  to  acquaint  me  with  the  Contents  thereof. 

All  which  I  do  most  Humbly  Certify. 

20th  Sepr,  1676. 

♦  . .  ■ 

To  the  Honourable  General  Court  now  Assembled  in  Boston. 


May  it  Please  this  Honored  Court, 

Your  Humble  Petitioners  being  informed  that  letters  are  lately  sent  from 
his  Majesty  to  the  Governour  and  Council  expressing  his  ill  resentment  of  the 
proceedings  of  this  Colony  with  his  commissioners  lately  sent  hither,  and 
requiring  also  some  persons  particularly  therein  named  with  command  upon 
their  allegiance  to  attend  his  Majesty’s  pleasure  in  order  to  a  final  determina¬ 
tion  of  such  differences  &  Debates  as  have  happened  between  his  Majesty’s 
said  Commissioners  &  the  Government  here,  which  declaration  of  his  Majesty 
your  Petitioner  looking  at  as  a  matter  of  the  greatest  importance  and  justly 
calling  for  more  serious  consideration,  that  they  might  not  be  wanting  to 
yourselves  in  withholding  any  encouragement  that  their  concurrence  might 
afford  in  soe  arduous  a  matter,  nor  to  themselves  &  the  Country  being 
involved  by  their  silence  in  the  dangerous  mistakes  of  some  persons  (tho’ 
otherwise  well  minded)  inclining  to  disloyal  principles,  they  desire  they  may 
have  liberty  without  offence  to  propose  some  of  their  thoughts  and  fears 
about  that  matter  unto  your  most  serious  consideration. 

Your  petitioners  humbly  conceive  that  they  who  live  in  this  age  of  the 
World,  are  not  less  than  others  concerned  in  that  advice  of  the  Wise  Man, 
to  keep  the  King’s  Commandment  because  of  the  Oath  of  God,  &  not  to  be 
hasty  to  go  out  of  his  sight,  who  doth  whatsoever  pleaseth  him.  Wherefore 
they  desire  that  seeing  his  Majesty  hath  alreadie  taken  no  little  displeasure 


1676.] 


32 


against  us,  as  if  we  disowned  his  Majesty’s  Jurisdiction  over  us,  effectual  care 
may  be  taken  least  by  refusing  to  attend  his  Majesty’s  orders  for  the  clearing 
pretences  unto  right  favour  in  that  particular,  we  should  plunge  ourselves 
into  greater  disfavour  and  danger. 

The  receiving  of  a  Charter  from  his  Majesty’s  Royal  Predecessour  for  the 
planting  of  this  Colony  with  a  confirmation  of  the  same  from  his  Royal  person 
by  our  late  address  sufficiently  declare  this  place  to  be  part  of  his  dominions 
&  ourselves  his  subjects,  In  testimony  of  which  also  the  first  Governour  Mr. 
Matthew  Cradock  as  we  are  informed  stands  recorded  Juratus  de  fide  & 
obedentia  before  one  of  the  Masters  of  Chancery  whence  it  is  evident  that  if 
any  proceedings  of  this  Colony  have  given  occasion  to  his  Majesty  to  say  that 
we  believe  he  hath  no  Jurisdiction  over  us,  what  effectual  course  must  be 
taken  to  free  ourselves  from  incurring  his  Majesty’s  further  displeasure  by  con¬ 
tinuance  in  so  dangerous  an  offence,  and  to  give  his  Majesty  all  due  satisfaction 
on  that  point,  such  an  assertion  would  be  no  less  destructive  to  our  welfare 
than  derogatory  to  his  Majesty’s  honour,  the  doubtful  interpretation  of  the 
Words  of  a  patent,  which  there  can  be  no  reason  to  believe  can  ever  be 
construed  to  the  divesting  of  a  Sovereign  Prince  of  his  royal  power  over  his 
natural  subjects  &  liege  people,  is  too  frail  a  foundation  to  build  such  a  trans¬ 
cendent  immunity  and  privilege  upon. 

Your  petitioner  shall  ever  be  willing  to  acknowledge  to  the  utmost  how 
much  they  are  bound  to  Yourselves  &  others  in  the  like  capacity  for  your 
abundant  care  &  pains  in  carrying  on  the  Government  of  the  Colony  and 
endeavouring  to  uphold  the  Liberties  thereof,  and  should  not  be  unwilling  to 
run  any  hazard  with  you  for  the  regular  defence  and  security  of  the  same  & 
would  be  most  unwilling  to  reflect  upon  the  persons  of  them  they  so  much 
honour  &  respect,  by  a  necessary  dissenting  from  them  in  some  things  wherein 
they  could  not  approve  the  reasons  of  their  proceedings.  But  in  matters  of  so 
great  concernment  as  is  the  matter  now  in  agitation  wherein  the  honour  of 
God  the  Credit  of  Religion  as  well  as  the  Interests  of  our  own  persons  & 
Estates  are  all  concerned.  They  earnestly  desire  that  no  party  will  so  irre¬ 
sistibly  carry  on  any  design  of  so  dangerous  consequence  as  to  necessitate 
their  Brethren  equally  engaged  with  them  in  the  same  undertaking  to  make 
a  particular  address  to  his  Majesty,  &  declaration  to  the  World  to  clear  them¬ 
selves  from  the  least  imputation  of  so  scandalous  an  evil  as  the  appearance  of 
disaffection  or  disloyalty  to  the  person  &  Government  of  their  lawful  Prince  & 
Sovereign  would  be. 


33 


[1676. 


Wherefore  your  Petitioners  do  here  humbly  entreat  that  if  any  occasion 
hath  been  given  to  his  Majesty  so  to  resent  any  of  Your  former  Actions  as  in 
his  last  letter  is  held  forth,  that  nothing  of  that  nature  be  further  proceeded  in 
but  contrariwise  that  application  be  made  to  his  Majesty  by  meet  persons 
immediately  to  be  sent  to  that  end  to  clear  the  transactions  of  them  that 
Govern  this  Colony  from  any  such  construction,  least  otherwise  that  which 
duly  improved  might  have  been  as  a  cloud  of  the  latter  rain,  to  be  turned  into 
that  which  in  the  Conclusion  may  be  more  terrible  than  the  roaring  of  a  Lyon. 

Thus  Craving  your  favourable  interpretation  of  what  is  here  humbly  pre¬ 
sented,  Your  Petitioner  shall  ever  be  obliged  to  thankfulness. 

This  petition  was  signed  by  upward  of  one  hundred  of  the  principal  Inhabi¬ 
tants  of  the  Massachusetts  Colony  and  presented  by  them  to  the  General  Court 
at  their  meeting  in  Boston  in  October,  1666,  upon  occasion  of  his  Majesty’s 
Declaration  of  the  10th  of  April  in  the  same  year. 

These  Gentlemen  for  delivering  this  Petition  did  then  receive  a  severe 
check,  the  petition  voted  Scandalous,  they  styled  the  betrayers  of  the  Liberty 
of  that  Colony,  &  ill  affected  to  that  Government,  for  which  some  of  them 
have  been  greatly  prejudiced  in  their  Estates  &  fortunes  and  still  lye  under 
many  inconveniencies  &  are  not  admitted  into  any  offices  of  Government  or 
choice  of  the  Majistrates. 

CHARLES  R. 

Trusty  and  well  beloved, 

We  greet  you  well.  Whereas  we  have  lately  recd  an  humble  address  & 
petition  from  the  General  Court  of  our  Colony  of  the  Massachusetts  in  New 
England,  presented  unto  us  by  Simon  Brodstreet  &  Jo:  Norton  we  have 
thought  it  agreeabley  to  our  princely  Grace  &  Justice  to  let  you  know  that 
the  same  hath  been  very  acceptable  to  us,  &  that  we  are  well  satisfied  with 
those  expressions  of  Loyalty,  Duty  &  good  affection  made  to  us  in  the  said 
address  which  we  doubt  not  proceeds  from  the  hearts  of  our  good  Subjects 
and  we  are  therefore  willing  tfi  it  all  our  good  Subjects  of  that  plantation  do 
know  that  we  do  receive  them  into  our  gracious  protection,  &  will  cherish 
them  with  our  best  encouragement.  And  that  we  do  preserve  &  thereby 
confirm  the  Patent  &  Charter  heretofore  granted  to  them  by  our  Royal  Father 
of  blessed  memory,  and  that  they  shall  freely  enjoy  all  the  privileges  and 
liberties  granted  to  them  in  and  by  the  same  &  that  we  will  be  ready  to 
renew  the  same  Charter  to  them  under  our  great  Seal  of  England  whensoever 
s 


1676.] 


34 


they  shall  desire  it  &  because  the  license  of  these  later  times  hath  otherwise 
had  an  influence  on  that  our  Colony  in  which  they  may  have  swerved  from  the 
rules  prescribed,  &  even  from  the  Government  that  is  instituted  by  the  Char¬ 
ter,  which  we  do  graciously  impute  rather  to  the  iniquity  of  that  time  than  to 
the  evil  intention  of  the  hearts  of  those  who  exercised  the  Government  there. 
And  we  do  therefore  here  publish  &  declare  our  free  and  gracious  pardon  to 
all  our  Subjects  of  that  our  plantation  for  all  crimes  &  offences  committed 
against  us  during  the  late  troubles,  excepting  only  such  persons  who  stand 
attainted  by  our  Parliament  here  of  high  treason  if  any  such  persons  have 
transported  themselves  into  those  parts  the  apprehending  of  whom  &  the 
transporting  them  into  this  Kingdom,  &  delivering  them  into  the  hands  of 
Justice,  we  do  expect  from  the  duty,  affection  and  obedience  of  our  good 
Subjects  of  that  our  Colony,  if  they  are  found  within  the  limits  &  Jurisdiction 
thereof.  Provided  always,  and  it  being  our  certain  expectation,  That  upon  a 
review  of  all  such  Laws  &  Ordinances  as  are  now  or  have  been  during  these 
late  troubles  in  paradise  there  &  and  which  are  contrary  and  derogatory  to 
our  Authority  &  Government,  the  same  may  be  Annulled  &  repealed  &  the 
rules  &  prescriptions  in  the  said  Charter,  for  the  administration  &  taking  the 
Oath  of  Allegiance  be  henceforward  duly  observed  &  that  the  administra¬ 
tion  of  Justice  be  in  our  name.  And  since  the  principal  end  &  foundation  of 
that  Charter  was  &  is  the  freedom  of  liberty  of  conscience,  we  do  hereby 
charge  &  require  you,  that  freedom  &  liberty  be  duly  admitted  and  allowed,  so 
that  such  as  desire  to  use  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  &  perform  their 
devotions  after  that  manner  as  Established  here  be  not  denied  the  Exercise 
thereof  or  undergo  any  prejudice  or  disadvantage  thereby,  they  useing  their 
Liberty  peaceably  without  disturbance  to  others,  &  that  all  persons  of  good 
and  honest  lives  and  conversations  be  admitted  to  the  Sacrament  of  the  Lord’s 
Supper,  according  to  the  said  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  and  their  Children  to 
Baptism. 

We  cannot  be  understood  hereby  to  direct  or  wish  that  any  indulgence 
should  be  granted  to  those  persons  commonly  called  Quakers,  whose  prin¬ 
ciples  being  inconsistent  with  any  kind  of  Government  we  have  found  it 
necessary  by  the  advice  of  our  Parliament  here  to  make  a  sharp  Law  against 
them  &  are  well  contented  that  you  do  the  like  there. 

Altho’  we  have  hereby  declared  our  expectation  that  the  Charter  granted 
by  our  Royal  Father  &  now  confirmed  by  us  shall  be  principally  observed 


35 


[1676. 


yet  if  the  number  of  the  Assistants  enjoyned  thereby  be  found  by  Experience 
&  Judged  by  the  people  inexpedient  (as  we  are  informed  it  is)  we  do  then 
dispense  with  the  same  &  declare  our  will  &  pleasure  herein  for  the  future  to 
be,  that  the  number  of  the  said  Assistants  shall  not  Exceed  18  nor  be  less  at 
any  time  than  10. 

We  assuring  ourselfe,  &  obliging  &  commanding  all  persons  concern’d, 
that  in  the  election  of  the  Governour,  Assistants,  there  only  be  consideration 
had  of  the  wisdom,  virtue,  &  integrity  of  the  persons  to  be  chosen  &  not  of 
any  faction  in  reference  to  their  opinions  &  outward  profession,  &  that  all  the 
Freeholders  of  competent  Estates  not  vitious  in  their  conversations,  &  or¬ 
thodox  in  Religion  tho’  of  different  perswasions  concerning  Church  Gov¬ 
ernment  may  have  their  votes  in  the  Election  of  all  Officers  both  Civil  and 
Military. 

Lastly  our  Will  &  pleasure  is  that  at  the  next  General  Court  of  that  our 
Colony  that  our  letter  &  declaration  be  communicated  &  published,  That  all 
our  loving  subjects  within  that  our  plantation  may  know  our  grace  and  favour 
to  them  &  that  we  do  take  them  into  our  grace  &  protection  as  our  loving  & 
dutiful  subjects,  &  that  we  will  be  ready  from  time  to  time  to  receive  any 
application  or  address  from  them  which  may  concerne  their  Interest  or  the 
good  of  that  our  Colony,  and  that  we  will  advance  the  benefit  &  trade  thereof 
by  our  utmost  endeavour  &  Countenance,  presuming  that  they  will  still  merit 
the  same  of  their  duty  and  obedience. 

Given  at  our  Court  at  Hampton  Court  Ye  28th  day  of  June  in  the 
14th  yeare  of  our  reigne, 

By  his  Majtie’s  Command, 

ED  NICHOLAS. 


Mr.  SECRETARY  MORRIS ,  his  Answer  to  a  Retition  of 

the  Council  of  Boston ,  & fc. 


Sirs, 

His  Majesty  hath  heard  this  Petition  read  to  him  and  hath  weighed  all 
the  expressions  therein  &  the  temper  &  spirit  of  those  who  framed  it,  &  doth 
not  impute  the  same  to  his  Colony  of  the  Massachusetts,  amongst  whom  he 


1676.] 


36 


knows  the  Major  part  consists  of  men  well  affected  to  his  service  &  obedience 
to  his  Government,  but  he  hath  commanded  me  to  let  you  know  that  he  is  not 
pleased  with  the  petition  and  looks  upon  it  as  the  contrivance  of  a  few  persons 
who  have  had  too  long  Authority  there  &  who  use  all  the  artifice  they  can  to 
infuse  Jealousies  into  his  good  subjects  there,  &  apprehensions  as  if  their  Char¬ 
ter  was  in  danger,  when  it  is  not  possible  for  his  Majesty  to  do  more  for  the 
securing  it,  or  to  give  his  subjects  there  more  assurance  that  it  shall  not  in 
any  degree  be  infringed  than  he  hath  alreadie  done  by  his  late  Commission 
and  Commissioners  sent  thither,  who  are  so  far  from  having  the  least  Author¬ 
ity  to  infringe  any  claim  in  the  said  Charter,  that  it  is  the  principal  end  of  their 
Journey  (so  chargeable  to  his  Majesty)  that  the  Charter  be  fully  &  punctually 
observed. 

His  Majesty  did  expect  thanks  &  acknowledgment  from  that  his  Colony  of 
his  Fatherly  care  in  sending  his  Commissioners  thither,  &  which  he  doubts 
not  but  he  shall  receive  from  the  rest  of  his  Colonies  in  those  parts,  &  not 
such  unrational  &  groundless  complaints  as  is  contained  in  your  Petition,  as 
if  he  had  thereby  intended  to  take  away  your  privileges,  and  to  drive  you 
from  your  habitations  without  the  least  mention  of  any  misdemeanour,  or  mis¬ 
carrying  in  any  one  of  the  said  Commissions  or  in  any  one  particular.  Nor 
can  his  Majesty  comprehend  (except  you  believe  that  by  granting  the 
Charter  he  hath  parted  with  his  Sovereign  power  over  his  Subjects  there)  how 
he  could  proceed  more  graciously,  or  indeed  any  other  way,  upon  so  many 
complaints  presented  to  him  by  particular  persons  of  injustice  done  contrary 
to  the  Constitution  of  that  Government  from  the  other  Colonies,  for  the  oppres¬ 
sion  they  pretend  to  undergo  by  the  power  of  that  of  the  Massachusetts  by 
extending  their  bounds  &  their  Jurisdiction  further  than  they  ought  to  doe  as 
they  pretend  from  the  natives,  for  the  breach  of  faith  &  intolerable  pressures 
laid  upon  them,  as  they  allege  contrary  to  all  kind  of  Justice,  &  even  to  the 
dishonour  of  the  English  Nation,  &  Christian  faith,  if  all  they  allege  be  true. 
I  say  his  Majesty  cannot  comprehend  how  he  could  apply  proper  remedies  to 
those  evils  if  they  are  real  or  noe  by  any  other  means  than  by  sending  Com¬ 
missioners  thither  to  examine  the  truth  &  ground  of  all  those  allegations,  & 
for  the  present  to  compose  all  differences  the  best  they  can  untill  a  full  & 
clear  representation  thereof  to  his  Majesty  who  cannot  but  expect  the  same 
from  them,  his  Majesty’s  own  final  Judgment  &  Determination  may  be  had. 
And  it  hath  pleased  God  alreadie  so  far  to  bless  that  service  that  it  is  no 


37 


[1676. 


small  benefit,  his  Majesty  &  his  English  Colonies  in  these  parts  have  alreadie 
received  by  the  said  Commissioners  in  their  removal  of  so  inconvenient 
neighbours  as  the  Dutch  have  been  for  these  late  years  &  which  would  have 
been  a  more  spreading  &  growing  Mischief  in  a*short  time  if  it  had  not  been 
removed. 

To  conclude  I  am  commanded  by  his  Majesty  to  assure  you  again  of  your 
full  &  peaceable  enjoyment  of  all  your  privileges  &  Liberties  granted  to  you 
by  his  Charter,  which  he  hath  heretofore  and  doth  again  offer  to  renew  to  you 
if  you  shall  desire  it,  &  that  you  may  farther  promise  yourselves  all  the  pro¬ 
tection,  continuance  &  encouragement  that  the  best  subjects  ever  received 
from  the  most  gracious  prince.  In  returne  whereof  he  doth  only  expect  that 
duty  &  cheerful  obedience  that  is  due  to  him,  &  that  it  may  not  be  in  the 
power  of  any  malitious  person  to  make  you  miserable  by  entertaining  un¬ 
necessary  &  unreasonable  Jealousies  that  there  is  a  purpose  to  make  you  soe. 
And  since  his  Majesty  hath  too  much  reason  to  suspect  that  Mr.  Edicot  who 
hath  during  all  the  late  Revolution  continued  to  govern  there,  is  not  a  person 
well  affected  to  his  Majesty’s  person  or  Government,  his  Majesty  will  take  it 
very  well  if  at  the  next  Election  any  other  person  of  good  reputation  be 
chosen  in  the  place  &  that  he  may  no  longer  exercise  that  Charge.  That  is 
all  I  have  to  signifie  unto  you  from  his  Majesty  and  remain,  Your  very  humble 
Servant,  WILL.  MORRIS. 

Whitehall,  Feb7  25th,  1664. 


CHARLES  R. 

His  Majesty  haveing  received  a  full  information  from  his  Commissioners 
who  were  sent  by  him  into  New  England  of  their  reception  &  treatment  in 
the  several  Colonies  and  provinces  in  that  Plantation  in  all  which  they  have 
received  great  Satisfaction  but  only  that  of  the  Massachusetts,  &  his  Majesty 
likewise  having  been  fully  enformed  of  the  Account  sent  hither  by  the  Council 
of  the  Massachusetts  under  the  hand  of  their  present  Governour,  of  all  the 
passages  &  proceedings  which  have  been  there  between  the  said  Commis¬ 
sioners  and  them  from  the  time  of  their  first  coming  over,  upon  all  which  it  is 
very  evident  to  his  Majesty,  notwithstanding  many  expressions  of  great  affec¬ 
tion  &  duty,  that  those  who  governe  that  Colony  of  the  Massachusetts  do 
believe  that  the  Commission  given  by  his  Majesty  to  those  Commissioners 


1676.] 


38 


upon  so  many  &  weighty  reasons  &  after  so  long  deliberation  is  an  apparent 
Violation  of  their  Charter,  &  tending  to  the  dissolution  of  it,  and  that  in  truth 
they  do  upon  the  matter  believe,  that  his  Majesty  hath  no  jurisdiction  over 
them  but  that  all  persons  must  acquiesce  in  their  Judgments  &  determinatiosn 
how  unjust  soever,  &  cannot  appeal  to  his  Majesty  which  would  be  a  matter 
of  such  high  Consequence  as  every  man  discerns  where  it  must  end.  His 
Majesty  therefore  upon  due  consideration  of  the  whole  matter  thinks  fit  to 
recall  his  said  Commissioners  wch  he  hath  at  this  present  done  to  the  end 
he  may  receive  a  more  particular  account  of  the  state  &  condition  of  these  his 
plantations,  &  of  all  particular  differences  and  debates  they  have  had  with 
those  of  the  Massachusetts  that  so  his  Majesty  may  pass  his  Judgment  & 
final  determination  thereupon. 

His  Majesty’s  express  Charge  &  Command  is  that  the  Governours  & 
Council  of  the  Massachusetts  do  forthwith  make  choice  of  five  or  four  persons 
to  attendupon  his  Majesty  whereof  Mr.  Richard  Bellingham  &  Major  Hau- 
thorne  to  be  two,  both  which  his  Majesty  Commands  upon  their  Allegiance  to 
attend  the  other  three  or  two  to  be  such  as  the  Council  shall  make  choice  of. 
And  if  the  said  Mr.  Bellingham  be  the  present  Governour  another  fit  person 
is  to  be  deputed  to  that  Office  till  his  returne,  &  his  Majesty  will  then  in 
person  hear  all  the  allegations,  suggestions  or  pretences  to  right  or  favour 
that  can  be  made  on  the  behalfe  of  the  said  Colony.  And  his  Majesty  expects 
the  appearance  of  the  said  persons  as  soon  as  they  can  possibly  repair  hither 
after  they  have  notice  of  his  Majesty’s  pleasure,  &  his  farther  Command 
is  that  there  may  be  no  alteration  in  reference  to  the  Government  of  the 
Province  of  Maine  till  his  Majesty  hath  heard  what  is  alleged  on  all  sides,  but 
that  the  same  continue  as  his  Majesty’s  Commissioners  have  left  the  same 
until  his  Majesty  shall  further  determine.  And  his  Majesty  further  expressly 
charges  and  commands  the  Governour  &  Council  there,  that  they  immedi¬ 
ately  set  all  such  persons  at  Liberty  who  have  been  or  are  imprisoned  only  for 
petitioning  or  applying  themselves  to  his  Majesty’s  Commissioners,  &  that  no 
man  hereafter  be  imprisoned  or  molested  for  showing  respects  to  his  Majes¬ 
ty’s  Commissioners ;  And  for  the  better  prevention  of  all  differances  and 
disputes  upon  the  bounds  &  limits  of  the  several  Colonies,  his  Majesty’s 
pleasure  is  that  all  determinations  made  by  his  Majesty’s  said  Commissioners 
with  reference  to  the  said  bounds  &  limits  may  still  continue  &  be  observed 
till  upon  a  full  representation  of  all  pretences  his  Majesty  shall  make  his  own 


39 


[1676. 

final  determination ;  &  particularly  that  the  present  temporary  bounds  set  by 
the  Commissioners,  between  the  Colonies  of  New  Plimouth  &  Rhode  Island, 
until  his  Majesty  shall  find  cause  to  Alter  the  same  and  his  Majesty  expects 
that  full  obedience  be  given  to  this  signification  of  his  pleasure  in  all  par¬ 
ticulars. 

Given  at  the  Court  at  Whitehall  the  10th  day  of  April,  1660,  in  the 
18th  year  of  his  Majesty’s  reigne. 

By  his  Majesty’s  Command, 

WILL.  MAURICE. 

Notwithstanding  the  strict  injunction  of  his  Majesty  to  have  Mr.  Belling¬ 
ham  &  Major  Hauthorne  appear,  yet  they  were  voted  by  the  General  Court 
to  stay  at  home,  upon  which  Contempt  of  his  Majesty’s  Command,  the  Mer¬ 
chants  &  Gentry  in  that  Colony  delivered  their  dissent  to  the  present  proceed¬ 
ings  of  the  Government. 


AN  ACCOUNT  of  the  Colonys  and  Provinces  of  New 
England  in  general ,  More  particularly  of  that  of  the 
Massachusetts . 

Sir, 

He  that  stirs  a  nest  of  Hornets,  will  have  a  confused  din  about  his  ears, 
and  if  not  well  guarded  against  the  invenom’d  stings,  be  severely  wounded 
and  tormented  by  those  angry  insects:  Noe  better  treatment  must  I  expect 
from  those  waspish  creatures  of  N.  E.  for  laying  them  open  to  the  world,  and 
publishing  their  wicked  designs  &  unwarrantable  practises,  they  will  make  an 
hideous  noise  of  “Rogue,”  “Lyer,”  &  “Slanderer  of  good  People  &  precious 
Protestants,”  &  use  all  endeavours  to  wound  my  credit,  &  reputation,  for 
which  reason  I  should  silently  have  passed  from  them,  and  left  them  just  as  I 
found  them,  had  not  you  required  me  to  give  some  account  of  the  Country, 
&  the  late  revolution  at  Boston,  together  wth  the  Indians ;  whose  commands 
are  of  so  great  authority  with  me,  that  I  dare  not  frame  arguments  to  shun 
the  work,  or  plead  an  excuse  of  sickness,  much  less  fear  of  a  brutal  noise, 
which  for  many  years  I  have  patiently  heard  &  endured :  against  their  stings 


1676.] 


40 


(I  hope),  I  have  made  sufficient  provision  by  not  writing  anything,  but  what  I 
perfectly  know,  or  have  received  from  persons  of  known  worth  &  Integrity. 

For  which  reason  I  assure  myself,  you  sir  will  take  in  good  part  this 
draught  of  the  Country  &  people,  which  altho’  not  soe  polite  as  some  others, 
full  of  painting  and  daubing,  yet  is  more  exact  &  agreeable  to  Truth. 

That  large  tract  of  land,  which  lays  between  the  degrees  of  forty  &  forty- 
five,  is  know  by  the  generall  name  of  New  England,  but  divided  into  many 
Provinces  &  Colonys,  most  of  which  in  times  past  had  distinct  Governmts,  & 
made  such  Laws,  as  seem’d  best,  &  most  agreeable  to  their  particular  frames, 
&  constitutions,  which  interfering  with  the  interest  of  their  Neighbours,  & 
indeed  prejudicial  to  the  public  good,  they  lived  not  in  that  peace  and  quiet, 
which  was  necessary  for  the  preservation  &  good  establishment  of  those 
Young  Settlements,  but  had  continual  pelts  &  differences  amongst  themselves, 
till  in  the  year  1687  they  were  all  happily  united  &  cast  into  one  Governm1 
which  was  committed  to  the  care  of  Sir  Edmond  Andross. 

The  names  of  the  severall  Colonys  &  Provinces  are  these  that  follow: 
Road  Island,  Plymouth,  Narragansett  Country,  Connecticutt,  New  Hampshire, 
Province  of  Maine,  &  the  Massachusetts  Colony. 

Road  Island  is  of  a  considerable  bigness,  &  justly  called  the  garden  of 
N.  E.  for  its  fertility  &  pleasantness;  it  abounds  with  all  things  necessary  for 
the  life  of  Man,  is  excellent  for  sheep,  kine,  &  horses  &  being  invironed  by 
the  Sea,  it  is  freed  from  the  dangers  of  bears,  wolves,  &  foxes,  which  much 
molest  and  damnifye  those  who  live  on  the  Continent. 

This  people  for  some  tract  of  time  had  a  charter  to  themselves,  lived  under 
a  Governour  of  their  own  choosing,  and  laws  of  their  own  making,  which 
altho’  they  might  not  be  very  usefull  to  this  Old  World,  yet  it  would  bee  very 
diverting  to  seejwhat  they  doe  in  the  New.  But  in  the  year  1686,  upon  serv¬ 
ing  the  Quo  Warranto  they  freely  resigned  up  their  Charter  to  his  Majesty, 
and  continue  soe  well  satisfied  with  the  surrender,  that  they  doe  not  soe  much 
as  petition  for  the  Charter  again. 

Here  is  a  medly  of  most  perswasions,  but  neither  Church  nor  meeting 
house,  except  one  built  for  the  use  of  the  Quakers,  the  Grandees  of  the  place, 
who  are  very  numerous,  &  who  have  here  annually  a  generall  Meeting  from 
all  quarters. 

Many  of  the  others  regard  neither  time,  nor  place,  nor  worship,  and  even 
some  very  Sober  Men  have  lived  so  long  without  it,  that  they  think  all  insti- 


41  [1676. 

tuted  Religion  useless,  quoteing  Deuteronomy  30:  11-14  for  their  Justifica¬ 
tion. 

The  people  live  in  great  plenty,  send  Horses  &  provisions  to  Barbados  & 
the  Leward  Islands,  &  sell  great  numbers  of  fatt  oxen  and  sheep  to  the  Butch¬ 
ers  of  Boston. 

The  settlement  of  this  Colony  was  somewhat  strange,  and  therefore  I  shall 
give  a  brief  Narrative  of  the  same. 

The  People  of  Boston  (who  always  had  a  perfect  hatred  against  those  who 
differed  in  opinion  from  them,  &  if  any  have  bin  persecutors,  they  may  bee 
said  to  bee  bloody  ones),  had  some  Quakers  in  the  land,  &  how  to  rid  them¬ 
selves  fairly  of  them,  they  had  many  consultations  which  at  last  ended  in  this 
result :  They  would  banish  them  to  some  place,  or  other,  from  whence  they 
might  bee  sure  to  be  never  troubled  with  them  again.  Their  hearts  were 
then  somewhat  tender,  &  not  sufficiently  hardened  for  those  barbaritys  & 
murders,  they  afterwards  committed;  but  yet  their  Mercys  were  very  crueltys, 
for  they  banished  these  Quakers  to  this  Island,  where  in  all  probability  they 
must  have  perisht  with  hunger,  or  else  bin  destroyed  by  the  heathen.  Hither 
these  poor  creatures  being  come,  they  dig  them  caves  in  the  Earth,  &  by  the 
kindness  of  the  Indians  outlive  the  severitys  of  a  long  and  sharp  winter.  The 
spring  coming  on  they  obtaine  leave  from  the  Sachem  to  manure  the  Ground, 
&  in  a  little  time  wraught  themselves  into  good  Estates,  which  some  even  of 
the  first  settlers  injoy  even  to  this  day.  Being  thus  happily  seated  they  peti¬ 
tioned  King  Charles,  that  they  might  have  a  Charter  to  themselves,  fearing 
lest  they  should  fall  under  the  lash  of  the  Bostoners  againe,  who  had  bin  soe 
inhumane  &  barbarous  to  them  in  their  banishment. 

Plymouth  compared  with  the  former  is  but  a  poor  &  mean. Country,  as  I 
have  often  been  informed  by  the  chief  of  the  Inhabitants,  yet  the  ground  well 
compensates  the  husbandman’s  labor  with  good  crops  of  Corn.  And  being 
washt  by  the  Sea,  they  make  great  benefit  by  Fishery,  as  alsoe  their  Bay  of  late 
years  is  very  much  inricht  by  great  numbers  of  whales  which  come  into  it,  & 
even  the  rocky  mountains  yield  them  considerable  profit,  for  on  them  grow 
plenty  of  pine  trees,  out  of  which  they  make  plenty  of  Tar  for  their  ships. 

The  Religion  of  the  Country  is  exactly  after  the  model  of  Boston,  and  the 
Massachusetts,  from  which  they  receive  directions  &  ministers.  As  is  their 
religion,  such  is  their  temper,  crabbed  &  morose;  haveing  charity  for  none 
but  themselves. 


6 


1 676.] 


42 


This  people  being  without  law  &  without  Governm1  from  England,  chose 
Governours  &  made  Laws  for  themselves,  of  all  which  Hinckley’s  is  the  most 
infamous,  whereby  they  plundered  the  poor  Quakers  of  all  which  many  of 
them  had,  for  not  coming  to  their  meetings. 

In  this  state  they  continued  till  King  James  ordered  them  under  the  Gov¬ 
ernment  of  Sir  Edmond  Andross,  soe  that  from  hence  may  be  plainly  discov¬ 
ered  the  gross  falsehood  of  a  scandalous  Pamphlett  lately  put  forth,  which 
saith  the  Colonys  had  their  charters  violently  wrested  from  them,  whereas 
Road  Island  freely  resigned  theirs  &  Plymouth  never  had  any. 

The  late  Address  they  made  to  their  Majesties  acknowledges  as  much,  & 
withall  plainly  shews  the  minds  of  the  people,  for  in  all  humble  manner  they 
(as  it  were),  in  one  hand  bring  a  petition  for  their  Majesties’  Grant  to  be  a 
distinct  Governm1  &  in  the  other  they  hold  forth  a  law  book,  &  quote  the 
Authority  of  the  Lord  Cook  to  Justifie  their  setting  up  for  themselves  ;  plead¬ 
ing  the  possession  of  60  years  against  the  right  of  the  Crown,  which  being 
somewhat  singular  is  thought  worthy  of  observation. 

Of  the  Narragansett  Country  I  never  had  a  particular  account,  only  in 
Generali,  that  it  is  a  large  Tract  of  Land  little  Inhabited,  but  the  greatest  part 
of  the  Country  taken  up  by  several  persons,  some  of  the  Bostoners  claime  a 
property  for  many  miles  together,  but  never  take  care  to  make  the  least 
improvement.  Churches  here  are  none,  &  but  few  Houses.  I  cannot  say 
there  is  one  English  Town  in  the  whole  Province. 

What  is  most  considerable  in  the  Narragansett  Country  is  the  Settlement 
of  the  Lrench  Protestants,  who  on  the  violence  of  the  persecution  left  their 
Country,  came  over  to  N.  E.  &  took  up  their  habitation  in  this  wilderness, 
where  they  have  made  good  improvement,  live  comfortably  &  have  planted 
great  numbers  of  vines,  which  they  say  thrive  well.  I  hope  they  will  be  very 
beneficial  to  them. 

As  also  the  hospitality  of  Majr  Smith,  who  lives  like  one  of  the  old  Patri¬ 
archs,  hath  his  Doors  open  for  the  reception  of  all  strangers,  which  pass  the 
Country,  &  preserved  the  French  Protestants,  in  the  first  settlem1  when  they 
had  little  or  nothing  of  their  own. 

This  Wilderness  leads  to  a  very  fertile  &  pleasant  Country  called  Con¬ 
necticut^  which  may  be  truly  styled  the  Glory  of  the  Main  for  richness  of 
soil,  &  product  of  the  ground,  there  being  great  plenty  of  Wheat,  Barley  & 
graine,  with  abundance  of  Sheep,  Kine,  &  horses. 


43 


[1676. 

It  may  well  be  called,  as  many  will  have  it,  the  Egypt  of  America,  from  its 
wonderful!  fertility,  &  that  from  the  overflowing  of  the  great  River  Connecti¬ 
cut  t,  which  like  Nilus  annually  overflowed!  its  Banks  and  thereby  inricheth 
the  soil. 

This  Country  hath  many  Inhabitants,  who  live  in  great  plenty  &  communi¬ 
cate  largely  towards  the  support  of  Boston  whither  they  send  annually  great 
quantities  of  Wheat,  &  other  grain  with  many  droves  of  fed  Cattle. 

As  N.  E.  in  general  is  very  healthy,  so  this  Country  shares  in  that  inesti¬ 
mable  blessing.  However  after  great  glutts  of  rain,  the  Feaver  &  Ague 
make  some  unwelcome  visits  among  them. 

Here  are  many  Towns  and  villages,  the  greatest  of  all  is  called  Hartford, 
where  they  have  their  general  Meetings,  keep  Courts  of  Judicature  &  transact 
publick  affairs.  In  this  Town  are  two  meeting  houses  for  public  Worship, 
which  shews  it  is  large  &  well  peopled. 

In  religion  they  generally  follow  the  Modell  of  the  Massachusetts  Inde¬ 
pendants,  by  whom  they  are  managed,  &  governed  in  all  things. 

This  people  for  some  time  lived  under  a  charter  Government,  but  in  the 
year  1687  resigning  their  Charter,  desired  to  bee  put  under  Sir  Edmond 
Andross’s  Governm4,  whom  at  his  arrivall  amongst  them  they  received  with 
great  joy  &  lived  very  quietly  under  him  till  the  grand  revolt  in  Boston  which 
spread  its  accursed  Malignancy  as  far  as  New  York,  &  not  a  little  infected 
that  Country,  but  wrought  such  miserable  effects  on  this  poor  deluded  Colony 
that  they  threw  off  all  duty  and  allegiance  &  in  a  frantick  humour  erected 
their  idol  charter  againe. 

New  Hampshire  is  another  Province,  very  healthy  &  well  settled,  hath  an 
excellent  Harbour  for  ships,  where  they  may  ride  very  securely  in  all  weather. 
Their  soil  is  none  of  the  best,  nor  the  Country  the  most  pleasant  in  the 
world,  but  yet,  as  it  is,  they  raise  abundance  of  corn  &  provision,  &  the  mean¬ 
ness  of  the  soil  is  fully  compensated  another  way.  For  in  this  &  the  Neigh¬ 
bouring  Province  of  Maine  grow  those  stately  trees,  which  make  as  good 
Masts  as  any  in  the  world,  &  in  such  abundance  that  scarce  any  part  of  the 
world  can  shew  the  like.  They  send  many  for  England  &  have  wherewith  to 
supply,  not  only  their  Majesties’  Navy  but  if  well  Husbanded  the  whole 
Nation.  ’Tis  pity  there  should  bee  such  havock  made  of  those  stately  trees, 
which  without  number  they  yearly  cut  down,  &  saw  into  boards. 

The  people  live  friendly  together,  freer  in  conversation  than  most  of  their 
Countrymen,  &  given  to  hospitality. 


1676.] 


44 


What  Religion  they  have  comes  from  Boston  or  the  Conn1.  At  present  the 
Chief  Town,  Portsmouth,  is  destitute  of  all  publick  worship,  for  their  Teacher 
with  whom  they  entered  mutuall  Church  Covenant  hath  ingratfully  forsaken 
them,  haveing  workt  himself  into  a  richer  Church  at  Boston  to  the  apparent 
prejudice  of  his  Brother,  &  the  great  scandall  of  their  profession. 

This  people  for  many  years  have  lived  under  the  immediate  Governm1  of 
the  Crown  of  England,  &  being  in  the  late  revolt  stirred  up  by  that  Old 
Incendiary,  go  to  assume  a  Government  to  themselves,  answered  that  they 
were  well  &  easy  and  desired  soe  to  continue.  They  knew  the  bad  effects  of 
being  troublesome  &  therefore  should  rest  contented  under  the  present  Gov¬ 
ernment. 

The  Province  of  Maine  is  an  excellent  tract  of  land,  but  I  am  afraid  at  this 
time  without  Inhabitants,  the  people  being  either  killed  or  carried  away  Cap¬ 
tives  by  the  Indians  or  else  fled  to  Boston  for  the  preservation  of  their  lives. 

As  in  N.  Hampshire,  soe  here  grow  the  trees  for  Masts  with  all  other  sorts 
of  Timber  for  shipping,  upon  which  account  it  is  preferable  to  any  part  of 
N.  E.  The  soil  is  very  rich,  well  requiting  the  husbandman’s  labour  & 
paines,  so  bountiful  hath  Nature  been  to  the  land,  &  no  less  kind  to  the  Seas. 
For  on  these  shoars  is  the  best  fishing  ground  in  all  the  English  Dominions, 
where  we  annually  caught  Ship  loads  of  Cod  &  other  great  fishes. 

For  harbours  it  may  compare  with  most  Countrys  in  the  world, — having 
those  that  are  spacious  &  secure  against  all  storms,  as  if  God  Almighty  had 
designed  it  for  a  great  &  mighty  people. 

I  lament  the  present  desolations  of  this  Country,  for  it  had  Towns,  villages 
&  forts  till  now  very  lately,  but  the  Towns  are  burnt  &  the  Forts  demolished, 
for  which  devastations  in  great  measure  they  are  bound  to  thank  the  new 
Lords  of  Boston. 

The  Governour  had  so  covered  the  Country  against  the  Incursions  of  the 
Indians,  that  all  the  time  the  Government  rested  in  his  hands,  the  people  were 
in  the  greatest  safety,  &  not  the  least  Mischief  happened  unto  them;  but 
upon  the  revolt  of  the  people  of  Boston,  the  Patriots  there  recalled  the  Forces 
from  hence  &  left  the  whole  Country  a  prey  to  their  savage  enemies ;  so  that 
from  the  time  those  mad  Phactions  took  the  reins  of  Gover1  in  their  hands  to 
the  30th  of  July  there  were  above  an  hundred  of  the  poor  Country  people 
killed,  or  carried  away  Captives,  houses  burnt,  Forts  razed,  &  all  their  Goods 
plundered. 


45 


[1676. 


It  remains  to  give  a  description  of  the  Massachusetts,  which  is  the  least  of 
all  the  Colonys,  but  would  be  accounted  the  greatest,  nay,  they  are  very  desir¬ 
ous  to  appropriate  the  name  of  New  England  to  themselves,  &  endeavour 
what  they  can  to  extend  their  Commonwealth  over  the  greatest  part  of  that 
Continent. 

For  they  claime  a  right  to  a  great  part  of  the  Narragansett  Country,  that 
the  land  belongs  to  them  because  they  bought  it  of  the  Natives,  soe  there  is 
an  Indian  purchase,  &  the  Crown  of  England  hath  nothing  to  doe  there ;  this 
is  the  plea  for  their  usurpation. 

In  like  manner  they  say  the  Province  of  Maine  is  theirs  for  Mr.  Usher 
bought  the  Government  as  well  as  soil  of  the  Proprietor  &  they  bought  it  of 
Mr.  Usher,  soe  that  they  make  themselves  all  Kings  or  Princes,  for  no  private 
Men  can  buy  Govern1  &  I  think  the  Lord  Cook  (an  Author  they  much  quote), 
gives  this  reason  for  it,  because  ’tis  prejudiciall  to  the  King’s  Crown  and 
Dignity. 

By  and  by,  I  question  not,  but  they  will  plead  a  little  to  Connecticutt  & 
Plymouth,  because  there  the  generality  of  the  people  are  of  the  same  per- 
swasion  with  them  of  Boston,  &  those  Colonys  have  all  along  bin  governed 
and  managed  by  the  Massachusetts.  And  when  a  fair  opportunity  presents 
they  may  seize  on  Road  Island,  for  the  Quakers  are  a  sort  of  Canaanites,  & 
that  Good  land  de  jure  belongs  to  the  Saints  and  precious  people  of  God. 

This,  Sir,  may  Sound  a  little  Romantick,  but  some  such  extravagant  pranks 
they  will  play,  if  ever  let  loose  to  follow  their  exorbitant  lust  after  encroach¬ 
ments  &  unjust  usurpations.  Ex  pede  Herculem. 

It  is  therefore  highly  necessary,  that  their  Majesties  put  forth  an  order  de 
Finibus  regimdis ,  and  confine  the  Massachusetts  to  the  bounds  of  their 
Charter,  which  are  Merrimack  and  Charles  Rivers.  Then  their  poverty  will 
be  a  check  to  their  pride,  &  their  Care  for  a  livelihood  will  prevent  their  vain 
thoughts  of  government.  For  should  their  Majesties  think  it  advisable  to 
form  Pemaquid,  Province  of  Maine  &  New  Hampshire  into  a  Government  & 
commit  the  Care  of  the  same  to  some  worthy  &  active  Generali  &  grant  those 
their  Charter  againe,  the  greatest  part  of  the  people  would  run  away  from 
them,  &  the  remainder  if  possibly  prevented  from  breaking  the  Acts  of  trade, 
would  in  a  few  years  bee  reduc’t  to  extream  poverty,  &  crumble  into  their 
primo  principis  again,  and  then  as  earnestly  beg  to  bee  under  the  immediate 
Governm1  of  England,  as  they  are  now  desirous  to  erect  their  Independant 
Commonwealth. 


1 676.] 


46 


The  Country  in  some  parts  is  very  Stony  &  Mountainous  soe  that  for 
many  miles  together  little  else  is  to  be  seen  but  shrubs,  a  few  scattering  trees 
&  the  grizly  heads  of  Rocks  :  in  other  places  it  is  very  drye  and  sandy,  little 
profitable  to  the  husbandman  without  great  plenty  of  raine  &  showers. 

The  soil  is  but  poor  of  itself,  &  to  this  natural  barrenness  is  superadded 
an  annual  blasting  of  their  Wheat  &  an  inbred  worm  in  the  pease.  In  the 
first  settlement  the  Countryman’s  labor  was  well  rewarded  with  good  crops 
of  Wheat,  excellent  pease,  and  other  graine,  but  for  many  years  the  wheat 
hath  bin  continually  blasted  &  the  pease  breed  a  worm  in  themselves,  which 
eats  out  the  heart,  &  leaves  only  the  husk  for  the  planter. 

For  the  generality  the  people  there  are  very  censorious  &  ready  on  all 
occasions  to  Judge  one  another  &  some  there  are  among  themselves,  who 
attribute  this  plague  to  the  immediate  hand  of  God  for  the  Cruelty  of  the  peo¬ 
ple  against  the  Quakers.  This  cause  is  given  in  secret,  but  ’tis  a  generall 
observation,  that  much  about  that  time,  when  the  Quakers  suffered,  came  the 
blasting  on  the  Wheat,  &  the  worm  in  the  Pease.  Indian  Corn  is  the  staff  of 
the  Land,  &  on  which  they  have  the  greatest  dependance,  for  if  that  failes,  all 
is  gone.  The  sins  committed  in  husking  of  it  are  very  great  &  notorious,  ’tis 
much  to  bee  feared  God  will  enter  into  Judgment  with  them  for  it,  &  smite 
the  Indian  Corn  with  a  curse.  Indeed  the  present  poverty  of  the  land  would 
eat  up  the  people,  were  they  not  supplyd  from  other  Countries. 

The  Commoditys  of  the  Colony  are  quickly  reckoned,  for  they  boast  in¬ 
deed  of  the  Trade  they  can  drive  with  their  Fish  and  Lumber  goods,  but  they 
have  but  little  Lumber  &  less  fish,  except  what  they  receive  from  their  slaves, 
the  fishermen  &  Inhabitants  of  the  Province  of  Maine  &  New  Hampshire,  & 
not  one  Tree  in  all  the  land,  that  will  make  a  Mast  for  a  ship,  as  if  God  & 
Nature  had  designed  that  land  for  some  extraordinary  people. 

’Tis  true  the  Massachusetts  build  many  Ships,  and  other  Vessels,  but  they 
bring  most  of  the  materials  from  other  Countrys,  as  also  they  send  abroad 
many  V essels,  loaden  with  boards,  pipe  staves  &  provisions,  all  which  are  but 
as  borrowed  goods.  Should  the  neighbouring  Colonys  keep  all  to  themselves 
they  would  well  bee  resembled  in  Mtsop’s  Crow,  when  the  other  birds  had 
taken  away  all  their  fine  feathers  from  her. 

This  Colony  hath  many  Towns  &  Villages  of  which  the  greatest  is  Boston, 
large  &  well  peopled,  where  are  kept  the  Courts  of  Judicature  &  the  Publick 
Records  of  the  Country. 


47 


[1676. 

The  people  are  naturally  courteous,  affable  &  obliging,  but  for  the  gene¬ 
rality  of  them  that  are  of  the  gathered  Churches,  their  Religion  spoils  them, 
makes  them  morose  &  unsociable,  proud  &  conceited,  looking  on  others  as 
mean,  abject  creatures,  who  deserve  their  pity  rather  than  company. 

In  their  dealings  they  are  very  crafty  and  subtle,  out-doing  even  Jews 
themselves,  who  (as  I  heard  one  of  those  N.  E.  Men  boasting  say),  could  not 
live  amongst  them.  They  are  watchful  of  all  advantages  over  them  that  they 
deal  with  &  when  they  have  a  Man  within  their  clutches  gripe  him  unmerci¬ 
fully.  In  their  treats  they  are  very  lavish  and  expensive.  Where  they  con¬ 
ceive  a  prejudice  they  are  as  revengeful  and  very  religiously  pray  for  destruc¬ 
tion  on  their  Enemys.  Hence  some  that  knew  them  very  well,  have  given 
this  caution  to  their  children, — above  all  persons  take  heed  of  a  Professor. 

This  I  say  for  the  generality  of  them,  not  but  that  there  are  many  worthy, 
charitable  &  religious  people  among  them  who  (as  I  am  fully  perswaded), 
serve  God  with  a  perfect  heart,  &  love  their  Neighbour  with  love  unfeigned. 

In  the  late  Revolution  many  abhorr’d  the  faction,  &  did  heartily  grieve  in 
secret  for  the  violence  &  barbarity  of  the  Zealous  people. 

As  in  all  other  places,  so  among  the  Massachusetts  vice  greatly  abounds, 
&  there  is  no  Sin  in  Old  England  but  that  is  practised  in  New.  However 
some  are  of  greater  credit  &  reputation,  than  others ;  swearing,  cursing,  & 
Blasphemy  are  discountenanced  as  unprofitable  vices  ;  but  they  who  scruple 
an  oath,  will  make  no  conscience  to  lye  or  cheat  for  advantage.  The  capitall 
vices  are  sloth  &  Idleness,  cheating  &  Censoriousness.  Prone  they  are  alsoe 
to  a  sin  of  frailty  (as  they  term  it),  &  lasciviousness,  which  appears  too  much 
in  their  common  conversation. 

The  trade  of  the  Country  is  well  known,  &  for  the  most  part  unlawful. 
Of  all  the  Colonys  this  hath  bin  most  prejudicial  to  the  King’s  Customs  and 
the  trade  of  England  ;  which  has  bin  sufficiently  proved  against  them.  Of 
themselves  they  bring  no  considerable  revenue  to  the  Crown.  Of  which  more 
in  the  remarks,  as  also  of  their  superexcellent  goodness  &  Piety,  unknown  to 
all  the  world,  but  themselves,  with  an  account  of  their  famous  Colledge  &  great 
work  of  Evangelizing  Indians. 

The  laws  of  England  are  of  noe  credit  among  them,  &  when  pleaded  in 
their  Courts  never  regarded ;  but  they  have  composed  a  body  of  Laws  for 
themselves,  upon  the  First  of  which  some  would  have  tried  the  King’s  Officer, 
because  (as  they  said),  he  went  about  to  alter  the  Government  fundamentally. 


1676.] 


48 


They  are  printed  in  a  thin  folio,  &  of  them  this  may  bee  said,  some  are  soe 
fantastic  and  childish,  that  they  will  make  a  Sober  Man  laugh  ;  some  are  so 
cruell  and  barbarous,  they  will  make  a  Christian  Weep;  &  others  are  so  de¬ 
structive  and  repugnant  to  the  Laws  of  England,  it  will  make  a  Modest  Man 
blush  for  the  Compilers  who  with  an  unaccountable  impudence  stand  upon 
their  innocence  &  justifie  their  Actions,  when  their  own  laws  witness  against 
them. 

The  Government  was  first  by  way  of  Charter,  which  was  chiefly  managed 
by  the  preachers,  who  by  their  power  with  the  people  made  all  the  Magis¬ 
trates  &  kept  them  so  intirely  under  obedience,  that  they  durst  not  act  without 
them.  Soe  that  whensoever  anything  strange  or  unusuall  was  brought  before 
them,  they  would  not  determine  the  matter  without  consulting  the  preachers, 
for  should  any  bee  soe  sturdy  as  to  presume  to  act  of  himself  without  takeing 
advice  &  directions,  he  might  bee  sure  of  it,  his  Magistracy  ended  with  the 
year.  He  could  bee  noe  Magistrate  for  them,  that  was  not  approved  and 
recommended  from  the  pulpit,  &  he  could  expect  little  recommendation  who 
was  not  the  Preachers’  most  humble  servant.  Soe  they  who  treated,  caressed 
&  presented  the  preachers  most,  were  the  Rulers  &  Magistrates  among  the 
People. 

The  world  justly  condemns  the  usurped  power  of  the  popish  clergy  over 
the  laity  :  yet  the  Priests  even  in  Italy  have  not  a  greater  ascendant  over  the 
people,  than  the  preachers  in  New  England.  And  that  they  might  perpetuate 
the  Government  to  themselves,  they  soe  brought  things  about  (as  indeed 
they  might  doe  what  they  listed),  it  was  past  into  a  Law,  that  none  should 
have  anything  to  doe  with  the  Government,  that  was  not  a  freeman  of  the 
Country,  &  none  should  be  made  a  freeman,  who  was  not  in  full  communion 
with  their  Churches.  That  is  none  should  be  free  who  would  not  dance  to 
their  fiddle,  &  in  all  points  agree  with  the  preachers’  opinion. 

The  way  of  making  free  men  was  after  this  Manner :  hee  that  desired  the 
freedom  of  the  Country  came,  &  made  known  his  requests  to  the  Court,  who 
tho’  never  so  Sober  in  life  &  conversation,  if  he  favored  not  the  Independant 
perswasion,  he  was  certainly  rejected  either  as  an  enemy  to  the  Church  or 
State,  but  whoever  came  with  such  powerful  credentials  as  these,  “The  bearer 
is  a  pious,  good  Man,  &  in  Communion  with  such  a  Church,  given  under  my 
hand,  N.  N.  Teacher,”  or  under  the  hands  of  his  Deacons,  such  a  Man  needed 
not  to  seek  for  other  arguments  to  gaine  the  favour  of  the  Magistrates,  for 


49 


[1676. 


without  any  other  formality  he  might  be  sure,  to  have  the  grant  of  his  free¬ 
dom  ;  soe  that  out  of  Church,  out  of  favor,  &  that  beyond  all  possibility  of 
giving,  &  receiving  any  office  in  the  State. 

For  this  reason  many  formall  Hypocrites,  who  were  ambitious  of  Honor 
&  Governm*  would  work  themselves  into  the  favor  of  the  preachers.  To  this 
end  besides  many  costly  treats  &  presents  they  would  in  the  meeting  houses 
frame  storys  of  their  conversion,  acknowledge  the  God  of  their  Fathers,  & 
enter  into  Church  Covenant  (as  the  Phrase  is),  &  make  a  long  Cant,  how  the 
work  of  Grace  was  wrought  on  their  hearts  by  the  Sermon,  or  paines  of  one 
of  the  leading  preachers.  Whereupon  such  were  admitted  into  the  Frater¬ 
nity,  &  made  Church  Members,  &  then  they  were  in  a  very  fair  way  to  the 
highest  preferment. 

It  was  pleasant  to  behold  poor  Coblers  &  pitifull  Mechanicks  which  had 
neither  House  nor  land,  strutting  &  making  noe  mean  figure  at  their  elections 
&  some  of  the  richest  Merchants  &  wealthiest  of  the  people  stand  by  as 
insignificant  Cyphers,  or,  in  the  words  of  one  of  their  Own,  who  thought  he 
characterized  them  ingeniously,  “as  so  many  Asses  to  bear  the  loads  that 
should  be  laid  upon  them.” 

In  the  late  revolt  there  were  many  divisions  among  the  People  what  Gov¬ 
ernment  to  erect.  Many  of  the  Councill  (as  they  termed  themselves),  were 
for  declaring  themselves  a  free  State.  But  Mr.  Stoughton  well  knowing  their 
weakness,  would  not  subscribe  the  Summons  sent  the  Governour,  unlesse 
dependance  on  the  Crown  of  England  should  bee  inserted  into  the  declar¬ 
ation.  Some  were  for  a  Court  Martial  and  Military  Governm1  because  what 
they  got  by  the  Sword  they  ought  to  keep  by  the  Sword,  Others  were  for  an 
Election  of  Governour  &  Majistrates  by  all  the  People ;  but  the  preachers, 
who  all  along  were  Chief  in  the  Councils,  &  carried  the  ballance  in  their  hands, 
dislik’d  such  proposalls,  for  then  they  should  loose  the  Regency,  which  was  the 
cause  of  all  the  confusion,  &  therefore  they  moved  that  the  Old  Governour  & 
Majistrates  formerly  of  their  own  making  might  be  restored  with  the  addition 
of  some  trusty  Rogers,  whom  they  had  proved  &  found  faithfull  to  supply  the 
Vacancys  of  those  Majistrates  which  were  dead,  to  whom  all  bowed  &  paid 
obedience.  So  that  the  Govern1  is  safely  lodged  in  the  hands  of  the  Ecclesi¬ 
astics  again. 

’Tis  hard  to  give  an  Account  of  the  Religion  of  a  Colony,  where  so  many 
know  not  what  Religion  they  are  of,  &  when  demanded  a  reason  of  their  faith 


7 


1676.] 


50 


can  say  little  more  than  that  they  are  hearers  of  Mr.  Mather,  or  Members  of 
the  Old  Church,  or  are  under  the  Watch  of  the  South  Meeting  house. 

But  having  promised  an  Account  of  the  Country,  I  shall  write  what  I  best 
know  of  the  religion  thereof,  because  it  is  a  large  Topic  of  their  discourse, 
that  which  makes  the  great  noise  among  the  People. 

The  first  Settlers  were  a  serious  good  sort  of  People,  who  had  the  fear  of 
God  before  their  eyes  &  firm  assurance  of  his  providence  ;  otherwise  they  had 
never  undertaken  that  hazardous  design.  I  cannot  say  what  perswasion  they 
were  of,  but  this  I  know,  they  styled  themselves  children  of  the  Church  of 
England  &  counted  it  their  glory  to  bee  called  after  her  name  &  at  their 
departure  from  hence  in  all  Humble  duty  they  desired  the  prayers  of  the 
Bishop  of  London  &  his  Clergy  for  them,  who  came  out  of  their  own  bosomes, 
&  who  should  continually  offer  up  their  prayers  to  the  Throne  of  Grace  for 
the  prosperity  of  the  Church,  all  which  with  a  great  deal  more  to  the  same 
effect  was  written  in  a  letter  sent  to  the  Bishop  of  London  from  on  board  the 
Arabella  &  subscribed  by  Governour,  Majistrates  &  Ministers. 

I  wish  their  posterity  had  imitated  their  Charity  &  followed  their  religion. 
The  worship  then  of  the  Established  Church  would  not  bee  decreed  as  heath¬ 
enish,  Jewish,  Superstitious  and  Popish,  &  her  Members  misrepresented  for 
papists.  The  Church  lately  erected  there  for  the  exercise  of  ye  Established 
Religion  would  not  have  been  used  as  it  was  at  the  late  Insurrection :  The 
Church  Windows  would  not  have  been  broken  in  pieces,  &  the  whole  fabric 
threatened  to  be  pulled  down  to  the  ground. 

They  had  not  bin  long  in  the  New  World  before  all  sorts  of  people  flocked 
unto  them  of  as  different  principles  as  places,  which  caused  noe  small  trouble 
to  the  Inhabitants,  for  one  was  for  this  Modell,  another  for  that  platform,  soe 
that  the  People  were  likely  to  bee  scattered  and  destroyed  by  Religion,  which 
should  have  united  &  preserved  them. 

It  was  therefore  thought  necessary  something  should  be  establish’d  that 
they  might  not  always  bee  a  confused  Babel,  whereupon  as  the  Jewes  when 
they  cast  off  the  true  God  &  would  have  other  Gods  to  goe  before  them 
had  at  length  a  Calf  come  forth  of  the  fire,  to  be  their  God,  so  when  the 
people  would  leave  the  religion  of  their  Fathers,  &  set  up  a  new  religion 
amongst  them,  after  much  strife  &  contention,  came  forth  Independency;  which 
hath  indeed  a  show  of  much  purity  &  holiness,  but  hath  in  it  that  which  is 
highly  superstitious,  as  Mr.  Willard,  one  of  their  own,  declared  on  a  publick 


51 


[1676. 


convocation;  &  as  another  non-conformist  long  since  termed  it  “paganizing 
Independency”:  For  three  fourths  of  the  Country  never  participate  of  the 
Lord’s  Supper,  &  if  any  should  beg  it  as  for  the  Salvation  of  his  Soul,  yet  he 
could  not  obtaine  his  requests  without  comeing  up  to  their  terms,  &  telling 
storys  of  the  time  of  his  conversion,  &  when  the  work  of  Grace  was  wrought 
on  his  heart.  Even  in  the  space  of  little  more  than  one  Generation,  near  one 
half  of  the  people  are  unbaptized,  &  let  Parents  doe  what  they  can,  give 
never  so  good  account  of  their  Faith,  &  live  never  so  uprightly  towards  God 
and  towards  man,  yet  their  children  shall  not  be  admitted  to  Baptism,  unless 
one  of  the  Parents  bee  of  their  Communion,  &  promises  to  walk  after  the 
Church  Covenant.  So  that  in  a  few  ages  by  their  Independant  Practise, 
Paganism  will  a  second  time  overspread  the  land,  &  there  will  be  as  much 
need  of  Evangelizing-  the  English  as  there  is  now  of  the  Indians. 

This  overtopping  perswasion  would  have  none  to  grow  under  it,  if  con- 
tinuall  dropping  could  prevent  it  yet  its  naturall  issue  Anabaptism  sprouts  out 
amaine.  However  tho’  soe  nearly  related,  the  Independants  have  treated  the 
Anabaptists  very  unkindly,  fined  them  for  not  coming  to  the  Independant 
Assemblys,  nailed  up  the  doors  of  their  Meeting  house  &  turned  them  adrift 
in  the  streets. 

Besides  these  there  is  another  sect  arrived  to  greater  perfection,  who  are 
for  none  but  king  Jesus.  They  are  not  many  in  number,  but  upon  all  occur¬ 
rences  ready  to  advance  the  Scepter,  &  set  up  their  kingdom. 

As  also  there  are  others,  who  are  got  to  the  very  top  of  all  perfection,  but 
by  the  Men  of  the  World  are  called  Quakers,  who  have  suffered  very  griev¬ 
ous  things  from  their  domineering  bretheren.  And  if  suffering  be  a  true  mark 
of  the  Church,  these  are  the  best  Christians  in  the  Colony. 

Soe  that  that  is  most  true,  wch  my  Lord  of  Salisbury  hath  in  his  Sermon: 
Every  party  cries  out  for  Liberty  &  toleration,  till  they  get  to  be  uppermost, 
&  then  will  allow  none.  Witness  those  of  N.  E.  where  they  have  sufficiently 
proved  the  Truth  of  the  Doctrine  &  have  showed  their  tenderness  to  dissent¬ 
ers  in  the  plainest  manner  by  Acting  such  Cruelties,  which  are  hardly  to  bee 
paralleled  in  Heathen  persecutions. 

For  which  &  many  other  gross  Enormitys  after  a  scire  facias  issued  out  of 
the  high  Court  of  Chancery  &  timely  Notice  given  for  appearance  (but  they 
well  knowing  their  own  guiltiness,  never  took  care  that  any  should  appear  & 
defend  the  suit  but  sent  their  Agents  with  a  power  to  lavish  out  four  or  five 


1676.] 


52 


thousand  pounds  to  corrupt  Justice),  Judgm4  was  ent’red  against  them,  and 
the  then  king  Charles  the  2nd  resumed  their  Charter  grant,  that  their  hands 
might  bee  tied  up  from  persecuting  their  Brethren  &  doing  more  Mischief. 

Whereupon  a  great  cry  was  made,  that  the  Witnesses  were  slaine,  but 
they  are  revived  as  all,  that  differ  in  Opinion  from  them,  will  sadly  feel,  if  ever 
they  have  power  to  exercise  their  Cruelty  again.  Therefore  all  who  love 
peace  &  Moderation  ought  earnestly  to  pray  their  Majesties  that  they  may  be 
sheltered  from  the  hands  of  such  unreasonable  men  by  keeping  the  Colony 
under  their  immediate  Government.  Otherwise  there  will  be  a  kind  of 
Second  Inquisition  set  up  in  the  land,  &  many  of  his  Majesty’s  good  subjects 
must  prepare  their  Estates  for  fines,  their  backs  for  the  whip,  &  their  necks 
for  the  halter. 

All  sober  and  unbiassed  Men  are  for  the  Laws  and  Governnfi  of  Eng¬ 
land,  that  Justise  may  bee  impartially  administered,  &  not  have  the  old  way 
come  in  fashion  againe  of  Judging  the  Men,  more  than  their  causes.  Only 
the  preachers  and  their  Bigotts  who  have  long  Lorded  it  over  the  people  and 
reigned  as  kings,  can  hardly  brook  the  Mildest  GovernnE  &  care  for  no  laws, 
but  such  as  are  enacted  by  themselves.  As  is  plain  from  the  case  of  Sir 
Edmond  Andross,  who  came  over  in  the  year  1 686  &  took  on  him  the  Gov¬ 
ernment  of  the  Country,  wherein  he  carried  himself  Courteously,  affably  & 
obligingly  to  all,  gave  an  excellent  pattern  of  sobriety,  &  temperance,  made 
the  Laws  of  England  the  Standard  of  his  power,  &  in  all  things  performed  the 
duty  of  a  good  Governour ;  but  because  he  would  not  let  the  preachers  have 
their  Wills  in  all  things  &  follow  their  directions  in  every  matter,  therefor 
they  raised  false  accusations  against  him,  envied  his  greatness,  lessened  his 
actions  &  misrepresented  his  Governnfi  to  the  people  as  illegal  &  arbitrary ; 
and  not  contented  herewith,  hither  come  the  heads  of  the  party,  &  charge  him 
with  injustice,  oppression  &  violence,  make  addresses  to  King  James,  prom¬ 
ising  to  doe  whatsoever  he  would  have  them,  &  bee  instrumentall  to  pull 
down  the  fence  against  Popery  and  repeal  the  Laws  ;  Particularly  they  courted 
William  Penn,  &  made  their  humble  application  to  Father  Peters  to  have 
the  Governour  recalled ;  &  their  old  Charter  restored.  But  when  all  those 
accursed  Methods  proved  ineffectual!,  what  the  Quaker  could  not  doe,  &  what 
the  Popish  priest  would  not,  impatient  of  any  further  delays,  they  barbariously 
attempted  themselves,  &  on  the  18th  of  Aprill  in  a  most  Savage  Manner 
wrested  the  Government  out  of  Sir  Edmond’s  hands,  made  Him  &  all  others 


53 


[1076. 


of  the  Church  of  England  by  Law  Established,  prisoners,  who  were  in  any 
office  Civill  or  Military,  committing  him  &  some  other  Gentlemen  to  the  fort, 
others  to  the  Castle,  &  more  to  the  Common  Goal. 


-o> 


A  P articular  Account  of  the  late  Revolution  at  Boston  in  the 
Colony  and  Province  of  Massachusetts. 


(AUTHOR  UNKNOWN.) 

This  Revolution  making  a  great  noise  in  the  world,  &  being  variously  re¬ 
ported,  I  shall  with  all  Sincerity  endeavor  to  give  a  brief  account  thereof. 

Who  should  have  thought  that  in  a  land  of  Righteousness  (as  the  Massa¬ 
chusetts  would  be  accounted),  Men  should  work  wickedness  &  that  Professors 
of  the  greatest  sanctity  should  have  anything  to  doe  with  Plots  &  Conspira- 
cys  ;  yet,  alas  !  this  wild  design  I  must  lay  at  the  doors  of  ye  Preachers  &  their 
Adherents,  &  it  is  too  notorious,  that  some  who  had  sworn  to  maintaine  the 
Governm1  &  discover  all  Plotts  &  Conspiracys  against  the  same  ought  to  bee 
reckoned  amongst  the  Principall  Conspirators.  For  this  was  not  a  sudden 
heat,  or  violent  passion  of  the  Rabble,  but  a  long  contrived  piece  of  wicked¬ 
ness.  A  great  while  travailed  they  in  Mischief,  ere  that  detestable  Monster 
came  forth. 

Some  few  Strugglings  it  made  in  January,  but  two  things  prevented  the 
birth  :  the  first  was  the  Governour’s  longer  stay  to  the  Eastward  than  they  ex¬ 
pected,  to  prevent  the  incursions  of  the  Indians,  and  reduce  them  to  their 
former  obedience.  Whilst  we  in  the  Sharpest  Season  of  Winter  was  endeav¬ 
ouring  their  Safety  and  preservation,  they  in  Boston  were  Contriveing  the 
Subversion  of  the  Government  &  the  ruin  of  the  Governour,  and  with  his, 
the  mine  of  the  best  part  of  the  Colony.  The  other  was  this :  The  People 
were  not  fitted  for  the  faction,  in  order,  therefore  to  prepare  their  minds,  & 
draw  the  ignorant  Multitude  after  them,  they  scattered  abroad  many  foolish 
&  nonsensicall  storys,  &  pretended  wonderfull  discoveries  of  horrid  Plotts 
against  the  Country,  libells  alsoe  were  carried  up  &  down  against  the  Gov- 


1676.] 


54 


ernnF  &  those  in  Authority, — how  the  Governour  had  confederated  with  the 
freemen,  Mohoques  &  other  Indians  to  destroy  the  Colony  &  cut  off  the 
People.  For  the  confirmation  of  this,  a  report  was  spread  abroad  of  an  In¬ 
dian,  whose  heart  smote  him  (as  the  Phrase  was),  &  who  confessed  the  design 
&  for  his  part  he  would  not  joine  in  it.  The  English  had  done  him  noe  hurt, 
neither  would  hee  doe  them  any  mischief.  Wth  these  &  the  like  false  storys 
the  Country  was  miserably  distracted,  &  when  any  came  to  Town,  some  se¬ 
cretly  told  them  the  same  things  &  others  shook  their  heads  and  made  ugly 
faces,  whereby  they  concluded  all  to  bee  true,  which  was  reported  amongst 
them :  So  that  it  was  but  sounding  a  Trumpett  or  beating  a  Drum,  &  the  Ma¬ 
jority  of  the  People  was  ready  to  rise  against  the  Governour,  who,  as  they 
were  made  to  believe,  was  the  great  Enemy  of  the  Country. 

And  that  there  might  be  an  universall  hatred  against  him,  it  was  whispered 
about,  that  the  Governour  had  drawn  all  the  Youth  of  the  Country  to  the 
Eastward,  on  purpose  to  destroy  them,  that  all  the  rum  they  drank  was  poi¬ 
soned,  &  when  any  were  sick,  he  commanded  his  Doctor  to  despatch  them. 
That  the  Indian  war  was  but  a  sham,  for  hee  design’d  noe  evil  to  the  Indians, 
but  the  destruction  of  the  Country.  That  he  admitted  the  Squaws  dayly  to 
him  ;  or  else  he  went  out  and  lodged  with  them,  that  noe  Soldier  durst  kill  an 
Indian  because  the  Governour  had  given  positive  orders  to  the  Contrary. 

Whereas  never  could  Man  do  more  to  reduce  the  Indians  to  obedience  or 
show  greater  kindness  to  the  Soldiers.  This  all  publickly  declared  at  their 
return,  that  hee  was  a  father  unto  them  &  took  care  that  they  had  what  was 
necessary  &  convenient  for  them  in  their  Sickness,  visited  them  in  their 
marquees,  went  to  every  marquee,  tent  or  lodging,  &  if  he  found  them  un¬ 
covered,  would  cover  them,  if  he  found  them  sleeping  with  their  knee  strings 
bound,  would  untie  them  himself,  that  all  the  time  he  was  amongst  them  hee 
never  spared  any  labor  or  paines,  but  in  all  things  behaved  himself  among 
them  like  a  tender  Father  in  his  family. 

Elis  prudence  against  the  Enemy  was  admirable,  for  he  soe  covered  the 
Country  that  the  Indians  were  not  able  to  doe  any  considerable  mischief  to 
the  Inhabitants,  likewise  he  blockaded  all  the  Rivers,  whereby  the  Indians 
were  prevented  from  fishing  &  hunting ;  besides  all  this  he  routed  them  out 
of  their  forts  &  strongholds,  whither  they  concluded  the  English  could  never 
come,  took  from  them  their  Stores,  many  bushels  of  Indian  Corn,  their  pow¬ 
der,  some  pistols  and  Musquet  barrels  &  about  thirty  of  their  Canons,  whereby 


55 


[i  676. 


they  were  reduced  to  very  great  poverty  &  forct  to  the  use  of  their  bows  & 
arrows  again,  soe  y1  in  a  little  time  they  must  have  rendered  themselves  to  his 
Mercy,  or  else  have  perished  for  lack  of  bread  &  provisions,  for  the  French, 
if  they  had  the  will,  yet  were  not  in  a  possibility  to  relieve  their  urgent  neces- 
sitys,  being  plundered  of  all  their  Stores  by  the  Privateers  &  as  necessitous 
as  the  Indians.  So  that  in  all  probability  that  troublesome  war  was  drawing 
near  to  a  fair  conclusion. 

But  in  this  juncture  some  of  the  Bostoners  understanding  the  wants  of 
the  Enemy  &  knowing  how  to  make  their  advantage  of  such  a  time,  when  for 
goods  &  provisions  they  could  make  what  returns  pleased  them  best,  loaded 
Vessels  with  Ammunition  and  provisions,  cleared  them  for  Bermudas  &  other 
parts,  but  sent  them  to  the  Eastward  amongst  the  French  &  Indians,  &  sup¬ 
plied  them  with  all  such  things  as  they  wanted,  whereby  they  put  weapons  in 
the  Enemy’s  hand  to  destroy  hundreds  of  the  King’s  Subjects  &  lay  the  whole 
Country  desolate. 

There  are  Men  now  in  Town,  that  can  name  some  of  the  Bostoners  who 
were  so  damnably  treacherous  and  wicked,  yet  are  reputed  great  Patriots  of 
the  Country  &  Restorers  of  English  Liberties  &  Privileges. 

The  tales  &  Scandalous  Storys  answered  the  end  for  which  they  were  in¬ 
vented,  &  highly  inraged  the  minds  of  the  People  against  the  Governour,  inso¬ 
much  that  on  his  return  they  were  so  far  from  welcoming  him  home  for  his 
good  Services,  that  they  were  rather  for  tearing  him  in  pieces. 

However  lest  the  design  should  be  abortive,  the  Heads  of  the  Faction 
thought  it  necessary  to  conceal  their  Mischief,  before  they  had  made  triall  how 
ready  the  People  would  bee  for  their  Service  when  called  to  Action. 

In  order  to  do  this  a  false  alarum  is  made  in  the  Town,  that  a  body  of 
Indians  was  at  Spiepond  three  miles  distant  from  Boston  :  Therefore  what 
should  they  doe  ?  All  to  Arms  without  acquainting  Governour,  Colonell,  or 
Captaine,  but  presently  tideings  came,  there  were  only  six  poor  Indians  a  fish¬ 
ing  &  there  was  no  danger  at  all ;  whereupon  all  was  husht,  &  every  one  re¬ 
tired  to  his  own  house.  This  gave  the  heads  of  the  Conspiracy  a  perfect 
demonstration  of  the  frowardness  of  the  people. 

Hitherto  the  accursed  embryo  moved  onely  in  the  womb.  That  it  might 
exceed  all  other  Monsters,  it  was  thought  advisable,  that  it  should  have  not 
only  claws,  &  teeth  &  bristles  but  alsoe  come  into  the  world  speaking  mali¬ 
cious  words,  notorious  lies,  &  reproachfull  slanders,  which  could  not  bee  in  a 


1676.] 


56 


more  taking  manner  than  by  way  of  a  Declaration,  which  cost  much  time  & 
no  less  paines  ere  it  could  bee  adapted  in  any  tolerable  manner  for  the  mouth 
of  the  Speaker. 

At  length  comes  the  18th  of  Aprill,  the  fatal  day  wherein  the  Monster  was 
brought  forth,  &  if  ever  any  of  that  kind  forebode  evils  &  calamities  this  por¬ 
tended  noe  less  than  war,  fire,  surprise,  murder,  mine,  &  devastation  of  the 
Country. 

Many  hands  were  ready  for  the  Midwifery,  as  always  the  Multitude  is 
prone  to  doe  mischief. 

About  nine  in  the  morning,  Green  a  Ship  Carpenter  with  some  others  of 
the  Same  profession  basely  &  cowardly  seiz’d  Captaine  George,  Commander 
of  the  Rose  Frigat  just  as  he  came  on  Shoar  about  some  matters  relating  to 
his  Ship,  which  immediately  alarmed  the  whole  Town.  The  Sheriff  hearing 
the  tumult,  went  to  appease  the  Multitude,  whom  they  forthwith  Secured. 
From  him  they  goe  to  the  Major  of  the  Regiment  &  demanded  his  Colours  & 
Drums,  who  chec’t  their  Insolence  &  they  threatened  to  shoot  him  down  & 
forcing  themselves  into  his  house  obtained  at  length  their  demands  &  confined 
him  prisoner  setting  Guards  before  the  doors.  By  this  time  numbers  were 
gathered  together  &  formed  themselves  into  companys,  wch  were  commanded 
by  Nelson,  Waterhouse,  Foster  &  others.  About  ten  they  were  come  to  the 
middle  of  the  Town,  where  they  seized  Justice  Bullivant,  Justice  Foxcroft, 
Captain  Ravenscroft,  &  after  sometime  forc’t  themselves  into  Captain  White’s 
house  whom  also  they  apprehended  &  with  the  former  conveyed  to  the  prison 
doors,  which  they  found  Shut  &  the  Gaoler  would  by  no  means  give  them  ad¬ 
mission,  whereupon  they  forc’t  open  the  doors  set  at  liberty  those  who  were 
in  upon  execution  for  debt  &  also  a  Crew  of  Privateers  who  were  imprisoned 
for  Piracy  &  Murder,  made  a  new  keeper,  committed  those  Gentlemen  with 
many  others  to  his  charge,  &  that  they  might  bee  in  safe  custody  set  a  guard 
of  Musqueteers  to  prevent  all  escapes.  By  eleven  having  secured  most  of 
the  Church  of  England  (who  were  the  only  persons  sought  for),  except  some 
few,  who  were  gone  to  the  Governour  in  the  fort,  they  went  to  the  Council 
House,  &  there  read  the  false  &  slanderous  declaration,  which  had  been  con¬ 
tradicted  in  every  paper  since  published,  &  backt  that  with  a  proclamation, 
that  every  man  should  appear  in  arms  on  the  greatest  penalty.  Some  they 
forc’t  to  goe  with  them,  others  they  left  to  this  choice  :  Either  bear  arms,  or 
go  to  gaol.  Many  for  fear  bore  arms,  which  detested  the  action,  those  who 
would  not  joine  with  them  were  sent  to  the  Prison. 


57 


[1676. 


About  2  in  the  afternoon  the  Chiefs  of  the  Conspiracy  (prevailing  with 
some  easy  &  good  natured  persons  to  subscribe  their  names  for  Company), 
sent  a  summons  to  the  Governour  in  the  style  of  Kings’  Ourselves ,  telling 
lies  in  hypochrisy,  that  they  knew  nothing  of  the  people’s  takeing  to  arms, 
which  was  a  perfect  contradiction  to  the  Declaration  &  the  knowledge  of  the 
leading  Men  of  the  faction.  For  Dr.  Winthrop,  whom  all  along  they  con¬ 
fided  in  &  design’d  for  their  Generali,  had  bin  with  the  conspirators  of  the 
North  end  very  early  that  Morning  to  whom  the  intentions  of  the  people  were 
very  well  known,  but  when  the  uproar  was  made,  &  they  came  to  his  house 
requesting  Him  to  bee  their  Commander  &  lead  them,  with  abundance  of 
Modesty  &  no  less  hypochrisy  refused  the  offer.  But  at  length  pretending 
he  was  wearied  with  their  importunitys  &  to  doe  the  Governour  a  signall 
kindness,  he  condescended  to  accept  of  the  office,  &  walk’d  before  them. 

In  like  manner  Shrimpton  shewed  himself  Shrimpton.  When  the  Gover- 
ment  sent  for  Him  in  the  beginning  of  the  Tumult,  the  good  Man  was  not  at 
home,  but  gone  over  to  his  Island  ;  yet  all  the  while  was  within  the  walls  of  his 
house,  had  true  intelligence  how  the  number  increased,  and  when  they  entred 
the  Town  house,  was  pleased  very  bodily  to  appeare  amongst  them,  &  make 
one  of  their  Council. 

The  Governour  haveing  received  the  Summons  from  the  Conspirators,  con¬ 
sulted  these  Gentlemen  that  were  with  Him  (who  saw  the  miserable  circum¬ 
stances  they  were  in,  for  by  this  time  the  rabble  headed  by  their  new  Captains 
had  drawn  themselves  round  the  fort),  It  was  thought  advisable  to  overlook 
all  the  others  &  regard  only  the  names  of  the  Councillours,  who  were  appointed 
that  very  day  to  meet  his  excellency  the  Governour  at  the  Town  house ;  so 
that  the  answer  was  to  this  effect :  Seeing  the  Gentlemen  of  the  Council  were 
assembled,  the  Governour  would  meet  them  according  to  appointment. 

Pursuant  to  which  leaving  the  command  of  the  Fort  with  Captaine  Tres- 
sey,  the  Governour  attended  by  Mr.  Randolph,  Mr.  Palmer,  Mr.  West,  Mr. 
Graham,  &  Mr.  Lydgett  goes  to  the  Town  house.  At  the  door  ye  Governour 
was  received  into  Custody  by  Captain  Townsend,  who  very  officiously  led 
them  up  to  the  Council  Chamber  forbidding  the  other  Gentlemen  to  attend 
him  any  farther.  The  Governour  was  no  sooner  entred,  but  he  was  smartly 
check’t  &  reprimanded  by  some  of  his  own  councill.  And  whilst  he  was 
despitefully  treated  above,  the  Gentlemen  below,  who  came  with  him,  had 

their  swords  taken  from  them,  &  were  made  the  Sport  of  the  Multitude.  At 
8 


1676.] 


58 


length  they  were  also  commanded  up  to  be  the  objects  of  the  Council’s  rage  & 
fury.  Shrimpton  abused  Mr.  Graham  &  Mr.  West  in  the  grossest  manner,  & 
all  their  mouths  were  opened  against  Mr.  Randolph  for  being  soe  instru¬ 
mental!  in  condemning  their  charter  &  making  West  his  Deputy  who  answered 
it  was  not  he  but  they  themselves  that  destroyed  the  charter,  for  he  only  told 
what  they  acted.  As  to  the  disposall  of  his  office,  they  ought  not  to  bee  angry 
thereat,  for  none  was  a  looser  but  himself. 

After  much  talk,  the  Conspirators  (who  were  pleased  to  call  themselves 
the  Council  of  Safety),  told  them  they  were  prisoners  &  demanded  the 
Governour  to  give  orders  for  the  Surrender  of  the  fort,  who  told  them  as  a 
prisoner  he  could  not  give  orders,  but  if  Mr.  Randolph  pleased,  he  might  goe 
&  acquaint  Captain  Trefry  with  his  circumstances.  Mr.  Randolph  accepted 
that  employrffi;  but  on  his  way  to  the  Fort,  the  Rabble  resisted  him  &  some  of 
them  threatened  to  wash  their  hands  in  his  heart’s  blood.  Not  long  after  the 
Rabble  entered  the  Fort  without  opposition,  and  carried  away  Captain  Trefry 
prisoner  to  the  Councill,  &  Nelson  was  appointed  Commander  thereof.  On 
this  they  ordered  the  Governour  &  the  other  Gentlemen  to  withdraw  to  Mr. 
Usher’s  till  they  had  further  considered  of  Matters.  Thither  they  come 
guarded  with  a  full  company  of  Musqueteers,  &  for  the  prevention  of  escapes, 
Foster  was  for  placing  Sentinells  on  the  top  of  the  house  that  the  Prisoners 
might  not  run  over  the  walls. 

They  had  not  bin  long  in  the  house  till  Waterhouse,  another  young 
Captain,  came  to  order  them  to  several  prisons.  That  house  was  appointed 
for  the  Governour,  the  Common  Gaol  for  Mr.  Randolph  &  the  Fort  for  the 
other  Gentleman. 

So  passed  away  the  18th  of  Aprill.  Nothing  happened  that  night  worthy  of 
remark,  but  the  Captain  to  shew  his  extraordinary  care  of  the  Governour 
came  with  a  Guard  of  Soldiers  to  visit  him  in  his  Chamber,  where  he  happened 
to  be  then  in  his  bed.  The  Captain  understanding  this,  &  desiring  to  bee 
sure,  would  needs  see  the  Governour’s  face  to  know  whether  Hee  was  really 
in  bed  or  noe,  &  that  he  might  not  run  from  him  &  his  guards,  was  for  secur¬ 
ing  his  stockings  &  shoes. 

The  next  day  the  violence  of  the  people  increased  &  nothing  would  serve 
the  Heads  of  the  Faction  but  the  possession  of  the  Rose  Frigat,  &  Castle. 
The  ship  upon  demand  was  delivered  by  the  Lieutenant,  &  immediatly  stript 
of  her  sails  ;  but  the  Castle  caused  them  noe  little  trouble,  for  Ensign  Pipon 


59 


[1676. 


would  not  surrender  it  without  an  order  from  his  Superiour  Officer.  It  was 
therefore  resolved,  that  they  would  storm  it,  &  endeavour’d  to  take  it  by  force. 
To  this  end  many  Boats  &  other  small  vessels  were  prepared  for  the  trans¬ 
portation  of  soldiers,  who  had  certainly  done  &  suffer’d  great  mischief,  had 
not  Captain  Trefry  at  the  request  of  the  pretended  Councill  of  Safety  gone 
down  with  advice  from  theGovernour  to  the  Ensign  ;  who  thereupon  followed 
such  measures  as  the  present  necessity  required.  Soe  the  Castle  was  de¬ 
livered  &  Pipon  brought  up,  &  clapt  among  the  prisoners  in  the  fort. 

This  seemed  to  please  the  People  &  all  things  were  in  great  quiet.  But 
alas !  this  was  but  like  a  short  calm  before  a  destroying  hurricane,  for  about 
eleven  the  Country  came  in  headed  by  one  Sheapherd,  Teacher  of  Lynn,  who 
were  like  soe  many  wild  bears  &  the  leader  mad  with  passion,  or  rather  drunk 
with  Brandy,  more  savage  than  any  of  the  followers.  All  the  cry  was  against 
the  Governour  &  Mr.  Randolph.  The  Governour  they  would  have  delivered 
into  their  hands  or  secured  in  the  fort,  otherwise  they  would  pull  down  the 
house  about  his  Eares  &  tear  him  in  pieces. 

This  scared  the  pretended  Councill  of  Safety,  for  they  were  like  young 
conjurers,  who  had  raised  a  Devil  they  could  not  govern.  Away  they  come 
trembling  to  the  Governour,  &  told  him  the  violence  of  the  people  &  his 
present  danger.  To  whom  he  replied  with  a  smiling  countenance,  they  should 
not  bee  so  much  concern’d  for  him,  but  rather  pity  themselves,  their  wives  & 
children,  their  posterity  &  Country,  for  they  might  assure  themselves,  there 
must  be  an  account  of  that  day’s  uproar,  adding  withall  that  whilst  he  had  the 
Governm1  none  of  them  suffered  in  person,  or  Estate,  &  if  they  had  raised  the 
Rabble,  which  they  could  not  govern,  it  behoved  them  to  look  to  it.  Where¬ 
upon  they  desired  him  to  goe  to  the  fort,  who  answered,  he  was  their  prisoner, 
&  must  goe  whither  they  would  carry  him,  &  could  freely  goe  at  the  head  of 
those,  who  (as  they  said)  were  so  extremely  mad  against  him. 

At  their  desires,  tho’  sick  in  bed,  he  gets  up  &  goes  along  with  them  to 
the  Fort,  but  instead  of  that  outrage  wch  was  pretended,  not  one  of  the  whole 
rout  opened  his  mouth  against  him. 

This  done,  &  Mr.  West,  Mr.  Palmer,  Mr.  Graham,  &  Mr.  Trefry  sent  down 
Prisoners  to  the  Castle,  away  goe  the  Country  people  to  their  respective 
homes  &  our  Councill  of  Safety  take  the  management  of  Governm1  to  them¬ 
selves,  of  which,  that  they  might  shew  how  well  they  deserved  the  name,  they 
first  of  all  recalled  all  the  forces  from  the  Eastward,  &  left  the  poor  Inhabitants 


1676.] 


6o 


to  the  severity  &  cruelty  of  the  Indians,  who  a  little  after  came  down  upon 
them,  destroyed  the  cattle,  plundered  &  burnt  the  houses,  killed  many  &  car¬ 
ried  others  into  Captivity.  Next  they  sent  some  considerable  men  to  Pema- 
quid  &  those  parts,  which  are  far  beyond  the  limits  of  their  Commonwealth  to 
seize  on  the  Officers  of  the  Army,  whereby  tampering  with  &  corrupting  the 
Soldiers,  at  length  they  accomplished  their  design  and  barbarously  treated 
them,  tied  their  hands  behind  their  backs,  brought  them  as  the  vilest  male¬ 
factors  to  Boston,  &  immediately  committed  them  to  Gaol  which  was  all  the 
thanks  they  had  for  their  winter’s  labor  &  service  against  the  Indians. 

On  this  some  of  the  poor  Inhabitants  out  of  the  Country  came  to  the 
Councill  &  petitioned  for  Succours,  otherwise  they  &  their  Familys  were  in¬ 
evitably  ruined  ;  but  the  Patriots  were  not  at  leisure  to  commiserate  their 
condition,  &  grant  their  requests.  The  next  news  from  those  parts  gave  an 
account  of  miserable  devastations  &  ever  Since  all  the  posts  from  the  Eastern 
Country  have  bin  like  Job’s  Messengers,  bringers  of  Evill  tidings. 

’Tis  thought  the  Bostoners,  out  of  policy,  doe  not  take  care  to  prevent 
these  Mischiefs  that  they  may  the  easier  continue  the  Inhabitants  their  slaves 
&  keep  the  Country  in  extreme  poverty,  for  if  rich  men  settle  in  those  Parts, 
and  the  People  grow  great,  they  of  Boston  must  of  necessity  bee  low. 

These  new  Governours  were  hardly  warm  in  their  Seats,  before  the  people 
were  extreamely  weary  of  them  &  their  GovernnT,  &  therefore  were  for  erect¬ 
ing  a  court  martiall,  or  returning  to  the  rules  of  the  old  charter.  Which 
being  promoted  by  the  Preachers,  was  carried  with  a  nemine  Contradicente,  so 
that  many  of  the  new  upstart  Dictators  were  turned  off  with  a  feather  in  their 
Caps  ;  the  thanks  of  the  Country  for  their  past  services. 

Many  alsoe  dislikt  Nelson’s  civility  to  the  Governour  &  were  highly  in¬ 
cens’d,  that  he  permitted  his  friends  to  come  &  visit  him.  And  besides  this 
prevented  two  villains  of  the  Guard  from  their  Bloody  design  of  Murdering 
the  Governour ;  insomuch  that  they  cashired  him  from  his  office,  &  constituted 
an  old,  sullen,  morose,  single  eyed  hypochrite,  formerly  a  rum-punch  maker 
to  the  privateers  in  Jamaica,  Captaine  in  Nelson’s  place,  who  sometimes  would 
not  suffer  the  Governour’s  servants  to  come  near  him,  nor  his  Chaplain  to 
visite  him,  but  would  search  even  his  very  dishes  of  Meat,  lest  there  should 
be  letters  hid  amongst  them. 

Under  this  close  confinem*  the  Governour  laboured  till  at  length  the 

o 

country  weary  of  the  sport  would  watch  &  guard  no  longer.  Whereupon 


«■ 


6i 


[1676. 

they  resolved  to  send  the  Governour  to  the  Castle,  &  turn  West  into  the 
Common  Gaol,  &  thereby  ease  themselves  of  any  more  watching  at  the  Fort, 
which  some  would  have  immediately  razed  to  the  ground  pursuant  to  which 
resolve  the  Governour  was  carried  down  to  the  Castle,  &  continues  Prisoner 
in  the  Custody  of  Captaine  Fairweather,  who  was  very  respectfull  to  him,  gave 
him  liberty  to  walk  about  the  Island,  on  which  the  Castle  is  built,  and  freely 
admitted  his  friends  to  him  ;  but  of  late  there  is  come  forth  a  peremptory 
Decree  from  the  pretended  Governour,  that  no  Man  shall  be  allowed  so  much 
as  to  visite  him,  &  the  Captaine  is  commanded  to  straiten  his  liberty,  otherwise 
they  will  Nelsonize  him,  &  turn  him  out  of  Commission. 

Leaving  the  Governour,  I  shall  shew  what  has  become  of  the  other  Pris¬ 
oners.  Mr.  White,  Mr.  Ravenscroft  with  many  others  who  were  clapt  up  be¬ 
cause  they  would  not  bear  arms  &  guard  the  Governour,  after  five  or  six  days 
unjust  imprisonment  without  any  warrant,  or  colour  of  Law,  they  would  have 
perswaded  to  steal  (as  it  were)  out  of  Gaol,  paying  only  their  fees,  but  they 
refused  the  kindness  &  were  for  standing  a  tryall,  or  else  would  goe  out  as 
publickly  as  they  came  in.  Which  at  last  was  granted,  after  they  had  been 
cried  about  Town  to  know,  whether  any  person  had  ought  against  them. 
Justice  Foxcroft  after  a  long  time  was  admitted  bail ;  Justice  Bullivant,  & 
Ll.  Coll.  Lydgett  got  out  by  giving  bond  for  their  appearance.  Captaine 
Trefry  &  Ensign  Pipon  were  dismis’t  by  beat  of  Drum.  All  the  others  con¬ 
tinue  close  prisoners,  except  two  notorious  &  profest  Papists,  whom  they 
freely  dismis’t  &  took  care  to  convey  them  safe  to  their  own  homes.  Only 
the  poor  Church  of  England  Men  continue  Sufferers,  &  can  find  neither 
mercy  nor  common  justice. 

Thus,  Sir,  you  have  a  brief  account  of  the  detestable  design,  which  was 
conceived  in  malice,  nourished  by  falsehood  &  lies,  &  brought  forth  in  Tumult 
&  Rebellion,  every  way  odious  &  detestable.  Yet  I  must  add  how  ugly 
soever  it  appears  to  the  world,  not  half  soe  horrid  as  some  intended,  &  as  it 
would  most  certainly  have  bin,  had  the  least  blood  bin  spilt  in  the  Revolution. 
For  one  of  the  Preachers  was  for  cutting  the  throats  of  all  the  Established 
Church  &  then  (said  he  very  religiously),  wee  shall  never  bee  troubled  with 
them  again.  Another  seriously  declared  to  a  Gent1,  in  person,  that  if  any 
blood  had  been  spilt,  they  would  have  spared  none  of  that  Communion. 
“  How,”  said  the  Gentleman,  “  what  if  a  soldier  should  get  drunk,  quarrel  & 
fight,  must  all  have  Suffered  ?  ”  The  party  made  answer :  “  Had  there  bin 


1676.] 


62 


any  blood  spilt,  all  of  that  Communion  had  Suffered.”  Others  affirmed :  “  It 
was  no  more  sin  to  kill  such  as  they  were,  than  to  cut  off  a  dog’s  neck.” 

I  shall  presume  to  give  you  a  signal  instance  of  their  tender  kindness  to 
the  Church  of  England.  On  the  16th  of  May  about  four  in  the  Morning  there 
happened  a  fire  at  the  North  end  of  the  Town  which  caused  a  great  Tumult 
among  the  Inhabitants.  A  person  of  noe  mean  quality  of  that  Communion 
hearing  a  bustle  in  the  street,  opening  the  Casement  looked  out  at  the  Win¬ 
dow,  which  a  Man  full  of  gray  hairs  observing,  immediately  vented  his  ran¬ 
cour  against  the  Church  of  England  &  reviled  her  Members,  adding  withall 
“  This  is  one  of  their  gang  hath  don  the  Mischief.”  Another  said  “  Wee  shall 
never  bee  quiet  whilst  any  of  the  Church  of  England  are  left  amongst  us.” 
The  widow  woman,  tenant  in  part  of  the  house  which  was  burnt,  was  of  the 
same  Communion,  who  in  the  time  of  the  fire  prayed  the  help  of  the  people 
to  save  her  goods ;  but  received  this  Religious  answer,  “  Hang  the  Popish 
whore,  let  her  and  her  goods  perish.”  Afterwards  there  was  a  contribution 
made,  &  the  Man  whose  house  was  burnt,  had  above  an  hundred  pounds 
given  him,  but  this  poor  woman,  which  was  a  Widow,  had  two  small  children 
&  nothing  to  relieve  herself  withall,  had  not  so  much  as  a  single  penny  of  the 
whole  collection.  Here  is  charity,  &  such  a  spirit  of  Christianity  as  was  never 
known  in  the  whole  world,  but  N.  E. 

This  is  all,  Sir,  that  occurs  to  my  remembrance  of  the  late  Revolution  at 
Boston,  &  I  would  riot  have  any  think  mee  partial  in  this  narative,  because  I 
make  no  mention  of  the  Governour's  cruelty  &  wickedness,  of  his  great  furnace 
to  torment  the  people  in,  &  his  dreadful  mines  (as  some  reported),  to  blow 
up  the  Town,  as  also  of  his  endeavours  to  make  his  Escape,  his  passing  two 
guards  in  womens  apparell,  but  being  at  last  discovered  by  his  shoes  (as  the 
worthy  Mr.  Byfield  reported). 

All  which  storys,  Sir,  have  not  the  least  foundation  of  Truth,  &  soe  gross 
&  palpable,  that  wise  Men  will  not  credit,  &  to  undeceive  the  too  credulous 
world  (if  willing  to  bee  undeceived),  I  doe  declare  upon  certaine  knowledge, 
are  falsehoods,  &  lies,  the  Inventions  of  wicked  men  spread  abroad  on  purpose 
to  render  the  Governour  odious  to  his  people.  Like  these  are  many  other 
aspersions,  which  are  cast  upon  him,  &  therefore,  I  hope,  will  not  bee  enter¬ 
tained  as  Credible  by  sober  &  thinking  persons,  before  they  have  firmer 
grounds  for  belief,  than  the  words  of  some  few  angry  &  peevish  animals,  who, 
to  gratifie  their  revenge,  have  learnt  this  property  of  the  Devil,  fortiter  cal- 
umniari ,  &  make  no  scruple  to  tell  lies  for  advantage. 


6  3  [1676. 

Had  the  Governour  written  after  their  Copy,  taken  directions  from  the 
preachers,  permitted  the  privateers  to  have  their  wonted  resort  amono-st 

o 

them,  and  allowed  them  freely  to  break  the  Acts  of  Trade,  hee  had  bin  the 
best  of  men,  little  less  than  a  reputed  God.  For  the  prohibition  of  these  ir- 
regularitys  made  his  Government  intolerable,  which  will  bee  plainly  demons¬ 
trated  from  their  words  &  practices  since  the  revolt. 

Their  discourse  was  much  about  their  valour  &  greatness,  that  now  they 
were  a  free  people,  &  should  the  Crown  of  England  send  them  a  Governour, 
they  would  not  receive  him.  For  they  wanted  not  the  assistance  of  England, 
neither  had  England  any  thing  of  dominion  over  them.  They  had  got  the 
Government  by  the  sword,  &  they  would  keep  it  by  the  sword.  If  it  should 
come  to  the  worst,  they  could  make  it  a  free  port  &  the  Privateers  would 
defend  them. 

More  villanys  were  committed  in  Six  weeks  after  the  Revolt,  than  in  the 
whole  time  of  Sir  Edmond’s  Governm4.  Houses  were  frequently  broken 
open  &  robb’d.  Men  set  at  liberty,  who  were  imprisoned  on  Execution  for 
debt,  &  known  Pirates  and  Murderers  freely  discharged  the  goal.  No  man 
safe  in  person  or  Estate,  noe  relief  for  the  greatest  injury,  or  wrong.  The 
Acts  of  trade  were  publickly  broken,  &  boats  loaden  with  hogsheads  of  To¬ 
bacco  went  up  the  River  at  noon-day.  That  they  might  not  plead  ignorance 
in  the  matter,  one  of  the  Gentlemen  imprisoned  in  the  Castle  desired  the 
Captaine  to  take  notice  of  it.  They  sent  vessells  amongst  the  French  & 
Indians  with  Ammunition  &  Provision,  altho’  in  open  hostility  against  us,  who 
in  all  likelyhood  have  with  the  same  powder  &  bulletts,  which  they  bought  of 
the  Bostoners,  killed  many  of  their  Majestys’  Subjects  &  destroyed  the  best 
part  of  the  Country.  Fosters  &  Waterhouse’s  trading  amongst  them  was  the 
publick  discourse  of  the  Town,  &  that  in  little  more  than  two  months  with  a 
small  bark  they  gained  ^500.  Captaine  Nicholson  found  another  Bostoner 
trading  amongst  them,  as  he  was  on  his  voyage  from  New  York.  Two 
select  Companys  stole  vessells,  and  went  out  a  privateering,  &  a  third  was 
preparing.  There  was  certaine  intelligence  that  the  first  had  done  a  great 
deal  of  Mischief,  &  pillaged  vessells  on  the  Coasts  of  Virginia. 

A  Pirate  lay  just  without  the  harbour  between  the  Capes,  &  the  Rose, 
Frigatt,  would  not  be  permitted  to  goe  out  &  take  him,  or  so  much  as  to 
chase  him  away  from  the  Coast.  But  the  Man  of  War  must  lay  in  the 
Harbour  like  an  old  wreck  stript  of  all  her  sails  &  apparell,  altho’  20  Thou- 


1676.] 


64 


sand  pounds  security  was  offered,  &  the  Captaine  not  allowed  so  much,  as  to 
command  his  Men,  but  ye  Pirate  at  liberty  to  doe  what  he  listed  with  the 
ships  on  the  Coasts. 

All  this,  Sir,  is  notoriously  true,  and  I  can  further  add  many  discoursed  of 
sending  Ships  to  Holland  &  Scotland,  and  upon  very  credible  information, 
there  is  lately  arrived  in  Scotland  directly  from  Boston  a  vessel  loaden  with 
the  enumerated  Commoditys  of  the  Plantations.  And  if  they  shew  themselves 
soe  early,  what  may  a  Man  judge,  will  be  their  actings,  when  they  come  to  be 
warm  in  Governmf  Especially  if  it  bee  considered,  that  those  who  are  Lords 
paramount  are  the  greatest  offenders,  &  some  of  the  chief  in  Government  the 
very  Men,  which  most  notoriously  break  the  Acts  of  Trade. 


♦ 


To  the  Most  Reverend  His  Grace  The  Archbishop  of 

Canterbury . 


The  Memorial  and  Petition  of  Thomas  Coram,  most  Humbly  Sheweth, 

That  your  Memorialist  hath  in  the  prime  and  best  part  of  his  Life,  had 
long  experience  in  North  America,  where  he  resided  Ten  successive  years  in 
the  several  Reignes  of  their  late  Majesties  King  William  and  Queen  Anne, 
To  promote  carry  on  and  conduct  Ship  Building,  at  His  Majesty’s  Plantations 
of  New  England,  on  account  of  some  considerable  Merchants  of  London,  and 
he  carryed  for  that  purpose  from  thither  divers  Shipwrights  &  other  proper 
and  necessary  hands,  and  also  a  great  quantity  of  Merchandize  for  the  better 
carrying  on  Ship  building  and  commerce  in  &  from  those  parts. 

That  your  Memorialist  by  his  long  experience  in  those  parts  was  enabled 
and  has  contributed  towards  somethings  for  promoting  the  Honor  &  advan¬ 
tage  of  His  Majesty’s  Crown  and  Kingdoms,  and  he  does  most  humbley  con¬ 
ceive  and  greatly  hope  that  by  the  favour  of  your  Grace  he  may  be  enabled 
now  to  do  somewhat  else  which  will  doubtless  prove  for  ye  Honor  &  service 
of  His  Majesty,  and  the  advantage  of  the  British  Nation,  and  ye  future  se- 
curety  of  many  British  Subjects  in  those  parts  of  His  Majesty’s  Dominions. 


65 


[1676. 


That  your  Memorialist  on  his  first  coming  into  those  parts  54  years  past, 
observed  the  Inhabitants,  from  ye  Highest  to  ye  Lowest  of  ye  whole  country 
then  settled  with  English  Inhabitants  Six  or  Seven  hundred  Miles  in  length 
all  along  ye  Sea  Coast  from  Virginia  Northward  through  ten  or  more  separate 
Governments,  were  different  sorts  of  Discentors  from  the  Church  of  Eng¬ 
land  (chiefly  Independants)  and  they  have  large  privileges  by  their  respective 
Grants  or  Charters  from  the  Crown ;  The  Independants  were  ye  most  numer¬ 
ous  and  ye  most  mallignantly  inveterate  and  so  they  governed  in  Church  & 
State  Affairs,  no  care  being  taken  to  have  it  otherwise  and  those  Independants 
from  their  first  settling  in  those  parts  were  always  very  Zealous  &  careful  to 
establish  Schools  and  Learning  in  their  own  way  and  have  a  Free  School  with 
an  able  School  Master  to  it,  in  every  Township,  so  they  call  it  (They  will  not 
allow  it  to  be  called  a  Parish),  and  they  very  early  established,  with  Independ¬ 
ent  Officers  and  Tutors  a  College  for  University  Learning,  which  they  named 
Harvard  College  from  the  Principal  Founder  of  it ;  and  an  additional  College 
since  named  Stoughton  College,  was  founded  about  Fifty  years  past  by  Mr. 
Stoughton  their  late  Lieu1  Governour  (who  formerly  had  been  an  Independent 
Teacher)  and  a  Third  College  of  the  same  sort  is  erected  there  since,  all  near 
to  each  other,  at  a  fine  healthy  pleasant  place’  named  Cambridge  within  a  very 
few  miles  of  Boston,  their  Metropolis  in  the  Province  and  under  ye  Govern¬ 
ment  of  ye  Massachusetts.  And  a  College  since  of  the  same  sort  is  estab¬ 
lished  at  New  Haven  in  the  Colony  or  Plantation  of  Connecticut  in  New 
England ;  and  there  are  measures  now  taking  for  establishing  such  a  College 
in  ye  New  Jerseys;  But  no  care  has  yet  been  taken  to  establish  Learning  in 
those  Northern  parts  of  America  for  ye  Honor  and  advantage  of  the  Church 
of  England. 

That  in  the  years  1 693  and  1 694  and  some  time  after  there  was  but  one 
Minister  of  the  Church  of  England  in  all  ye  Inhabited  part  of  ye  English 
Empire  in  America,  settled  by  ten  or  more  different  Colonies,  contiguous  but 
under  different  sorts  of  Government  600  or  700  Miles  in  length  or  more  on 
the  Sea  Coast  from  Virginia  Northward  to  the  utmost  extent  of  the  then 
settled  and  Inhabited  English  Country  on  the  Main  Land  of  America.  The 
said  Minister  whose  Name  was  Mr.  Hatton,  was  a  very  worthless  Man,  he 
resided  at  Boston  and  was  utterly  unfit  to  Gaine  or  Reconcile  to  the  Church 
such  Descentors  so  strongly  inveterate  against  it ;  but  he  was  far  from  ever 
attempting  to  do  so,  for  he  would  frequently  on  Saturday  Nights  set  up  and 


1 676.] 


66 


play  at  Cards  all  or  the  greatest  part  of  the  Night  in  company  with  an  Irish 
Butcher  and  an  Irish  Barber,  &  another  or  more  of  such  his  acquaintance, 
whereby  he  was  usually  so  much  disordered  which  prevented  him  from  offici¬ 
ating  next  day  at  Church  which  gave  its  numerous  Enemies  great  opportuni¬ 
ties  to  ridicule  against  it,  and  those  few  Inhabitants  of  ye  large  Town  of  Boston 
who  were  desirous  to  go  to  Church  were  very  often  disappointed  &  greatly 
discouraged. 

That  your  Memorialist  from  his  long  experience  most  humbly  conceives  it 
would  be  greatly  for  ye  Honr  &  advantage  of  The  Church  of  England,  and 
also  be  a  certain  means  of  causing  a  continual  increasing  great  benefit  to  this 
Kingdome  as  well  as  perpetual  future  security  to  the  British  Subjects  in  those 
parts  of  His  Majesty’s  American  Dominions,  if  that  by  His  Majesty’s  Au¬ 
thority,  a  proper  &  comodeous  quantity  of  Ground  in  some  part  of  the  fore- 
said  pleasant  &  healthful  place  named  Cambridge  in  New  England  should  be 
purchased  and  thereupon  be  built  and  properly  Furnished  a  good  College  to 
be  named  The  King’s  College  and  be  properly  established  for  promoting  the 
best  Learning  whereby  His  Majesty’s  Subjects  in  and  near  those  parts  of 
North  America  may  for  the  future  have  the  advantage  of  the  best  &  most 
effectual  Education.  And  moreover  for  the  said  College  to  be  encouraged  & 
enabled  to  Gaine  and  bring  over  and  secure  to  the  British  Interest  the  Nations 
or  Tribes  of  Indian  Natives  Inhabiting  in  the  Wilderness  nearest  to  the  said 
British  Colonies  or  Settlements  and  also  to  maintain  &  properly  to  instruct  a 
fit  number  of  ye  children  of  those  Natives  which  would  doubtless  produce 
perpetual  security  &  advantage  to  His  Majesty’s  Subjects  in  those  Northern 
parts  of  America ;  for  that  those  Indians  are  grateful  and  kind  if  well  used. 
But  through  ye  want  of  care  and  good  usage  from  ye  English  in  times  past  to 
those  Indians  they  therefore  became  Enemies  and  do  continually  embrace  all 
opportunities  to  Joyne  the  French  against  ye  English,  greatly  to  their  destruc¬ 
tive  damage,  as  too  often  has  appeared  in  all  those  parts  of  North  America. 

That  if  the  King  will  be  most  graciously  pleased  to  countenance  &  en¬ 
courage  an  undertaking  for  ye  accomplishing  these  good  purposes  many  of 
His  Majesty’s  good  subjects  would  doubtless  most  chearfully  contribute  to¬ 
wards  carrying  forward  so  good  a  work :  Your  Memorialist  doth  therefore 
most  humbly  hope  that  upon  the  King’s  happy  return  to  his  Kingdom  your 
Grace  may  be  pleased  to  move  His  Majesty  to  be  graciously  pleased  to 
countenance  and  encourage  this  conceived  so  necessary  an  undertaking  for 
the  vast  advantage  of  the  Church  and  State. 


6  7 


[1697. 


That  if  your  Grace  shall  approve  of  this  foregoing  proposal  and  will  on 
ye  King’s  happy  return  be  pleased  to  move  His  Majesty  for  to  countenance 
and  encourage  ye  undertaking  of  this  good  work,  your  Memorialist  will  in  the 
meantime  (without  desire  or  view  of  interest  or  advantage  thereby  to  himself), 
gladly  endeavour  to  ye  utmost  that  his  old  age  and  decayed  strength  will  per¬ 
mit  him,  for  to  engage  a  number  of  His  Majesty’s  wealthy  good  Subjects  to 
joyne  in  subscribing  a  proper  Instrument  whereby  they  may  declare  they  will 
redily  contribute  towards  the  carrying  on  this  good  work  to  perfection,  Pro¬ 
vided  the  King  will  be  most  graciously  pleased  to  approve  the  undertaking  of 
it  and  to  authorize  and  appoint  a  fitt  number  of  Honourable  proper  Persons 
well  qualified  to  conduct  &  manage  all  ye  affairs  for  &  towards  ye  erecting  and 
establishing  the  said  College  in  the  best  and  most  proper  manner  and  that 
they  will  duely  receive,  faithfully  apply  and  truely  account  for  all  the  Monies 
that  shall  be  given  and  shall  cause  it  to  be  apply’d  to  the  best  advantage  for 
&  towards  executing  ye  good  purposes  of  erecting  and  properly  establishing 
ye  said  proposed  College  of  University  Learning  at  Cambridge  in  New  Eng¬ 
land  for  the  Honor  and  advantage  of  the  Church  of  England  in  those  parts  of 
the  British  Empire  in  America. 

May  it  therefore  please  your  Grace  to  take  the  premises  into 
mature  consideration  and  vouchsafe  to  instruct  yor  Memorialist 
how  he  may  properly  act  for  &  towards  ye  setting  forward  the 
aforesaid  good  purposes  as  to  your  Grace  in  your  great  wisdom 
may  seem  meet. 

And  your  Petitioner  shall  as  in  duty  Pray,  &c., 

THOMAS  CORAN. 


An  Act  for  Incorporating  Harvard  Colledge  at  Cambridge  in 

New  England. 


Province  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  : 

Whereas ,  There  hath  been  for  many  Years  in  the  Town  of  Cambridge  in 
the  County  of  Middlesex  within  His  Matie  s  Province  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay 


1697.] 


68 


in  New  England,  A  Society  Commonly  known  by  the  Name  of  Harvard  Col- 
ledge  where  many  persons  of  known  Worth  have  by  the  Blessing  of  Almighty 
God  been  Educated,  and  the  better  Fitted  for  publick  Imployments  both  in 
the  Church  and  in  the  Civil  States.  And  whereas  due  Encouragement  of  good 
Literature,  Arts  and  Sciences  will  tend  to  the  Honour  of  God,  the  Advantage 
of  the  Christian  Protestant  Religion,  and  the  great  Benefit  of  His  Matie’s  Sub¬ 
jects  inhabiting  this  Province  both  in  the  present  and  Succeeding  Generations. 
And  Considering  that  many  persons  have  bestowed  Legacies,  Gifts,  Heredita¬ 
ments  and  Revenues  on  the  Said  Colledge 

Be  it  Enacted  and  Ordained  by  the  Lieutenant  Governour,  Council  and 
Representatives  in  General  Court  Assembled  and  by  the  Authority  of  the 
Same,  That  the  Sd  Colledge  at  Cambridge  in  the  County  of  Middlesex 
aforesd  Shall  henceforth  be  a  Corporation  Consisting  of  Seventeen  persons, 
That  is  to  Say  a  President,  Vicepresident,  fourteen  Fellows  and  a  Treasurer, 
And  that  Increase  Mather  shall  be  the  first  President,  Charles  Morton  Vice- 
President,  and  James  Allen,  Michael  Wigglesworth,  Samuel  Torrey,  Samuel 
Willard,  Nehemiah  Hobart,  Peter  Thacher,  John  Danforth,  Cotton  Mather, 
John  Leveret,  William  Brattle,  Nehemiah  Walter,  John  White,  Paul  Dudley 
&  Benjamin  Wadsworth,  Masters  of  Art,  shall  be  the  fourteen  Fellows,  and 
Thomas  Brattle  Master  of  Art  The  Treasurer,  All  of  them  Inhabitants  within 
the  Sd  Province.  And  the  first  Seventeen  persons  whereof  the  Said  Corpora¬ 
tion  shall  Consist,  Which  Said  Increase  Mather,  Charles  Morton,  James  Allen, 
Michael  Wigglesworth,  Samuel  Torrey,  Samuel  Willard,  Nehemiah  Hobart, 
Peter  Thacher,  John  Danforth,  Cotton  Mather,  John  Leveret,  William  Brattle, 
Nehemiah  Walter,  John  White,  Paul  Dudley,  Benjamin  Wadsworth  and 
Thomas  Brattle  and  their  Successours  shall  for  Ever  hereafter  be  one  Body 
Politick  and  Corporate  in  Fact  and  Name  to  all  intents  and  purposes  in  Law 
by  the  Name  of  the  President  and  Fellows  of  Harvard  Colledge  in  New  Eng¬ 
land.  And  that  by  that  name  they  shall  have  perpetual  Succession  &  by  the 
Same  name  they  and  their  Successours  shall  and  maybe  Capable  and  Enabled 
as  well  to  implead  as  to  be  impleaded  and  to  prosecute  demand  and  Answer, 
And  be  Answered  unto  in  all  and  Singular  Suits  Causes  Quarrels  and  Actions 
of  what  nature  and  kind  soever.  And  also  to  have  take,  Acquire  and  pur¬ 
chase  or  Receive  upon  free  Gift  or  Donation  any  Lands  Tenements  or  Here¬ 
ditaments  within  the  Province  aforesd  not  exceeding  the  Value  of  Three 
thousand  Pounds  per  ann.  And  any  Goods  Chattels  Sum  or  Sums  of  Money 


69 


[1697. 

whatsoever  to  the  use  and  behoofe  of  the  Sd  Corporation  And  the  Same  to 
Lease  Grant  Demise  imploy  and  dispose  And  the  Revenues  Issues  and 
Proffits  thereof  for  the  Incouragement  of  Learning  and  of  the  President,  Fel¬ 
lows  and  Schollars  and  Officers  of  the  Sd  Colledge  as  also  for  Accomodation 
of  Buildings,  Books  and  all  other  necessary  provisions  and  Furniture  as  may 
be  for  the  Advancement  and  Education  of  Youth  in  all  manner  of  good 
Literature,  Arts  and  Sciences,  Provided ,  That  all  the  Said  Disposalls  be  accord¬ 
ing  to  the  Will  of  the  Donours.  And  the  Sd  President  and  Fellows  and  their 
Successors  may  have  for  Ever  one  Common  Seal  to  be  used  in  all  Causes  and 
Occasions  of  the  Corporation  And  the  same  Seal  may  Alter  change  breake 
and  new  make  from  time  to  time  at  their  Pleasure. 

And  be  it  Further  Enacted  and  Declared  by  the  Authority  aforesd  That 
the  Said  Corporation  shall  be  and  are  hereby  Authorized  and  impowred  to 
Elect  a  new  President,  Vice  President,  Fellows  and  Treasurer  when  and  so 
often  from  time  to  time  as  any  of  the  Said  persons  shall  Dye  or  be  Removed. 
The  President,  Vice  President,  Fellows  and  Treasurer  or  any  of  them  being 
Removeable  for  Disability  or  Misdemeanour  and  may  be  displaced  by  the 
Corporation,  Saving  to  the  party  Grieved  his  Appeals  to  the  Visitors.  A 
Vice  President  to  be  Annually  Elected  altho’  not  occasioned  by  Death  or 
Removeal  as  aforesaid.  And  when  any  of  the  members  of  the  Sd  Corporation 
Shall  Settle  himself  without  the  Bounds  of  this  Province  he  Shall  be  ipso  facto 
Dismist  and  no  longer  continue  to  be  of  the  Corporation  and  his  place  be 
Supplied  by  the  Election  of  a  new  Member.  And  the  President  for  the  time 
being  or  in  case  of  his  Death  or  Absence  The  Vice  President  shall  and  may 
from  time  to  time  appoint  and  order  the  Assembling  and  meeting  together  of 
the  said  Corporation  to  Consult,  debate,  advise  of,  and  direct  the  Affairs  and 
businesses  of  the  Sd  Corporation  to  choose  Officers  and  Menial  Servants  for 
the  Said  Colledge ;  and  them  also  to  Remove  and  upon  Death  or  Removal  to 
choose  such  others.  And  to  make  Statutes  Orders,  and  By  Laws  for  the  bet¬ 
ter  ordering  the  Affairs  and  Government  of  the  Sd  Colledge  or  Accademy  So 
as  Such  Orders  Statutes  and  By  Laws  be  not  Repugnant  to  the  Laws  of  this 
Province.  And  any  Nine  or  more  of  the  Members  of  the  Said  Corporation 
together  with  the  President  or  Vice  President  being  so  assembled  Shall  be 
taken  held  and  reputed  to  be  a  full  Suffitient  and  Lawful  Assembly  for  the 
handling  Ordering  and  Directing  of  the  Affairs  Businesses  and  Occurrencies  of 
the  Sd  Corporation.  And  in  Case  of  the  Death,  Removal  or  Absence  of  the 


1 69  7-] 


1° 


President  &  Vice  President  the  Senior  Fellow  for  the  time  being  may  Call 
and  hold  a  Corporation  Meeting  untill  the  Return  or  new  Election  of  a 
President  or  Vice  President.  Provided  nevertheless  that  no  meeting  shall  be 
held  for  the  displacing  or  new  Election  of  any  Member  or  Members  of  the 
Corporation  Fellows  of  the  House  or  the  making  of  Statutes  Orders  and  By 
Laws  for  ordering  of  the  Affairs  and  Government  of  the  Said  Colledge  with¬ 
out  Summoning  a  Generali  Meeting  as  aforesaid  for  Such  purpose.  Each 
Member  of  the  Corporation  to  be  notified  either  Verbally  or  in  Writing  eight 
days  at  least  beforehand  of  the  time  and  Occasion  of  Calling  Such  Meeting. 
And  in  the  Passing  of  all  Votes  and  Acts  of  the  Sd  Corporation  in  any  of  their 
Meetings  the  Determination  shall  be  made  by  the  major  part,  the  President 
to  have  a  Casting  Voice  in  case  of  an  Equivote.  And  it  is  Further  Declared 
by  the  Authority  aforesd,  That  after  this  Act  shall  be  confirmed  the  President 
as  well  as  all  the  Fellows  receiving  Salary  shall  Reside  at  the  Colledge.  And 
that  no  one  shall  Enjoy  a  Fellowship  with  Salary  for  more  than  Seven  Years, 
Except  continued  by  a  new  Election.  And  that  the  Housing  and  Lands  in 
Cambridge  aforesd  belonging  to  the  Sd  Corporation  and  being  in  the  personal 
Occupation  of  the  President  and  Fellows  residing  at  the  Colledge  shall  be  free 
from  all  Province  or  Country  Rates  and  Taxes.  And  that  the  President,  Fel¬ 
lows  and  Scholars  with  the  Servants  and  necessary  Officers  to  the  President 
and  Schollars  appertaining  who  shall  reside  at  or  be  constantly  imployed  in 
Services  for  the  Colledge  (which  Servants  and  Officers  are  not  to  Exceed 
Ten  viz  :  Three  to  The  President  and  Seven  to  the  Colledge  belonging)  shall 
be  Exempted  from  all  personal  Civil  Offices,  Military  Exercises,  Watchings 
and  Wardings. 

And  whereas  It  is  a  Laudable  Custome  in  Universitys  whereby  Learning 
has  been  Encouraged  and  Advanced  to  confer  Accademical  Degrees  or  Titles 
on  those  who  by  their  good  manners  and  Proficiency  as  to  knowledge  in 
Theology,  Law,  Phisick,  Mathematicks  or  Philosophy  have  been  Judged 
worthy  thereof. 

Be  it  further  Enacted  by  the  Authority  aforesd  That,  the  President  and 
Fellows  of  the  Sd  Colledge  shall  have  power  from  time  to  time  to  Grant  and 
Admit  to  Accademical  Degrees  as  in  the  Universities  in  England  Such  as  in 
Respect  of  Learning  and  good  manners  they  shall  find  worthy  to  be  promoted 
thereunto. 

And  whereas  There  have  been  at  Sundry  times  and  by  divers  persons 


7i 


[16  97- 


Gifts,  Grants,  devises  of  Houses,  Lands,  Tenements,  Goods,  Chattels,  Lega- 
cys  and  Conveyances*  are  hereby  for  ever  ratified  and  confirmed  according 
to  the  true  intent  of  the  Donor  or  Donors,  Granter  or  Granters,  Devisor  or 
Devisors.  And  in  Order  to  the  preventing  of  Irregularities,  and  for  the  more 
Assurance  of  the  Well  Government  of  Said  Colledge. 

Wee  Pray  his  Maty  that  it  may  be  Enacted, 

And  it  is  hereby  Enacted  and  Declared  That  His  Matie’s  Governour  and 
Commander  in  chief  of  this  Province  and  the  Council  for  the  Time  being 
Shall  be  the  Visitors  of  the  Said  Colledge  or  Accademy  and  shall  have  Use 
and  Exercise  a  Power  of  Visitation  as  there  shall  be  Occasion  for  it. 

Boston  June  4th  1697. 

Passed  by  the  House  of  Representatives. 

PENN  TOWNSEND,  Speaker. 


Die  preedict. 


Passed  by  the  Council. 

ISA  ADDINGTON,  Secry. 


And  Consented  unto. 


WM  STOUGHTON. 


Examd. 

f  ISA  ADDINGTON,  Secry. 

Copy  Examined  ^  J.  WILLARD,  Secry. 


*  Heretofore  made  unto  the  Said  Colledge  or  to  the  President  or  Fellows  thereof  Succes¬ 
sively  The  Said  gifts,  grants,  Devices,  Legacys,  &  Conveyances. 


1702.] 


72 


Col.  LEWIS  MORRIS  of  East  Jersey  to  M\  ARCH¬ 
DEACON  BEVERIDGE . 


(EXTRACT.) 

*  *  *  Mr.  Keith  is  very  busy ;  the  following  extract  will  give 

your  Reverence  some  account  of  him,  viz : 

Boston  27  July,  1702. 

“  I  prevailed  with  Mr.  Keith  to  stay  here  til  our  commencmt  was  over, 
where  the  good  man  met  with  very  little  university  Breeding,  and  with  less 
learning,  but  nothing  disturbed  him  so  much  as  the  disagreeable  doctrine  he 
heard  there  maintained,  the  last  Thesis  disputed  by  the  masters  was,  Immu- 
tabilitas  Decreti  divini  non  tollit  Libertatem  crceture ,  the  opponents  urged,  and 
both  the  President  Mr.  Willard,  and  the  Respondent  assented  to  these  two 
following  propositions:  1.  Adami  lap  sum  vi  decreti  divini  fuisse  necessarium. 
2.  Omnem  actum  liberum  creaturce  Rationalis  determinari  adeo ,  sic,-  ut 
quicqiiia  agat  Creatura  rationalis  libere  id  quoq  agat  necessario ;  and  their 
manner  of  arguing  hereupon  did  clearly  evince  their  opinion  to  be  that  the 
bad  as  good  actions  of  men  were  necessarily  determined ;  the  day  being  far 
spent  was  the  main  reason  why  Mr.  Keith  did  not  publickly  oppose  them,  but 
when  he  returned  to  Boston  he  drew  up  in  Latin  an  answer  to  the  President’s 
arguing  of  a  full  sheet  of  Paper  whh  is  transcribed  ready  to  be  sent  to  Mr. 
President  upon  Mr.  Keith’s  return.  He  went  hence  to  the  Eastward  the  8th 
instant.  At  Lyn  he  found  a  generall  meeting  of  Quakers  but  they  refused  to 
hear  him  speak  to  them  so  that  he  made  no  long  stay  there,  but  went  on  to 
Hampton  where  he  had  severall  discourses  with  Quakers,  some  whereof  were 
moderate.  On  the  1 6th  he  was  at  their  meeting  where  besides  Quakers  were 
about  100  other  persons;  he  heard  them  preach  much  false  doctrine,  which 
afterwards  he  refuted  very  fully  and  to  the  satisfaction  of  many,  but  the 
preaching  Quakers  refused  conference  with  him.  The  Sunday  following  he 
preached  at  Salisbury  church  by  the  invitation  of  the  minister,  and  last  week 
went  to  Dover,  and  this  week  we  expect  him  back.  I  have  preacht  three 
severall  Sundays  at  Brayntry,  a  town  ten  miles  hence,  where  we  had  the  first 
time  about  30,  the  2nd  time  about  50,  and  the  3rd  above  60  hearers,  above  S  of 


73 


C1 7°3- 


them  were  marry’d  persons  &  of  good  fashion  &  repute  &  well  resolved  to 
encourage  a  Church  of  England  ministry.  Reverend  Sir,  you’ll  I  hope  pardon 
me  for  trespassing  so  long  on  your  patience.  I  intreat  your  Interest  in  send¬ 
ing  good  min  sters  into  America  but  more  especially  to  East  Jersey,  which 
wants  very  much,  the  whole  province  not  having  one  of  the  Church,  many 
Dissenters  of  all  sorts,  but  the  Greatest  parts  generally  speaking  cannot  with 
truth'  be  called  Christians.  Braintry  should  be  minded  ;  it  is  in  the  heart  of 
New  England  and  a  learned  and  sober  man  would  do  great  good,  and  en¬ 
courage  the  other  towns  to  desire  the  like.  If  the  Church  can  be  settled  in 
New  England  it  pulls  up  schisme  in  America  by  the  roots,  that  being  the 
fountain  that  supplyes  with  infectious  streams  the  rest  of  America. 

Reverend  Sir, 

Your  affectionate  Friend  &  Servant, 

L.  MORRIS. 

- 4 - 

AT.  BROWN  to  the  Lord  ARCHBISHOP  of  CANTER¬ 
BURY. 


Swanzey,  23rd  Feby,  1703. 

May  it  please  your  Grace, 

Having  formerly  sent  a  petition  for  a  minister  for  our  town  of  Swanzey, 
and  desired  such  maintenance  for  him  as  might  be  comfortable  &  encouraging, 
our  circumstances  being  such  as  at  present  we  are  not  able  to  do  anything 
considerable  that  way  and  having  now  an  opportunity  by  Mr.  Barklay,  I  do  in 
all  humility  request  that  we  may  be  supplyed  as  soon  as  conveniently  may  be. 

Mr.  Myles  of  Boston  has  been  very  diligent  &  much  concerned  for  our 
good  settlm1  and  to  inform  our  people  in  the  Way  of  the  Church  has  not  only 
several  times  preached  among  us,  but  put  such  Books  as  Bishop  King’s  &  Dr. 
Beveridge’s  Usefulness  of  the  common  Prayer,  &c.  into  the  hands  of  the  people 
in  our  Town,  and  having  sent  a  considerable  quantity  of  Books  to  me  I  Lent 
them  severally  according  to  his  direction  and  my  direction  so  that  many 
among  us  are  better  informed  than  formerly  by  Mr.  Myle’s  assistance,  who  has 
likewise  been  unwearied  in  his  endeavours  for  the  good  of  the  people  in 
severall  towns :  and  being  of  a  kind  and  condescending  temper  is  ready  to 
embrace  all  occasions  that  may  present  to  oblige  people  &  has  this  advantage 


I7°3-] 


74 


to  recommend  him  above  some  others,  that  he  has  never  been  under  the 
imputation  of  any  scandal  in  the  country  (I  have  known  him  from  his  child¬ 
hood).  And  now  if  it  may  please  your  Grace  since  by  what  hath  been  allready 
done  we  are  in  so  good  a  forwardness  towards  a  settlement,  I  humbly  desire 
your  Grace’s  fatherly  care  &  concern  for  us  as  shall  be  thought  best  &  fittest. 
This  together  with  the  tender  of  my  duty  and  thanks  for  the  Bible  and  Prayer 
Book  sent  us  is  what  is  offered  by 

Your  Grace’s 

Most  Humble  Serv1, 

JOHN  BROWN. 


The  Governour  of  New  England  other  the  Members  of  the 
Church  at  Boston  to  his  Grace  the  Lord  ARCHBISHOP 
of  CANTERB  URT.  _____ 

Boston,  23rd  December,  1703. 

May  it  please  your  Grace, 

The  Reverend  Mr.  Bridge  one  of  the  ministers  of  our  congregation  who 
hath  faithfully  served  his  cure  and  station  among  us  has  obtained  the  consent 
of  the  Reverend  Mr.  Myles  &  the  vestry  to  take  a  voyage  into  England  to 
wait  on  your  Grace  and  we  should  be  wanting  to  our  duty  to  Religion  and  to 
him,  if  we  should  not  recommend  him  to  your  Grace’s  favor,  having  in  all 
things  in  his  doctrine  and  manners  been  an  honor  to  the  Church.  Our  hopes 
are  by  your  Grace’s  favour  to  him  &  ourselves,  that  your  Grace  will  obtain  for 
him  a  good  establishment  of  his  maintenance  here.  Mr.  Myles  we  hope  will 
be  well  supported  by  the  Contribution,  and  if  Mr.  Bridge,  by  the  Queen’s 
Bounty  might  be  well  assured  of  his  support,  they  would  with  great  honour 
carry  on  the  service  here. 

We  have  further  to  pray  of  your  Grace  that  since  our  congregation  is  in¬ 
creased  in  number  (tho’  not  so  much  in  estate)  that  our  church  is  too  little  for 
us  we  may  obtain  assistance  for  the  building  a  new  one.  The  French  Con¬ 
gregation  here  have  no  convenient  place  to  meet  in  &  if  we  might  be  assisted 
with  what  may  be  necessary  for  a  new  stone  church  ours  would  be  of  con¬ 
venient  use  for  them. 


75 


L1 704- 


In  all  other  things  relating  to  an  account  of  our  Present  State  we  humbly 
refer  your  Grace  to  his  attendance.  And  we  humbly  ask  yor  Grace’s  Favour 
for  him  &  for  ourselves  and  are, 

My  Lord, 

Your  Grace’s  most  obedient  Servts, 


J.  Nelson, 

Tho.  Newton, 

Fra.  Foxcroft, 

Ed.  Lyde, 

Cyprian  Southack, 
Gyles  Dyer, 
George  Turfrey, 


J.  Dudley, 

—  Povey, 

East  Apthorp,  ^ 
Wm.  Tailer, 
John  Indecott, 
Tho.  Creese, 
Lancelot  Lake, 


John  Cooke. 


AT.  MYLES  to  D\  BEVERIDGE. 


Boston,  N.  E.,  4  Jany,  170I. 

Rev’d  Sr, 

I  formerly  wrote  by  Mr.  Honyman  (who  is  since  returned  hither)  to  for¬ 
ward  the  sending  ministers  to  several  towns  in  this  Country  &  I  hope  you  will 
be  mindfull  &  concerned  about  the  same.  My  Lord  of  London  and  Dr.  Bray 
can  inform  what  pains  I  have  taken  not  only  where  I  am  settled,  but  in  many 
places  in  this  Country  and  I  bless  God  with  very  good  success.  But  the  Dis¬ 
senters  are  so  busie  and  indefatigable  that  I  fear  the  delay  in  sending  ministers 
according  to  the  Petitions  may  be  Prejudicial.  And  therefore  I  do  now  agen 
renew  my  request  having  this  opportunity  by  a  very  worthy  person  of  our 
church  &  vestry,  the  Honble  Col1  Charles  Hobby,  who  has  exercised  the  power 
and  authority  he  has  been  invested  with  both  civil  &  military  with  great  in¬ 
tegrity,  justice  &  prudence.  And  as  he  has  been  enabled  by  a  very  plentifull 
fortune ;  so  has  his  charity  &  beneficence  been  very  large  on  all  proper  oc¬ 
casions  to  the  poor  &  needy,  &  his  behaviour  and  deportment  so  affable, 
Gentle,  Corteous  &  obliging  to  all  as  has  purchased  him  a  fair  esteem  and 
reputation,  respect  and  honor,  especially  from  all  affairs  of  his  regiment,  and 


1 704.] 


76 


as  on  the  account  of  his  personall  worth  &  desert.  I  take  myself  obliged  on 
this  occasion  to  do  him  this  justice  so  to  express  my  gratefull  sense  of  his  great 
and  constant  Kindness  and  Friendship  to  me.  I  can  do  no  less  than  earnestly 
intreat  all  Favour  &  respects  to  be  shewed  to  him  and  that  he  may  be  brought 
acquainted  with  such  as  may  assist  in  any  of  his  Interests  &  concerns,  he 
being  altogether  a  stranger  in  England. 

And  because  Mr.  Bridge  my  assistant  is  now  coming  for  England  without 
my  Lord  of  London’s  Orders,  Leave  or  knowledge,  and  has  left  the  whole 
work  on  me  without  my  consent,  he  not  complying  with  the  conditions  I  pro¬ 
posed  nor  allowing  time  to  provide  any  other  assistant  and  during  his  stay 
here  has  caused  much  trouble  and  uneasiness  among  us  to  the  prejudice  of 
our  Church  &  Interest,  I  do  humbly  &  earnestly  pray  you  would  use  your 
interest  with  my  Lord  of  London  to  send  some  other  worthy  person  in  his 
room  and  to  supply  his  place  who  may  go  on  unanimously  with  me  in  all  our 
undertakings  &  performances  be  a  comfort  to  me  and  maintain  and  set  for¬ 
ward  Love  and  peace  among  our  people  instead  of  encouraging  any  that  have 
pique  or  disaffection  and  so  make  parties  and  cause  division  among  us  to  the 
great  prejudice  of  our  Publick  Interest.  If  I  obtain  these  my  requests  you 
will  highly  oblige  your 

Most  humble  Servant, 

&  rhost  Faithful  Friend, 

SAMUEL  MYLES. 

P.  S.  I  humbly  intreat  you  to  be  vigorously  concerned  about  these  mat¬ 
ters  and  if  possible  to  prevent  Mr.  Bridge’s  coming  here  again,  who  has  been 
full  of  Falsehood  &  Dissimulation  &  has  done  us  more  mischief  than  our 
open  enemies. 

■  ■  -  ■  -  ■  ♦  . . . 


M\  ED1VD  B  ROM  FIELD  to  M\  THOs  BROMFIELD. 


Boston  in  N.  England,  Octr  9th,  1704. 

Sir, 

The  Societies  lately  erected  for  the  Service  of  Religion  in  London,  and  in 
some  other  parts  of  Europe,  by  their  laudable  Example  had  an  Influence  upon 


77 


[i  704. 


a  Country  as  far  distant  from  them  as  New  England  in  America.  We  thought 
it  might  be  some  satisfaction  unto  you  and  other  good  Men  with  you,  to  have 
a  Summary  Acco1  of  the  Good  which  is  daily  doing  among  us ;  in  Imitation 
of  the  Examples  that  you  have  given  us.  We  shall  accordingly  Inform  you 
that  a  Number  of  Gentlemen  who  make  the  best  Figures  in  the  place,  did  (a 
few  months  ago)  establish  a  voluntary  Conversation  once  in  a  fortnight,  the 
Design  whereof  is,  to  Consider  what  is  the  present  Estate  of  our  holy  Relig¬ 
ion  at  home  and  Abroad  and  what  methods  they  might  use  to  serve  the  glori¬ 
ous  Interests  of  that  holy  Religion. 

The  Gentlemen  of  that  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  Religion  have 
Already  had  a  sensible  Blessing  of  God  upon  their  Consultations  and  Under¬ 
takings. 

They  have  Published  and  Dispersed  many  Books  adapted  unto  such 
Religious  Purposes  as  they  saw  needful  in  that  way  to  be  prosecuted. 

By  such  means  they  have  handed  unto  many  parts  of  the  Country,  proper 
Directions  and  Encouragemens  for  household  Piety. 

They  have  sent  to  every  Town  of  the  Provinces  Treatises  to  animate  the 
Observation  of  the  Lord’s  Day.  In  a  time  of  Epidemical  Sickness  they  have 
Lodg’d  a  sheet  of  Instructions  for  sick  Families  in  all  the  Visited  Houses. 

They  have  Addressed  the  Remoter  Ungospelized  Plantations  not  only 
with  a  printed  sheet  for  their  awakening  out  of  their  Stupid  Condition,  but 
also  wth  other  Endeavours  to  get  Ministers  among  them. 

They  have  conveyed  unto  such  People  among  ourselves  as  frequently  and 
prophanely  absent  themselves  from  the  Public  Worship  of  God,  a  sheet  of 
Considerations  to  reclaim  them  from  that  profanity. 

They  have  in  another  Sheet  acquainted  every  Town  in  all  these  Colonies 
wth  the  present  State  of  the  Church,  that  so  the  prayers  and  Thoughts  of 
Godly  men  in  these  American  Regions  may  be  quick’ned  in  that  Relation  to 
that  Subject. 

They  have  attempted  to  send  the  Notices  of  the  true  Christian  Protestant 
Religion  into  the  midst  of  the  Spanish  Nation,  by  a  Sheet  which  one  of  their 
Number  did  in  the  Spanish  Language  fit  for  that  Intent.  Because  many 
French  Roman  Catholicks  came  in  their  Watch  especially  by  Captives  brought 
among  us,  they  did  in  the  French  Tongue  (with  a  brief  Treatise  prepared  for 
that  Intent)  lay  the  Nets  of  Salvation  for  them. 

They  compiled  and  Emitted  an  Abstract  of  Laws  against  all  punishable 


1 7  04.]  -  78 

Wickedness  and  Armed  their  Officers  in  the  several  parts  of  the  Province 
therewithall. 

They  are  now  endeavouring  to  introduce  into  our  Seafaring  Tribe,  and 
season  our  vessels  wth  better  Orders  than  have  been  generally  practised. 

These  are  but  some  of  the  good  things  wch  they  have  done  in  a  very  little 
time.  We  shall  superscede  the  Mention  of  the  Rost  wth  one  very  Comprehen¬ 
sive  Service,  wch  the  glorious  Lord  has  accepted  from  them.  They  produced 
in  Boston,  our  chief  Town,  a  Society  for  the  Suppression  of  Disorders.  Many 
good  offices  have  been  done  for  the  Town  in  a  little  while  by  that  Society. 
They  Printed  a  sheet  of  Methods  and  Motives  for  such  Societies ;  the  Sheet 
they  scattered  throughout  those  Colonies ;  in  many  Towns  they  have  Erected 
such  Societies  and  conformed  unto  the  Advice  that  has  been  set  before  them. 
New  England  is  a  country  of  such  Character  that  in  many  Towns  there  is 
hardly  one  Visible  disorder  or  one  person  known  to  be  disorderly  and  yet  in 
these  Towns  the  Ministers  find  the  Societies  with  wch  they  have  accommodated 
themselves  to  be  admirable  Engines  for  the  promoting  and  maintaining  of  all 
good  Order  among  their  people.  We  receive  Letters  from  divers  Quarters 
wherein  they  do  even  with  some  Raptures  give  thanks  to  God  for  the  advan¬ 
tage  they  have  already  recd  by  their  Societies.  ’  Tis  true  they  do  not  all  take 
the  same  Measures  in  pursuing  the  noble  design  because  the  Circumstances  of 
the  Towns  are  various,  and  in  some  Towns  they  have  hitherto  been  too  sloth¬ 
ful  to  do  anything  remarkable.  They  generally  carry  on  their  Design  wth 
Prudence  and  Silence  and  Modesty,  with  a  wonderous  Efficacy,  and  tho’  N. 
England  be  a  country  where  the  body  of  the  People  are  honest  and  sober  and 
Virtuous  and  Religiously  disposed,  beyond  what  they  are  in  other  parts  of  the 
World,  Yet  there  has  been  Reformation  wanting  here  and  there  about  the 
Country  in  divers  Instances  wherein  the  Progress  made  by  the  Societies  has 
been  far  from  contemptible. 

Now  inasmuch  as  this  Account  of  things  cannot  but  be  gratefull  unto  the 
Serious  and  sincere  Lovers  of  Religion  in  the  most  Vital  and  Essential  Part 
of  it  (who  do  imagine  that  all  Religion  lies  in  a  Zeal  for  their  own  little  By¬ 
ways  about  it),  we  are  willing  to  communicate  unto  you  this  brief  Relation 
of  our  New  English  Proceedings,  and  we  confess  that  we  owe  unto  you  the 
Relation,  because  we  are  beholden  unto  you  for  the  Examples  that  have  been 
here  followed  in  our  feeble  Essays  to  do  what  we  can  for  the  Advancement 
of  the  Greatest  interests. 


79  [1706. 

May  the  God  of  graces  prosper  all  your  and  our  Essays,  thus  to  do  what 
Good  we  can  the  little  time  we  have  to  Sojourn  in  an  Evil  World. 

I  am 
Sir, 

Your  Affectionate  Brother,  &c., 

EDW.  BROMFIELD. 


Mr.  BRIDGE  to  the  Secretary . 

Sir, 

I  have  yours  of  Febry  by  which  I  am  very  glad  to  understand  that  the 
Hon’ble  Society  are  willing  to  give  encouragements  to  the  Young  Students 
of  this  College,  having  by  familiar  conversation  knowing  some  of  them  to  have 
very  good  parts,  sound  principles,  and  to  be  well  affected  both  to  the  Govern¬ 
ment  and  Worship  of  our  Church,  and  I  believe  every  way  as  capable  of 
serving  the  interest  of  it  here  as  any  that  may  be  sent  hither,  and  are  only 
kept  back  from  offering  themselves  by  the  censures  and  reproaches  of  some 
few  leading  men.  I  shall  be  very  careful  to  observe  the  cautions  I  have  re¬ 
ceived  as  to  the  Qualifications  of  such  as  shall  be  found  willing  to  go  over 
that  the  Society  may  not  be  disappointed  in  their  expectations.  I  shall  im¬ 
prove  their  propositions  amongst  our  Students  so  soon  as  I  shall  have  an 
opportunity  which  as  yet  I  could  not,  having  been  wholly  imploy’d  since  the 
arrival  of  the  Ships  in  providing  for  my  removal  to  Narraganset,  whither  it 
has  pleased  my  good  Lord  of  London  to  order  me  and  where  I  must  at  the 
first  expect  to  undergoe  many  &  great  difficultys,  they  being  at  present  not 
capable  of  providing  any  comfortable  Habitation  for  a  Family;  and  dwelling  at 
so  great  distances  that  they  cannot  meet  together  in  any  one  place,  I  must 
be  obliged  to  spend  much  of  my  time  in  travailing  amongst  them ;  but  espec¬ 
ially  on  the  account  of  whom  I  shall  have  to  do  with,  when  by  means  of  lewd 
&  illiterate  fellows  that  have  set  themselves  up  for  Teachers  and  undervalu¬ 
ing  the  Holy  Scriptures  have  propagated  only  their  own  unaccountable  notions, 
are  overrun  with  the  grossest  errors  and  heresies  and  sunck  into  the  depth 
of  wickedness.  To  reduce  such  will  be  a  work  to  which  I  know  myself  very 
unequal  and  should  be  glad  to  see  one  of  better  abilities  employed  in  it.  I 


1706.] 


8o 


humbly  pray  the  Society  will  be  pleased  to  give  me  what  assistance  they  shall 
think  convenient  particularly  in  sending  me  over  such  Books  as  ’tis  usual  for 
them  to  allow,  and  whatever  commands  I  shall  receive  from  them  shall  be 
punctually  observed. 

I  am  Sir, 

Your  very  Humble  Servant, 

Boston,  Octr  7,  1706.  CHRIS.  BRIDGE. 


Mr.  MYLES  to  the  Secretary . 


Sir, 

*  *  *  And  because  the  People  of  the  French  Church  in  this 

Town  are  so  few  in  number  that  they  are  not  able  to  afford  a  competent 
maintenance  to  their  present  minister  (a  very  worthy  good  man)  my  hopes 
are  the  Society  will  please  to  take  his  case  and  circumstances  into  their  serious 
consideration  and  make  such  provision  for  his  comfortable  subsistance  as  in 
their  wisdom  they  may  judge  expedient,  referring  to  their  prudence  and 
pleasure.  I  shall  in  all  things  shew  how  much  I  am,  &c., 

SAMUEL  MYLES. 

Boston,  Octobr  9,  1 706. 


Gov\  DUDLEY  to  the  Secretary . 

Sir, 

I  hereby  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  Letters  and  Directions  from  the 
Hon’ble  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  Religion  in  Foreign  parts  referring  to 
the  encouragem1  of  young  Scholars  to  enter  into  Holy  Orders,  which  I  shall 
lawfully  communicate  and  encourage  as  the  Ministers  here  of  the  Church  of 
England  have  assured  me  they  will  also  do.  I  am  greatly  importuned  by 

Mr. - ,  Minister  of  the  French  Congregation  in  this  Town  to  recommend 

him  to  the  favour  of  the  Society.  He  is  an  Honest  Man  and  good  Preacher, 
has  long  shew’d  his  loyalty  and  peaceable  temper  toward  the  Governm1.  His 


8i 


[1706. 


Congregation  is  poor  and  I  believe  he  has  not  more  than  £30  per  annm.  His 
own  Letter  to  you  and  application  to  the  Society  is  enclosed,  which  you  will 
use  as  you  see  meet  and  I  perceive  Mr.  Myles  writes  to  you  also. 

I  pray  you  to  offer  my  Duty  at  the  Board  and  to  assure  My  Lord  Arch¬ 
bishop  &  that  Reverend  Society  that  I  truly  desire  by  all  methods  of  their 
Directions  as  well  as  by  a  good  example  personally  to  put  forward  Religion 
and  the  Church  of  England  as  I  ought. 

I  am, 

Sir, 

Your  very  Humble  Serv1, 

Boston,  Octr  10,  1706.  J.  DUDLEY. 

-  ♦  — 


M’\  BRIDGES  to  the  Secretary . 


Sir,  , 

Mr.  Daille  the  Minister  of  the  French  congregatn  in  this  Town  is  neces¬ 
sitated  to  intreat  the  Assistance  of  the  Honble  Society  for  an  addition  to  his 
Maintenance  which  is  at  present  very  small,  he  not  receiving  above  £30  pr 
annm  from  his  people  besides  the  yearly  interest  of  what  the  late  King  gave 
them,  which  is  about  £ 20  a  year  more.  He  was  Episcopally  ordained  and 
many  years  past  sent  into  these  parts  by  the  Lord  Bishop  of  London  and  is  a 
Man  of  great  Learning  and  sobriety  and  very  Industrious  in  his  Ministerial 
Functions.  I  understand  he  hath  applied  himself  to  you  by  other  hands  which 
might  have  excused  me  and  I  heartily  wish  his  addresses  may  meet  with 
success. 

I  am,  Sir, 

Your  Humble  Send, 

Boston,  Octr  15th,  1706.  CHRIS.  BRIDGES. 


11 


1708.] 


82 


Vestry  &c.  at  Boston  to  the  Bishop  of  London . 


To  the  Right  Reverend  Father  in  God,  Henry,  Lord  Bishop  of  London. 

The  humble  address  of  the  Vestry  and 

Churchwardens  of  Her  Majesty’s 

Chappel  in  Boston,  New  England. 

May  it  please  your  Lordship, 

We  most  humbly  crave  your  Lordship’s  acceptance  of  our  unfeigned  and 
grateful  acknowledgements  for  all  your  expressions  of  favour  and  kindness 
and  your  tender  care  and  concern  for  our  peace  and  welfare,  and  our  hopes 
and  prayers  are  that  according  to  our  exigencies  we  shall  ever  experience 
the  continuance  thereof. 

And  with  all  submission  we  are  humbly  of  opinion  that  our  remaining  as 
we  are  by  the  prudent  and  diligent  performances  of  our  Minister  with  whom 
we  are  well  contented  and  satisfied  and  only  occasional  assistances  from  our 
neighbouring  Ministers,  our  peace  and  welfare  will  be  best  continued  and 
secured,  and  humbly  pray  that  such  part  of  the  Queen’s  Bounty  as  to  your 
Lordship  shall  seem  meet  may  be  allowed  him  for  that  his  Salary  is  very 
precarious,  depending  upon  the  unsteady  humour  of  the  congregation,  some  of 
which  (as  we  find  by  experience)  upon  the  least  ungrounded  disgust  withdraw 
their  contribution. 

And  we  crave  leave  to  assure  your  Lordship  that  it  shall  be  our  utmost 
care  and  endeavour  to  give  all  the  assistance  and  encouragement  we  are  able 
to  our  present  Minister  and  inasmuch  as  in  us  lies,  efface  all  feuds  and  animosi¬ 
ties  and  concert  such  measures  as  may  preserve  our  quiet  and  engage  and 
unite  in  mutual  love  and  friendship,  and  in  confident  assurance  of  your  Lord¬ 
ship’s  paternal  care  and  kindness,  and  hearty  prayers  for  your  Lordship’s 
good  health  and  happiness,  are 

Your  Lordship’s 

Most  Obed1  and  dutiful  Servts 

J.  DUDLEY  &  others. 


83 


[1708. 


M\  MTLES  to  the  Secretary, 

Boston  16th  Decr,  1708. 

Sir, 

My  Lord  of  London  writes  me  that  the  Society  press  him  to  send  an 
Assistant  here,  but  I  trust  that  the  addresses  late  sent,  will  sufficiently  satisfy 
that  it  will  be  more  for  our  advantage  to  remain  as  we  are  and  then  if  some 
part  of  the  Salary  as  £jo  be  allowed,  the  product  whereof  here  is  near  ^200, 
or  if  I  may  not  have  20  or  ^30  (which  indeed  will  be  a  great  help  to  me  since 
the  last  Sabbath  I  had  not  ^40,  and  many  times  far  less),  rather  than  have  an 
assistant  I  would  desire  that  a  Minister  sent  to  Braintree  or  Swansey,  should 
have  the  whole  ^100  who  might  be  ordered  occasionally  to  assist  here. 

And  I  humbly  pray  you  to  show  kindness  in  using  utmost  endeavor  that 
the  Society  may  move  this  to  my  Lord  and  then  two  Churches  will  be  sup¬ 
plied  and  the  other  I  hope  be  as  we  are  now,  in  peace  and  very  good  order, 
as  our  Governour  hath  writ. 

And  if  my  Lord  hath  thoughts  of  sending  one  here,  that  the  order  may  be 
revoked,  and  the  settlement  be  in  some  other  Town,  with  direction  occasion¬ 
ally  to  assist  here.  If  in  this  I  shall  obtain  my  request  by  your  interest  and 
favour,  I  shall  most  earnestly  own  the  favour,  and  wherein  I  may  witness  how 
much  I  am 

Your  hearty  and  much  obliged 

Friend  and  Servant, 

SAM.  MYLES. 

P.  S.  The  Governour  tells  me  you  are  his  friend  and  that  on  my  writing 
to  you,  you  will  oblige  me.  He  hath  warranted  my  late  applications  to  you. 
I  pray  the  favour  of  a  Line,  as  soon  as  may  be.  You  will  excuse  my  hasty 
writing  and  communicate  the  contents  of  this  to  the  Society.  I  pray  if  my  Lord 
will  not  let  me  be  easy  here,  I  must  come  to  England. 


i7io.] 


84 


An  Ansr  of  the  Church  of  England  in  Braintree ,  to  a  Charge 
laid  or  uttered  against  them ,  to  my  Lord  our  Reverend 
Father  in  God ,  Bishop  of  London ,  by  M\  NEW¬ 

MAN  &f  signified  unto  M\  MYLES  by  his  LORD- 
SHIP  in  a  LETTER ,  bearing  date  Dec .  19,  1709. 

My  Lord, 

We  have  chosen  to  offer  into  your  Lordship’s  hands  a  declaration  of  our 
innocency  in  all  those  things  wherewith  we  are  hardly  &  heavily  charged, 
least  our  silence  should  be  taken  as  an  argument  that  we  lack  what  to  speak 
truly  in  our  own  defence. 

Ist.  We  are  charged  to  be  only  a  company  of  people,  that  for  contradic¬ 
tion  sake  pretend  to  set  up  a  Church  of  Engld  Meeting. 

2d.  That  we  ourselves  are  now  grown  weary  of  our  project, — our  own  ansr 
is  as  followeth :  that  were  this  Charge  true,  we  cannot  think  on  it  but  with 
greatest  horror  &  detestation  that  we  should  be  so  impious  &  hypocritical 
towards  God  &  so  surly  &  unframeable  towards  man,  that  for  contradiction 
sake  pretend  to  set  up  a  Church  of  Engld  Meeting,  now  we  have  the  witness 
of  God  Almighty  &  our  own  consciences  that  we  are  sincere ;  &  do  it  heart¬ 
ily  unto  the  Lord,  as  knowing  from  Him  we  must  receive  our  reward;  we  trust 
also  that  we  have  the  witness  of  men  as  Mr.  Bridge,  Mr.  Talbot,  Mr.  Barclay, 
&  Mr.  Bartlett,  which  can  all  say  with  what  outward  demonstration  of  sincer¬ 
ity,  we  worshiped  God  in  the  way  of  the  Church  of  Engld  &  how  glad  we 
were  of  it,  &  desirous  to  obtain  it:  &  Mr.  Vesey,  Minister  of  the  Church  of  N. 
York,  when  he  was  a  youth  can  say  that  he  with  his  parents  &  many  more 
were  communicants  of  the  Church  of  Engld  &  that  in  their  Family  at  Braintree 
Divine  Service  was  daily  read,  which  things  to  mention  would  argue  great  pride 
&  vanity  were  it  not  in  our  own  defence,  also  we  leave  it  to  your  Lordship  to 
judge,  how  contrary  to  reason  it  is,  that  a  fit  of  contradiction  in  us  shoul  dlast 
more  than  20  years ;  &  that  we  that  have  it  cannot  at  all  be  bettered  by  it, 
nor  obtain  the  least  good  but  procure  to  ourselves  many  &  great  evils,  &  that 
Mr.  Newman  should  know  when  the  spirit  of  contradiction  come  upon  us  & 
that  we  are  now  weary  of  our  project  as  he  termeth  it,  which  we  know  is  our 


> 


85  [1710. 

reasonable  serving  God ;  the  2nd  part  of  our  Charge  is  &  we  ourselves  are 
now  grown  weary  of  our  project,  this  which  is  here  fastned  upon  us  is  partly 
a  charge  &  partly  a  scoff;  we  are  indeed  weary  of  having  ourselves  &  children 
exposed  to  scorn  &  contempt,  in  being  often  called  Papists,  &  Idolators  & 
what  not,  for  only  cleaving  to  the  Church,  our  holy  religion  ridiculed  &  called 
the  Mass,  with  great  scorn  &  contempt,  our  estates  forcibly  taken  from  us  by 
those  whose  wills  are  the  measure  of  their  actions,  for  the  support  of  Dissent¬ 
ing  ministers,  of  these  things  we  are  indeed  weary,  but  we  are  not  weary  of 
worshipping  God  in  the  way  of  the  Chh  of  Engld,  &  Cleaving  to  it  &  we  do 
heartily  thank  our  heavenly  Father  that  He  hath  called  us  to  this  state  of  sal¬ 
vation  &  so  we  hope  we  have  sufficiently  cleared  ourselves  from  the  Scandals 
of  contradiction  &  Hypocrisy  preferr’d  against  us  by  Mr.  Newman  &  to  his 
scoff  at  us  we  say  nothing,  &  whereas  Mr.  Barclay  our  minister  to  our  great 
grief  &  trouble  &  the  unspeakable  wrong  of  the  Church,  went  from  us  to 
Engld  with  promises  to  return  to  us  with  all  possible  speed  but  yet  failed. 

My  Lord,  we  beseech  you  to  extend  pity  &  compassion  unto  us  in  our  sad 
&  exposed  state  &  we  humbly  pray  that  we  may  have  a  minister  sent  unto  us, 
to  administer  unto  us  the  holy  sacraments  &  to  have  usual  maintenance,  we 
being  unable  wholly  to  support  him,  &  that  we  may  be  freed  from  supporting 
Dissenting  Ministers,  that  so  our  beginnings  may  not  be  utterly  quashed  & 
that  we  may  have  some  reviveings,  some  remnant  &  remainings  left,  our 
prayer  to  God  Almighty  is,  that  He  would  keep  us  steadfast  in  our  holy  pro¬ 
fession,  that  we  may  increase  in  Divine  Grace  &  that  our  faith  &  Patience 
may  be  strengthen’d  that  we  may  be  ornaments  to  the  Church  on  Earth  & 
blessed  Saints  in  Heaven. 

For  the  which  we  humbly  beg  your  prayers  &  crave  your  fatherly  benedic¬ 
tion.  This  with  our  humble  submission  we  take  leave  to  subscribe  ourselves 
your  dutiful  &  obd1  children, 

WM  Vesey, 

Jn°.  Cleverley, 

&  several  others. 


Braintree,  Sept,  i,  1710. 


1712.] 


86 


Petition  for  Protection  in  Building  a  Church . 


A/r  r,  ^  Newbury,  Ian.  28,  1711-12. 

May  it  Please  your  Grace,  j  ’  * 

We  your  Grace’s  most  humble  Petitioners  Pray  leave  in  the  behalf  of  our¬ 
selves  &  others,  to  lay  before  your  Grace  in  as  few  words  as  the  matter  will 
admit  of  in  relation  to  building  our  Church  with  admission.  In  the  first  place 
our  meeting  house  was  pull’d  down  by  rude  hands  which  to  our  satisfaction 
we  had  enjoy’d  many  years  past;  since  that  &  opposite  parties  had  levied  by 
Tax  on  our  estates,  to  the  building  another  meeting  house  so  far  distant  from 
us  &  many  others  that  we  nor  they  were  able  to  go  so  far,  which  renders  it 
wholly  unserviceable  to  all,  notwithstanding  we  was  the  greatest  part  of  the 
whole.  These  proceedings  obliged  us  to  build  a  Church  &  did  &  now  do 
declare  it  to  be  the  Queen’s  Chapel  built  on  our  own  land.  Yet  cannot  pro¬ 
ceed  thereon  by  reason  of  a  warrant  from  the  general  assembly  signed  by 
the  Govr  &  Secy,  a  Copy  of  which  pray  leave  to  inclose.  This  put  an  entire 
stop  to  our  proceedings,  till  John  Bridge,  Esqr,  Surveyor  general  of  her  Maj¬ 
esty’s  woods  &  Land,  &c.,  heard  of  our  troubles  &  sent  us  several  letters  & 
encouraged  us  to  proceed  but  he  is  now  come  to  our  relief  &  has  put  us  in 
this  way  of  Petitioning  your  Grace  from  whom,  wee  by  Mr.  Bridges  are  fully 
persuaded,  &  pray  a  satisfactory  &  speedy  ansr,  being  without  any  Parson  to 
preach  to  us.  We  have  made  Mr.  Bridges  our  agent,  &  have  given  him  the 
Land  for  the  Church,  &  have  enable  him  with  workmen  &  materials  to  finish 
the  Church  &  is  really  a  Patron  to  us  &  has  engaged  himself  to  us  &  to  go  on 
in  that  work  against  all  opposers  whatever,  &  as  he  has,  so  he  will  stand  in  the 
Gap  for  us.  We  most  heartily  pray  his  addresses  may  be  acceptable  to  her 
Majesty  &  your  Grace  &  that  her  Majesty  would  establish  him  nearer  us,  which 
would  be  of  great  service  to  the  Church  in  these  parts  aswell  as  strength¬ 
en  him,  in  her  Majesty’s  Service  &  interest.  Humbly  praying  your  Grace  to 
lay  before  &  intercede  with  her  Majesty  in  these  our  humble  Petitions  &  with 
humble  submission  pray  leave  to  subscribe, 

Your  Grace’s  most  Obd1  Dutiful  Servants, 

John  Bartlett, 

Josh  Browne, 

Joseph  Amis, 

Saml  Bartlett. 


87 


H1 7 13- 

At  a  Session  of  the  Great  &  General  Court  of  Assembly  held  at  Boston 
Aug.  22,  1 71 1,  in  Council  Aug.  24,  1711,  upon  reading  an  information  offered 
by  Capt.  Hugh  March  &  Sundry  others  inhabitants  of  the  Town  of  Newbury 
that  several  persons  living  in  the  west  Precinct  of  Newbury  have  raised  &  in 
part  covered  a  house,  intended  for  a  meeting  house,  notwithstanding  the  advice 
&  direction  of  this  Court  the  19  of  July  past,  to  desist  their  proceeding  therein 
until  there  had  been  a  hearing.  Ordered  that  Samuel  Bartlett,  Jn°.  Ordeway, 
Deacons,  Joshua  Brown  &  Joshua  Baylie,  Skipper  Lunt,  &  Pennell  Tilecome, 
be  anew  served  by  the  Sheriff  with  a  Copy  of  the  order  of  this  Court  of  the 
19  July  Past  strictly  forbidding  them  and  their  associates  proceeding  in  the 
work  of  their  intended  meeting  house  until  there  be  a  hearing  of  that  affair 
as  by  the  Sd  Order  is  directed,  &  that  the  Sd  Persons  be  summoned  by  the 
Sheriff  to  attend  this  Court,  on  the  2nd  Wednesday  of  their  Session,  in  the  fall 
to  answer  for  their  contempt  of  their  order.  Concurr’d  by  the  representatives, 

ISAAC  ADDINGTON,  Secretary. 

Consented  to,  DUDLEY. 


Mr.  LAMBTON  to  Gen1  NICHOLSON. 


Newbury,  Jany  1,  1713. 

May  it  please  your  Excellency, 

I  thought  it  my  duty  to  inform  you  of  the  state  of  the  Church  here  at 
Newbury,  which  is  now  in  a  hopeful  way  of  being  very  numerous,  and  I  hope 
firmly  established,  but  all  of  a  sudden  some  of  the  people  are  struck  with 
terror  at  the  threats  of  our  Neighbors  above  us  who  are  resolved  to  come 
down  and  strain  upon  them  to  help  to  defray  the  charge  of  their  Ministry  when 
they  pay  to  their  own  Church  here  below.  This  mightily  gauls  the  people  who 
has  no  body  to  redress  their  grievances  but  your  Excellency  under  whose 
wing  they  fly  for  shelter  and  protection  and  a  word  or  two  from  your  Excel¬ 
lency’s  mouth  would  chear  poor  drooping  spirits.  Their  adversaries  are  daily 
contriving  what  methods  to  take  to  be  troublesome  so  that  they  live  here  in 
a  continued  uneasiness,  and  I  am  afraid  unless  you  Excellency’s  wise  adminis¬ 
tration  restrain  these  headstrong  people  we  shall  have  some  relapse  into 
their  former  schism.  Thus  much  I  made  bold  to  lay  before  your  Excellency 


1 713.] 


88 


concerning  the  people’s  grievances.  Humbly  beging  your  pardon  for  giving 
your  Excellency  so  much  trouble,  wishing  you  a  happy  new  year  and  many  of 
them,  is  all  from 

Your  Excellency’s 

Most  obedient  humble  Servant, 

JOHN  LAMBTON. 


♦ 


M\  LAMBTON  to  Gen1  NICHOLSON. 


Newbury,  Jany  27,  1713. 

May  it  please  your  Excellency, 

The  neighbors  who  have  long  threatened  to  trouble  the  Church  of  Eng¬ 
land  here,  have  now  put  them  in  execution  and  summoned  John  Merril  to 
appear  before  Justice  Juet  (the  others  not  careing  to  meddle)  to  pay  a  rate 
which  was  made  after  they  had  publickly  declared  themselves  of  the  Church 
of  England  and  it  is  the  same  rate  for  which  Thomas  Brown  was  carried  to 
Prison  last  May  and  badly  used  there,  but  upon  complaint  to  the  Governour 
was  set  at  liberty  by  the  Justice  that  committed  him  being  ordered  to  release 
him  himself  and  pay  the  charges.  They  intend  to  trouble  several  more  of 
our  neighbours  for  the  same  and  how  they  will  be  relieved  they  know  not 
unless  your  Excellency  be  pleased  to  interpose  having  it  in  your  power  to 
decide  all  such  matters. 

They  have  come  upon  them  in  a  very  bad  time,  just  when  we  were  about 
to  receive  the  ever  blessed  Sacrament  having  deferred  it  till  a  fitter  oppor¬ 
tunity  and  troubles  ended  for  wch  they  wholly  depend  upon  your  Excellency’s 
goodness.  Pray  pardon  the  boldness  of 

May  it  please  your  Excellency,  &c., 

JN°.  LAMBTON. 

The  troublesome  people  speak  so  much 
ill  language,  nay  treason,  against 
her  Majesty  and  rail  so  against  your 
Excellency  that  I  am  ashamed  to 
mention  it. 


89 


[i7i3- 


M\  LAMBTON  to  Gen1  NICHOLSON. 


Newbury,  Feb.  3d,  1713. 

May  it  please  your  Excellency, 

The  bearer  hereof  comes  to  inform  you  of  the  imprisonment  of  John 
Merril  for  a  rate  made  half  a  year  after  the  erection  of  the  Queen’s  Chapel 
here  which  our  adversaries  takes  no  notice  of  they  being  now  resolved  to  per¬ 
secute  the  Churchmen  and  make  them  pay  to  the  support  of  their  Ministers, 
saying  that  nobody  has  anything  to  do  to  defend  us  and  if  they  are  permitted  to 
go  thus  resolutely  on  I  am  afraid  the  Church  will  suffer  abundantly  by  it.  But 
the  hopes  we  have  of  your  Excellency’s  favour  and  protection  (who  has 
always  been  a  true  and  zealous  Member  of  the  Church)  mightily  inspirits  and 
enlivens  us,  that  though  now  trodden  under  foot  we  shall  rise  again  more 
glorious  when  the  truth  and  justice  of  our  cause  comes  to  be  known.  Herewith 
comes  the  copy  of  his  commitment  that  your  Excellency  may  fullier  see  how 
unjustly  they  proceed  against  us,  which  is  all  at  present  from 

Your  Excellency’s  most  obedient 

Humble  Servant, 

JOHN  LAMBTON. 


Mr.  LAMBTON  to  the  Secretary. 


Newbury,  New  England,  Feb.  12,  1713. 

Sir, 

I  do  myself  the  honour  to  acquaint  the  Venble  Society  for  Propagating  the 
Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts  that  from  the  fourteenth  day  of  November  last  I  have 
served  the  Church  of  Newbury,  being  appointed  to  take  care  of  that  place  by 
the  Honble  Francis  Nicholson,  Esqr„  by  virtue  of  a  power  granted  to  his  Excel¬ 
lency  by  the  Society  to  settle  a  Missionary  either  at  Newbury  or  Brantry;  as 
for  the  latter  of  these  places  there  is  not  the  least  prospect  of  reviving  the 
Church,  but  in  the  former  a  very  considerable  congregation  is  formed  already 
and  by  the  blessing  of  God  will  dayly  increase.  I  think  it  therefore  my  duty 


12 


1 7 1 3*] 


90 


to  send  you  the  following  acc*  that  the  Honble  Society  may  be  fully  informed 
with  the  circumstances  and  condition  of  the  people  who  have  so  earnestly 
begged  the  favour  and  encouragement  of  their  superiours  in  England. 

Upon  my  arrival  at  Newbury  I  found  a  handsome  building  raised  &  fin¬ 
ished  at  the  sole  cost  and  expence  of  the  Inhabitants  in  that  place  for  the 
service  of  Almighty  God  according  to  ye  way  of  worship  prescribed  in  our 
excellent  Church.  There  is  a  considerable  auditory  every  Sabbath  Day  to  the 
number  of  200  &  upwards  and  would  dayly  increase  only  they  are  imposed 
upon  by  ye  neighbourhood  to  pay  to  the  Independent  Ministers  by  us.  Our 
adversaries  here  insinuate  that  they  are  a  frivolous  and  inconsiderate  ill 
people  wch  is  quite  otherwise  as  Revd  Mr.  Harris  who  has  lived  among  them 
and  myself  now  present  wth  them  can  testifie.  They  are  a  sober  good  people  & 
were  settled  in  their  principles  by  reading  Dr.  King’s  books  &  others  wch 
have  been  dispers’d  among  them  by  ye  Ministers  of  ye  Church  of  England 
here.  The  case  as  to  the  support  of  the  Minister  is  a  little  intricate  at  present 
but  hope  to  lay  it  more  fully  before  the  Honble  Society  the  next  opportunity. 
The  Honble  Francis  Nicholson,  Esqr.,  has  through  his  great  care  retained  most 
of  the  Council  in  this  Country  that  he  may  by  his  regular  proceedings  under¬ 
stand  what  laws  are  in  force  here  for  or  against  the  Church  that  if  he  cannot 
by  them  support  this  excellent  work  began  he  may  appeal  to  our  good  Laws 
at  home.  All  the  troubles  we  lay  under  are  imposed  upon  us  by  our  adver¬ 
saries  to  discourage  many  well  disposed  people  from  joining  wth  us  being 
afraid  by  ye  increase  of  ye  Church  their  interest  here  will  be  diminished  we 
lyin  in  ye  very  heart  of  the  Country  where  there  is  y®  greatest  prospect  imag¬ 
inable  of  a  flourishing  Church. 

This  is  what  at  present  I  thought  fit  to  lay  before  the  Honble  Society  hoping 
to  receive  due  encouragement  that  such  a  good  work  as  is  begun  among  us 
so  numerous  and  well  dispos’d  people  may  not  come  to  nothing. 

Your  humble  Serv‘, 

JOHN  LAMBTON. 


9i 


[!7i3. 


Gen1  NICHOLSON  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Boston,  N.  England,  Feby  17th,  1713. 

Sir, 

I  herewith  send  you  letters  &c.  which  I  recd  from  the  Revd  Mr.  Lambton 
concerning  the  Church  at  Newbury  numbered  from  1  to  6.  He  returned  to 
Newbury  yesterday.  I  have  feed  his  Majesty’s  Attorney  General  here,  and 
three  other  Lawyers  in  that  affair.  I  expect  next  week  or  soon  after  a  full  acc4 
of  Mr.  Lambton  and  his  Parishioners  which  I  shall  (God  willing)  transmit  to 
the  Society  ye  first  safe  opportunity  after.  The  Revd  Mr.  Bradstreet  can  give 
you  a  full  acc‘  of  this  affair  and  all  others  of  the  like  nature  and  by  virtue  of 
what  act  of  Assembly  here  they  disturb  the  Church  of  England  People,  and  I 
hope  the  Society  will  do  what  in  them  lyes  to  prevent  the  like  disturbance. 
The  Gentlemen  of  the  Church  of  England  and  others  in  these  parts  are  under 
all  the  discouragements  imaginable  in  all  respects  for  very  few  or  none  are  in 
any  places  of  either  profit  or  honour. 

I  desire  my  humble  duty,  service  &c.  to  the  Society  and  am  in  hopes  to 
have  the  honour  of  receiving  their  commands  very  soon  which  shall  be  most 
readyly  complyed  with  by 

Their  most  obedient,  &c., 

FR.  NICHOLSON. 

- * - 


Mr.  EAGER  to  the  Secretary. 


Braintree,  near  Boston,  in  New  England, 
Aug.  12th,  1713. 


Sir, 

Whether  my  former  of  the  first  of  March  has  reached  your  hands  I  know 
not,  no  answer  being  sent  me.  I  prayed  at  that  time  that  Mr.  Brooks  near  the 
May  pole  in  the  Strand  might  receive  my  half  year’s  Salary  due  the  20th  March 


92 


I7I3-] 

last  which  I  hope  has  been  paid  him.  I  have  had  a  very  hard  way  of  living 
since  my  abode  in  this  place,  provisions  being  very  scarce  and  people  gen¬ 
erally  very  poor.  This  whole  province  has  been  very  much  disturbed  on  the 
account  of  my  coming  to  this  place,  and  accordingly  have  not  failed  to  affront 
and  abuse  me  wherever  they  meet  me ;  atheist  and  papist  are  the  best  lan¬ 
guage  I  can  get  from  them.  The  people  are  Independents,  and  have  a  per¬ 
fect  odium  to  those  of  our  Communion.  Those  few  which  adhere  to  our 
Church  are  taxed  and  rated  most  extravagantly  to  support  the  dissenting 
Clergy.  Had  this  province  been  called  New  Creet  instead  of  New  England 
it  had  better  suited,  for  the  people  are  very  great  strangers  to  truth  and  I  do 
really  believe  that  I  have  not  passed  one  day  since  my  arrival,  without  one 
false  Report  or  other  raised  upon  me.  Thus  you  see  my  case  is  very  pitiful, 
yet  by  the  assistance  of  God’s  Grace  I  shall  have  constancy  and  resolution 
enough  to  put  forward  the  good  work  that  I  was  sent  about. 

There  are  two  main  impediments  to  the  growth  of  our  Church  in  this  place, 
one  is,  That  the  Members  of  our  Church  are  constrained  to  pay  rates  to  the 
support  of  Independent  Ministers ;  were  this  matter  redressed  a  great  num¬ 
ber  would  join  with  those  of  our  Communion  immediately,  besides  we  cannot 
find  that  any  of  our  Communion  upon  this  Northern  part  of  this  Continent 
are  obliged  to  support  the  Dissenters,  but  this  poor  handful  of  this  Town  only. 
Another  hindrance  is  the  want  of  a  place  of  worship,  for  several  have  satisfied 
me  that  they  would  attend  our  worship,  but  they  are  afraid  of  being  censured 
as  conventiclers  if  they  should  attend  Divine  Service  in  a  private  house. 

The  Number  of  my  hearers  is  uncertain;  sometimes  30,  sometimes  fewer; 
but  yet  I  am  pleased  to  tell  you  that  here  are  above  1 2  Communicants  who 
receive  monthly  ;  pious  and  devout  people  they  are  and  have  been  suffering  on 
account  of  their  Religion  above  20  years,  Mr.  Vesey’s  father  now  Minister  of 
New  York  in  particular. 

I  make  no  doubt  but  that  this  people  use  their  interest  to  break  our  little 
community  by  sending  home  false  Reports  of  my  people,  and  of  myself  in  par¬ 
ticular.  But  we  rely  on  the  wisdom  of  the  Hon’ble  Society  to  discover  their 
little  artifices,  which  if  taken  notice  of,  will  I  fear  prevent  our  Church  ever  get¬ 
ting  footing  in  Braintry.  This  Town  consists  of  120  families  and  has  been 
divided  some  few  years  since  into  two  districts  as  I  am  credibly  informed,  to 
prevent  a  Church  of  England  Minister  to  come  among  them. 

Swansea  and  Little  Compton  are  each  of  them  about  60  Miles  from  this 


93 


[i7i3. 


place,  both  which  I  have  visited  and  could  not  meet  one  person  who  would 
give  me  any  countenance,  Capt.  Brown  being  dead  and  his  Children  having 
entered  into  Covenant  with  the  independent  Minister  of  that  place  where  they 
dwell. 

My  people  have  addressed  His  Excellency  the  Governor  in  order  to  be 
cleared  of  the  rates  which  are  forced  from  them  yearly  to  support  the  dissent¬ 
ing  Clergy;  but  they  were  turned  to  the  Dissenting  General  Assembly  and 
therefore  can  see  no  hopes  of  redress. 

Thus  worthy  Sir  I  have  given  you  a  state  of  our  Case  and  I  earnestly  be¬ 
seech  you,  to  use  your  utmost  endeavours  with  the  Hon’ble  Society,  that  they 
will  be  pleased  to  pity  our  poor  Condition  and  find  out  some  way  to  redress 
our  grievances,  as  in  their  goodness  and  wisdom  may  seem  most  convenient 
to  their  Honours,  I  am  your  most  humble 

Obed‘  Serv1, 

THOMAS  EAGER. 

Sir, 

I  have  given  one  Captain  Moses  Thomas  a  Bill  of  Exchange  for  ^30 
which  will  be  due  to  me  the  25th  of  next  month.  I  pray  Sir  that  he  be  dis¬ 
charged  that  money,  or  I  shall  be  in  a  poor  Condition. 


The  humble  address  of  the  Ministers ,  Churchwardens ,  Vestry¬ 
men  and  Inhabitants  of  the  Church  of  Rngland  in  the 
IV est  precinct  of  Newbury  in  New  Rngland. 


To  the  Hon’ble  &  Venerable  the  Society  for  the  Propagating  the 

Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts. 

We  out  of  our  ardent  Love  and  affection  that  we  have  for  the  Worship  of 
God  now  professed  amongst  us  according  to  the  Liturgy  of  the  Church  of 
England  humbly  lay  before  you  the  necessity  we  have  of  a  long  time  had  of  a 
Minister  duly  qualified  according  to  your  instructions  in  that  behalf  directed 
to  read  and  preach  the  Word  of  God  unto  us.  We  return  you  humble  thanks 


1 71 3-] 


94 


for  the  Twenty  pounds  we  have  received  from  General  Nicholson  whose 
piety  and  unbounded  Charity  needs  no  encomium,  whose  arrival  has  cheered 
our  drooping  spirits  and  in  some  measure  released  us  from  the  oppression  of 
our  adversaries,  as  likewise  for  the  Ten  pounds  given  to  Mr.  John  Lambton, 
Chaplain  to  her  Majesty’s  Ship  Phoenix  which  is  appointed  to  attend  this  Gov¬ 
ernment,  who  is  willing  to  officiate  here  till  further  orders  from  the  Hon’- 
ble  Society  praying  that  he  may  have  the  Salary  during  the  time  he  is  as 
Missionary  here.  We  are  not  so  fixed  as  we  desire  as  to  our  number,  but 
hope  our  increase  will  answer  the  ends  expected.  For  the  present  we  are  only 
able  to  give  Forty  pounds  per  annum,  the  Minister  but  just  come  among  us 
but  hopes  in  a  small  time  to  advance  that  sum. 

The  Books  and  other  things  which  are  usually  sent  along  with  the  Mis¬ 
sionary  would  be  very  useful  for  the  continuance  and  establishing  us  in  the 
true  worship  of  God  and  Instrumental  in  bringing  others  over  who  are  inclin¬ 
ing  that  way  that  in  all  human  appearance  here  will  be  a  flourishing  Church. 
We  only  beg  your  Gracious  speedy  and  satisfactory  answer,  Beseeching 
Almighty  God  to  bless  all  your  pious  undertakings  in  the  prayers  of 


John  Lambton,  Minister. 

Tristram  Brown, 

Josiah  Weaver,  , 

Joshua  Brown,  \ 

Church 

Nathl  Bartlett, 

Abraham  Merrill,  j 

Wardens. 

Richd  Williams, 
Thomas  Brown, 
Thomas  Bartlett, 

Samuel  Bartlet, 

Joseph  Annis, 

Abiel  Long, 

Skipper  Lunt, 

Saml  Sawyer, 

Joshua  Brown,  Jun., 

-  Vestrymen. 

John  Eayr, 

Isaac  Rogers, 

John  Bartlet, 

John  Bartlet, 

Joseph  Bayly, 

John  Bartlet,  3rd, 
Richard  Bartlet, 
Danl  Ositaway, 
John  Merrill, 

Wm  Huse, 

Robert  Rogers, 
Nich0.  Davison, 
Benja.  Sawyer, 
Thos  Follansbe. 

95 


[I7I3- 


MEMORIAL  Concerning  Braintree ,  &fc. 


Boston,  N.  England,  Decr  9th,  1713. 

Some  years  since  several  persons  well  affected  to  the  Church  of  England 
made  application  for  a  Minister  to  be  sent  among  them,  but  their  earnest  de¬ 
sire  not  being  answered  for  many  years,  to  prevent  the  establishing  the 
Church  in  that  Town,  there  was  erected  a  New  Meeting-house  besides  one 
before  in  the  Town,  and  thither  not  a  few  have  resorted,  and  (as  far  as  I  can 
learn  from  the  most  credible  information),  are  in  firm  purpose  and  resolution 
to  keep  close  to  the  Meeting.  How  dissatisfied  those  who  have  professed 
themselves  to  be  of  the  Church  have  been  with  the  conduct  of  Mr.  Eager 
lately  sent  among  &  how  prejudicial  to  the  interest  and  increase  of  the  Church 
may  be  very  easily  concluded  from  those  evidences  given  into  his  Excellency 
Gen1  Nicholson  by  some  communicants  of  the  Church  and  Inhabitants  of  the 
Town.  I  shall  therefore  say  no  more  concerning  Braintree. 

As  for  Tiverton  near  Rhode  Island : 

Those  people  petitioned  for  a  Minister  as  many  other  Towns,  and  I  find 
they  are  most  of  them  resolved  to  have  a  Churchman  or  none,  as  is  evident 
by  what  Col1  Church  of  New  Bristol  told  me  lately,  viz.: 

That  he  had  built  a  Meeting  house  at  Tiverton  and  had  procured  two  dis¬ 
senting  Ministers,  but  neither  could  prevail  with  the  people  to  come  and  hear 
them,  which  his  son  (an  Inhabitant  of  the  Town)  observing  desired  his  father 
to  make  application  for  the  Settlement  of  a  Church  Minister  among  them, 
which  as  he  told  him  was  far  better  than  to  be  wholly  destitute. 

From  this  account  it  may  be  concluded  that  those  who  were  of  the  dis¬ 
senting  party  before,  are  now  willing  to  concur  and  join  with  the  rest  in  hav¬ 
ing  a  Church  Minister  among  them  and  I  am  humbly  of  opinion  that  if  a  sober, 
Religious  and  prudent  person  be  speedily  sent  among  them  he  will  find  his 
labours  encouraged  by  a  considerable  Number  of  persons  attending  on  his 
Ministry  and  in  some  short  time  fixed  in  the  way  of  the  Church  of  England. 

A  more  full  account  of  this  place  and  of  Little  Compton  may  be  given  by 
Mr.  Honyman,  both  not  far  distant  from  Rhode  Island  where  Mr.  Honyman 
resides. 


96 


I7I3-] 

SWANZEY. 

A  considerable  Number  of  the  Inhabitants  of  this  Town  petitioned  for  a 
Minister  for  7  or  8  years  ago  or  more,  but  not  supplied  at  all.  A  Dissenter 
now  preaches  to  the  people,  and  Captain  Brown  being  dead  and  some  others 
of  the  Church,  and  others  removed  upon  these  accounts  there  is  not  such 
ground  to  hope  for  the  selling  a  Church  there  as  formerly.  Thus  I  have  (in 
what  I  think  necessary  at  present)  given  an  account  of  the  aforementioned 
places.  Witness  my  hand, 

SAMUEL  MILES. 


The  Secretary  to  Governor  DUDLEY. 

18th  Decr,  1713. 

Hond  Sir, 

I  am  commanded  by  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  For¬ 
eign  Parts  to  inform  your  Excellency  that  they  have  lately  received  a  letter 
from  Mr.  Eager  lately  sent  Missionary  by  them  to  Braintree  in  which  among 
other  things  he  takes  notice  of  and  complains.  That  those  few  who  are  of  the 
Church  of  England  Communion  are  rated  and  taxed  most  extravagantly  to 
support  the  dissenting  Clergy.  The  Society  conceive  this  to  be  a  very  great 
hardship  and  apprehend  it  is  very  much  in  your  Excellency’s  power  to  do  and 
procure  to  be  done  that  which  is  just  and  equal  to  such  who  are  so  oppressed, 
and  the  rather  because  they  observe  in  a  Letter  from  your  Excellency  to  the 
late  Lord  Bishop  of  London  of  the  19th  December  last,  you  are  pleased  to 
say,  that  as  to  such  Inhabitants  who  had  declared  for  the  Church  of  England 
you  had  at  their  request  exempted  them  from  payment  of  taxes  to  any  other 
Ministers  but  of  the  Church.  The  Society  therefore  entreat  you  Sir  to  inter¬ 
pose  in  the  present  case  of  complaint ;  justice  may  be  done  &  kindness  shewn 
by  your  favour  and  protection.  They  present  their  humble  service  to  your 
Excellency.  I  am,  &c. 


97 


[i  7H- 


Governor  DUDLEY  to  the  Secretary . 


Boston,  New  England,  May  ist,  1714. 

SR, 

I  have  the  honour  of  your  letter  of  the  18th  December  1713,  wherein  I  have 
the  commands  of  the  Honble  Society  for  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign 
Parts  wch  are  most  acceptable  to  me  at  all  times.  I  very  well  remember  what 
I  last  year  wrote  to  my  Lord  of  London  referring  to  giving  easement  from 
the  taxes  for  the  support  of  the  Ministers  in  this  province  to  all  such  as 
attended  the  worship  after  the  Church  of  England,  which  I  have  brought  to  pass 
at  Newbury  where  there  is  a  chappel  and  a  good  number  of  auditors  well 

establish’d  Mr.  - their  Minister.  Upon  their  first  Meeting  I  wrote  to  the 

Magistrates  of  the  Town  to  direct  that  nothing  should  be  collected  from  the 
Members  of  that  Congregation  which  has  been  observ’d  ever  since,  saving 
that  there  was  an  arrear  due  to  the  Presbyterian  Minister  of  the  Town  for 
some  time  past  before  the  Chappel  was  erected,  which  after  some  trouble  they 
have  agreed  among  themselves  for  which  arrears  nevertheless  ye  Collectors  of 
Newbury  sued  some  of  the  Church  of  England  before  ye  Justices  who  gave 
costs  to  the  said  Church  party  &  dismist  the  complaint  &  all  is  quiet. 

There  has  been  the  same  trouble  at  Braintree  abl  the  arrear,  wch  I  hope  is 
over  also,  but  I  have  a  sorrowful  account  from  every  body  referring  to  Mr. 
Eager.  I  had  heard  of  his  rude  life  in  his  passage  hither  being  frequently 
disguised  in  drink  &  fighting  wth  ye  Saylors  even  to  wounds  &  taring  his 
cloaths  and  during  the  few  months  of  his  stay  here  he  was  frequently  in 
quarrels  and  fighting  and  sending  challenges  for  duells,  that  at  length  the 
auditory  at  Brandry  were  quite  ashamed  &  discouraged,  &  he  is  gone  to  Bar- 
badoes  without  any  direction  or  order;  and  the  Congregation  without  any 
Minister.  General  Nicholson  has  been  here  &  seen  ye  process  of  the  affair  as 
above. 

I  am  sorry  for  this  harsh  acc1  but  more  is  true  and  the  Church  is  greatly 
hurt  by  him  as  well  as  ye  other  people  who  are  almost  universally  of  another 
perswasion. 

I  pray  you  to  give  my  duty  and  service  to  the  Society  wth  this  account  and 
if  there  be  any  thing  wherein  I  can  put  forward  the  maintenance  of  ye  Mis- 
13 


98 


1 7 1 4-] 

sionarys  and  Religion  and  good  manners  in  all  part  of  these  Provinces,  I  shall 
be  glad  to  be  commanded  by  ye  Society. 

I  am,  Sr,  &c., 

J.  DUDLEY. 

- ♦ - 


Mr.  RAJVLINS  to  the  Lord  Bishop  of  London. 


Sidney  Street,  near  Leicester  Fields,  May  17,  1714. 

My  Lord, 

The  uneasiness  which  my  personal  address  seemed  to  give  your  Lord- 
ship  yestermorn  has  obliged  me  to  take  this  method  to  acquaint  your  Lordship 
that  I  last  night  performed  ye  last  office  for  my  late  friend  and  countryman  Mr. 
Bradstreet  who  I  may  venture  to  say  was  very  deserving  of  the  favour  and 
esteem  wherewith  your  Lordship  was  pleased  to  honour  him  whilst  alive.  Your 
Lordship  not  being  at  leisure  to  hear  me  explain  myself  upon  the  favour  I 
came  yesterday  to  entreat  for  him  since  his  death,  I  beg  leave  to  do  it  here. 
There  are  people  my  Lord  in  New  England  who  will  not  fail  to  say  (perhaps 
from  the  pulpit)  when  they  hear  of  Mr.  Bradstreet’s  death,  that  it  was  a  Judg¬ 
ment  on  him  for  his  Apostacv ;  for  so  they  qualify  conformity.  And  tho’  I 
fear  this  can  no  way  be  prevented  yet  I  humbly  conceive  your  Ld’p  may 
easily  prevent  their  triumphing  over  him  and  the  glorious  cause  in  pursuit 
whereof  he  died,  by  sneering  that  the  Church  of  England  was  not  so  fond  of 
her  new  Proselyte  but  that  his  carkass  loathsome  as  it  was  might  have 
remained  above  ground  had  not  the  charity  of  a  few  of  his  countrymen 
provided  for  its  interment,  who  I  can  assure  your  Lordship  are  so  far  from 
expecting  to  be  reimbursed  out  of  his  Estate,  that  on  the  contrary  they  think 
his  Family  stands  in  need  of  their  further  charity. 

I  know,  my  Lord,  they  would  be  glad  of  such  a  story  in  New  England  and 
would  carefully  improve  it  to  defeat  the  hopes  we  have  that  several  of  the 
young  Students  in  that  Country  will  follow  his  example.  The  method  in 
which  I  conceive  your  Lordship  might  remedy  this  and  which  I  promise  myself 
from  your  Lordship’s  known  goodness  is  by  procuring  £20  from  the  Illus¬ 
trious  Society  in  whose  cause  he  lost  his  life,  wch  will  be  sufficient  I  hope  to 


99 


[1714. 

pay  his  debts  &  defray  the  charges  of  his  Funeral.  The  Society  have  obliged 
themselves  to  defray  the  charges  of  those  who  come  over  to  be  ordained 
and  embrace  their  Mission,  as  appears  in  their  printed  acc1  Page  74-75  and 
therefore  cannot  refuse  this  when  recommended  by  your  Lordship.  This  is 
the  only  favour  I  have  to  beg  of  your  Ld’p  unless  it  be  that  your  Lordship 
will  pardon  the  trouble  wch  nothing  but  my  concern  for  ye  honour  of  our 
most  excelP  Church  could  have  tempted  me  to  give  you. 

I  am,  My  Lord,  &c., 

G.  RAWLINS. 


State  of  the  Church  at  Newbury . 


To  his  Excellency  Francis  Nicholson,  Esqr.,  Governour  of  the  Province  of 
Nova  Scotia  or  Accadia  in  North  America,  and  of  the  Town  and  Garrison 
of  Annapolis  Royal,  also  Gen1  and  Commander  in  Chief  of  all  Her  Majes¬ 
ty’s  forces  as  imployed  in  Nova  Scotia  and  in  ye  Island  of  Newfoundland. 

The  Memorial  of  John  Bridges  of  the  State  of  the  Church  at  Newbury  in 
New  England,  this  following  being  the  first  letter  he  ever  wrote  to  them 
on  the  Church  affair: 

Portsmouth  in  New  Hampshire  in  New 

England,  Xber  4,  1711. 

Gentlemen  unknown, 

This  with  great  satisfaction  and  joy  that  I  am  soe  pleasingly  surprized  to 
hear  of  your  good  affection,  zeal  and  resolution  toward  the  established  Church 
of  Great  Britain,  which  if  it  please  God  to  continue  and  strengthen  your 
minds  and  hearts  in  so  holy  and  good  a  work  I  will  by  God’s  assistance  soon 
see  you  and  defend  you  from  all  damages  you  shall  fall  under  or  suffer  by 
such  a  Church’s  being  built,  in  any  Court  or  Assembly  in  New  England, 
they  having  no  power  over  the  Church;  and  I  dare  engage  to  procure  from 
the  Bishop  of  London  a  good  sober  orthodox  Preacher  if  agreeable  to  you ; 
otherwise  if  you  have  any  good  man  amongst  you  that  will  go  over  &  receive 


1 7 1 4-] 


ioo 


Orders  I  will  put  you  in  a  method,  and  how  to  get  a  Salary  from  home  for  the 
Minister  from  ye  Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts,  or  from 
ye  Bp  of  London.  I  shall  not  be  further  troublesome  at  present,  only  wishing 
and  praying  to  Almighty  God  to  continue  you  in  your  good  desires  to  the 
Church  promising  you  to  stand  by  you  against  all  opposers  whatever,  and  am 

With  faithfulness  and  sincerity, 

Your  affect,  friend  &  Servant, 

(This  is  a  copy  of  my  first  letter  sent  J.  BRIDGES, 

to  the  People  of  the  Church  in  New¬ 
bury.) 

To  the  Right  Honble  and  Right  Revd  Henry,  Lord  Bp  of  London,  and  the 
Right  Honble  the  Lord  Dartmouth,  Principal  Secretary  of  State. 

The  Petition  of  several  Gentlemen  and  others,  Inhabitants  of  ye  West  Precinct 
of  Newbury  in  New  England,  in  America, 

Humbly  sheweth: 

That  we  your  Petitioners  most  humbly  pray  leave  in  behalf  of  ourselves 
and  others  to  lay  before  your  Lordships  in  a  few  words  as  our  troubles  that 
we  have  gone  through  will  admit  of.  In  the  first  place  our  Meeting  house  was 
pulled  down  by  rude  hands,  which  stood  on  our  own  land  built  at  our  own 
expence  thirty  years  since  and  our  Neighbors  have  by  a  tax  on  our  Estates 
&c.  built  another  Meeting  house  so  far  distant  that  renders  it  unserviceable 
to  us. 

The  proceedings  obliged  us  to  build  a  Church  and  at  the  Erecting  or 
raising  the  frame  we  did  then  declare  it  to  be  the  Queen’s  Chappel  in  the 
hearing  of  a  great  number  of  people.  In  this  we  had  proceeded  but  a  little 
time  before  a  warrant  was  sent  to  forbid  our  doings,  signed  by  the  Governr’s 
Secretary  (&  General  Assembly  concurred),  a  copy  of  which  pray  leave  to 
insert. 

This  put  an  intire  stop  to  us  all  till  her  Majesty  s  Surveyor  General  of  all  her 
Majesty’s  Woods  on  the  Continent  of  America,  John  Bridges,  Esqr.,  heard  of 
our  trouble  and  is  now  come  to  our  relief  and  has  put  us  in  the  way  of 
Petitioning  your  Lordship  from  whom  we  by  Mr.  Bridges  are  fully  persuaded 
of  a  satisfactory  and  a  speedy  answer  from  your  Lordship;  and  the  said 
Bridges  we  have  made  our  Agent  and  will  enable  him  by  men  and  materials 
to  finish  the  Church,  he  having  engaged  unto  us  to  go  on  to  build  the  Church 


IOI 


[1714. 


against  all  opposers  whatever  ;  and  as  he  has  so  he  will  stand  in  the  gap  for  us. 
We  humbly  pray  his  services  may  be  acceptable  to  her  Majesty  and  to  your 
Lordship  being  the  only  friend  the  Church  hath  in  these  parts,  humbly  begging 
your  Lordship’s  favour  to  her  Majesty  in  our  behalf. 

And  your  Petitioners  as  in  duty  bound 

shall  ever  pray,  &c. 

This  Petition  was  signed  by  32  on  be¬ 
half  of  themselves  and  others. 


What  follows  is  a  copy  of  the  aforesaid  order : 

At  a  session  of  the  great  and  Gen1  Assembly  or  Court  held  at  Boston  ye 
2 2d  of  August  1 71 1,  In  Council  24th  August  1 71 1,  upon  reading  an  information 
offered  by  Captn  Hugh  March  and  sundry  other  Inhabitants  of  the  Town  of 
Newbury,  that  several  persons  living  in  the  West  Precinct  of  Newbury  have 
raised  and  in  part  covered  an  house  intended  for  a  Meeting  house,  notwith¬ 
standing  the  advice  and  direction  of  this  Court  of  the  19th  July  to  desist  their 
proceedings  therein  until  there  had  been  a  hearing — 

Ordered ,  That  Samuel  Bartlett,  John  Ordeway,  Deacon  Joshua  Brown, 
Joshua  Bayley,  Skipper  Lunt  &  Penuel  Titcomb  be  anew  served  by  the 
Sherriffe  wth  a  copy  of  ye  Order  of  this  Court  of  the  19  of  July  past,  strictly 
forbidding  them  and  their  Associates  proceeding  in  the  work  of  their  intended 
Meeting  house  until  there  be  a  hearing  of  that  affair  as  by  the  said  order  is 
directed  and  that  the  said  persons  be  summoned  as  by  the  Sherriffe  to  attend 
this  Court  on  the  second  Wednesday  of  their  Session  in  the  fall,  to  answer 
for  their  contempt. 

Concurred  by  ye  Representatives. 

Consented  to, 

J.  DUDLEY. 

Is.  Adington,  Secretary. 


Sir, 

A  copy  of  the  Letter  to  my  Lord  Bp  I  cannot  find  nor  the  Petition  to  my 
Lord  Dartmouth,  but  I  have  the  Letter  to  my  Lord  Dartmouth  and  is  as 
follows,  tho’  that  Petition  was  to  the  same  sense  as  that  to  the  Bishop  of 


1 7 1 4-] 


102 


London  was,  and  when  I  had  got  these  two  Petitions  drawn  I  left  the  people 
and  returned  to  my  duty  at  Piscataqua,  whither  they  sent  their  Petitions  for 
me  to  send  to  my  Lord  of  London  and  my  Lord  Dartmouth : 

Piscataqua,  February  2d,  1711. 

Right  Honble, 

It  is  my  greatest  honour  and  happiness  to  be  known  by  your  Lordship  so 
is  it  my  greater  duty  to  be  truly  thankful  for  all  favours  recd  from  your  Lord- 
ship. 

Next  to  that  my  Lord  is  I  have  been  and  may  be  more  instrumental  in 
enlarging  and  promoting  our  truly  Apostolick  Church  of  which  your  Lordship 
will  be  informed  by  the  inclosed  Petition  from  a  people  bred  in  Schism  from 
their  Infancy,  your  Petitioners  I  encouraged  well  knowing  they  would  meet 
with  a  favourable  reception  from  your  Lordship. 

They  are  a  people  of  Innocent  conversation  and  good  reputation  and 
estate  two  of  these  were  Deacons  to  the  Meeting  (viz1.)  Abraham  Merrill  & 
Joshua  Brown  and  first  settlers  of  this  Town  both  70  years  of  age.  There  are 
many  more  besides  the  Petitioners  that  have  not  yet  courage  enough  to  your 
Lordship  but  so  soon  as  they  see  us  go  on,  and  finish  the  Church  and  that  we 
have  a  good  man  to  preach  then  they  will  joyne  them  and  with  submission 
am  well  assured  most  of  the  neighbourhood  will  come  to  our  Church,  if  a  man 
of  example  temper  courage  to  face  and  dispute  those  schismaticks  and  good 
conversation  such  a  man  my  Lord  I  am  sure  would  bring  all  the  three  Miles 
round  and  many  from  the  Town.  These  people’s  estates  are  not  abounding 
nor  are  they  wanting  and  if  her  Majesty  would  be  graciously  pleased  to  give 
an  allowance  to  ye  person  sent  That  these  people  may  not  be  taxed  to  pay 
the  Minister’s  rate  they  would  give  as  much  more  voluntary.  We  only  stand 
at  the  Church  door  with  a  Plate  and  receive  what  they  please  to  give  which 
pleases  those  people  and  will  be  a  means  to  bring  many  to  our  most  holy  and 
mother  Church. 

My  Lord  this  is  a  thing  without  precedent  I  presume  to  have  a  body  of 
people  to  leave  their  schism  at  once  and  if  it  meets  with  your  Lordship’s 
favour  will  be  an  effectual  way  to  draw  that  Schismatical  curtain  from  before 
those  people’s  eyes  but  the  greatest  fear  is  that  the  Church  was  never  known 
to  flourish  under  a  dissenting  Governour;  but  these  things  being  out  of  my 


103 


[*  7!4- 

instructions  most  humbly  pray  your  Lordship’s  pardon,  begging  your  Lord- 
ship’s  favour  to  her  Majesty  in  these  people’s  favour  and  our  Infant  Church 
and  that  they  be  furnished  wth  books  and  ornaments  which  would  very  much 
engage  them  to  see  her  Majesty’s  favour  bestowed  on  such  poor  people  as 
they  (this  I  know  to  be  the  temper  of  them)  I  most  humbly  beg  your  Lord¬ 
ship’s  pardon  to  intrude  on  your  Lordship’s  time  when  Great  Britain  attends 
such  wisdom  Council  and  direction  as  your  Lordship  dayly  dispences  to  its 
well-being.  I  am  with  all  possible  difference  and  great  submission, 

Your  Lordship’s  most  dutifull, 

J.  BRIDGES. 


Sir, 

I  had  dispatched  the  Petitions  to  my  Lord  of  London  and  Lord  Dartmouth 
and  my  letters  with  said  Petitions  and  my  business  permitting  I  went  to  New¬ 
bury  to  those  people  and  encouraged  them  to  go  on  with  the  Church  but  were 
discouraged  by  that  order  from  the  Court.  At  length  I  was  forced  to  give  the 
workmen  under  my  hand  to  indemnify  them  from  all  that  should  happen  on 
them  for  their  proceeding  to  work  on  the  Church  contrary  to  an  order  of  the 
Court  which  I  at  last  persuaded  them  to  and  got  them  into  obligations  under 
hand  and  seal  to  compleat  the  Church,  a  copy  of  which  follows,  but  first  crave 
leave  to  say,  I  wrote  to  my  Lord  Weymouth  and  to  your  Excellency  at  the 
same  time  when  I  sent  the  Petition,  &c. 


Newbury,  28th  Jan.,  1711. 

We  whose  names  are  hereunto  subscribed  do  by  these  presents  promise 
and  declare  that  we  will  provide  and  furnish  Workmen  and  materials  to  finish 
and  compleat  the  Church  now  standing  on  Mr.  Brown’s  land  called  the 
Queen’s  Chappel  and  we  do  hereby  desire  John  Bridges,  Esqr.  to  take  into  his 
care  and  management  the  entire  finishing  and  compleating  the  said  Church  fit 
for  the  preaching  the  Gospel  therein  and  do  again  declare  that  we  will  supply 
ye  said  Bridges  with  all  necessaries  and  materials  that  such  a  work  may  or  do 
require ;  and  we  do  further  declare  that  this  writing  shall  be  good  and  valid 
in  ye  law  as  if  each  of  us  had  given  our  distinct  and  separate  Bonds  for  the 
performing  of  the  work  before  mentioned.  As  Witness  our  hands  and  seals 


1 7I4*] 


104 


this  28th  day  of  January  in  the  tenth  year  of  her  Majesty’s  Reign,  Annoq. 
Domini  1711. 

Joseph  Annis, 

Joseph  Bailey, 

John  Bartlet, 

Joshua  Brown,  Junr. 

John  Merrill,  Junr. 

Josiah  Sawyer, 

Thomas  Brown, 

Thomas  Bartlet, 

Robert  Rogers, 

Danl  Ositaway, 

William  Huse, 

Ephraim  Davis, 

Nathl  Bartlet, 

Joshua  Sawyer, 

John  Bartlet, 

SR, 

After  I  had  got  their  obligations  signed  for  finishing  the  Church,  I  gave 
directions  and  I  answered  all  their  objections  and  question  concerning  both 
the  principles  and  form  of  Worship  so  well  as  I  was  capable,  which  however 
gave  them  good  content  for  that  time  tho’  they  had  many  lyes  told  them  con¬ 
cerning  the  worship  of  our  most  holy  Church.  Some  time  after  this  I  came  and 
visited  them  again  and  gave  them  all  the  encouragement  possible  by  assuring 
them  that  the  Bp  of  London  would  answer  their  Petition  and  would  take  care 
of  them.  In  this  manner  I  kept  up  their  good  inclinations  towards  the  Church 
and  as  they  had  obliged  themselves  to  me  they  desired  me  to  give  them  my 
obligation  viz1. 

Newbury,  February  20th,  1711. 

Whereas,  Abraham  Merrill  and  Joshua  Brown  of  the  West  Precinct  of 
Newbury,  Gentlemen  and  others  have  obliged  themselves  to  me  the  subscriber 
by  a  writing  under  their  hands  and  seals  bearing  date  the  28th  of  January  last 
past  to  furnish  provide  &  find  me  with  men  and  materials  to  finish  &  compleat 
the  Church  now  standing  on  the  Subscriber  John  Bridges’  land  fit  for  the  per¬ 
formance  and  worship  of  Almighty  God  according  to  the  established  Church 


Abraham  Merrill, 
Joshua  Brown, 
Saml  Bartlett, 
Richd  Williams, 
Saml  Sawyer, 
Skipper  Lunt, 
Richd  Bartlet, 
Tristram  Brown, 
Jopin  Eayr, 

John  Bartlet, 
John  Rogers, 

John  Sawyer, 

John  Hewes, 

Nichs  Davis, 

Saml  Bartlett. 


io5 


of  Great  Britain.  Now  Know  Ye,  That  by  these  presents  I  do  oblige 
myself  to  finish  &  compleat  the  said  Church  when  the  said  Abraham  Merrill, 
Joshua  Brown  &c.  shall  furnish  provide  and  find  me  with  men  and  materials 
and  that  I  in  their  stead  or  behalf  will  bear  them  harmless  and  answer  for 
them  for  their  so  building  the  Church  in  any  action  or  cause  of  actions  that 
shall  arise  therefrom  &  appear  &  defend  them  in  any  of  their  Courts  in  this 
Province.  The  Church  to  be  finished  in  or  before  July  next  ensuing  this 
date,  provided  they  furnish  me  with  men  and  materials  as  aforesaid  to  com¬ 
pleat  the  Church  as  aforesaid.  In  Witness  whereof  I  have  hereunto  set  my 
hand  and  seal  the  day  and  year  above  written. 

J.  BRIDGES.  [Seal.] 

Sir, 

Before  I  gave  this  obligation  I  bought  ye  land  that  the  Church  stands  on  to 
prevent  their  alienation  of  said  land  and  Church  and  I  have  bound  myself  to 
them  never  to  alienate  neither  Church  nor  land  to  any  other  use  whatever. 
I  have  not  as  yet  made  over  the  land  but  design  to  do  it  very  soon. 

I  also  intend  to  settle  on  that  Church  200  acres  of  good  land  that  lyes 
upon  the  same  River  of  Merimade  by  which  River  the  Church  now  stands,  so 
soon  as  the  land  is  divided  amongst  the  proprietors,  which  I  hope  to  do  this 
Summer  being  one  of  them.  As  witness  my  hand  this  19  April  1714. 

J.  BRIDGES. 

Sr, 

In  March  following  I  wrote  a  Letter  to  ye  Revd  Mr.  Harris  one  of  the 
Ministers  of  the  Queen’s  Chapel  at  Boston  desiring  him  to  give  his  assistance 
to  these  people  at  Newbury  which  he  immediately  did  and  stayed  with  them 
14  days  the  first  time.  After  this  he  made  them  many  visits  and  took  a  great 
deal  of  pains  in  instructing  them  in  ye  doctrine  and  worship  of  God  in  the 
Church  of  England;  he  gave  them  a  dozen  common  prayer  Books  at  his  own 
expence :  many  more  was  given  them  and  the  Church  at  Boston  reprinted 
Doctor  King’s  Book  of  the  Inventions  of  men  in  the  worship  of  God  and 
Doctor  Williams’s  defence  of  the  Common  Prayer,  one  hundred  copies 
whereof  were  disposed  of  amongst  them  at  first  and  more  since. 

These  methods  succeeded  so  well  that  when  Mr.  Harris  preached  at  New¬ 
bury  the  number  of  his  hearers  often  amounted  to  three  hundred  persons  and 
upwards  so  considerable  a  body  of  people  was  thought  worth  the  Church’s 
care  and  the  Govnt  protection  and  therefore  a  Petition  was  presented  to  his 


14 


1 7 1 4-] 


io6 


Excellency  Col.  Dudley  that  he  would  be  pleased  to  exempt  them  from  paying 
of  rates  to  the  independent  Ministers  which  he  did  give  as  his  opinion  tho’  no 
order  written. 

This  incouragement  enabled  them  to  go  forward  towards  the  finishing  the 
Church.  Your  Memorialist  therefore  prays  your  Excellency  to  fix  a  Min¬ 
ister  among  them  and  to  procure  from  the  Society  for  Propagation  of  the 
Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts  a  Salary  of  Sixty  pounds  per  Annum  for  his  main¬ 
tenance,  nothing  having  happened  like  this  in  the  Plantation  which  so  well 
deserves  the  Honble  Society’s  care.  Most  humbly  begging  your  Excellency’s 
smiles  on  this  Infant  Church,  and  that  your  Excellency  would  be  pleased  to 
be  a  friend  to  it  well  knowing  that  your  Excellency’s  representation  will 
prevail  effectually,  I  am  with  all  possible  deference  and  great  submission, 

Your  Excellency’s,  &c. 
_  J.  BRIDGES. 

At  a  great  and  general  Court  of  our  Assembly  for  her  Majesty’s  Province 
of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  in  New  England  begun  and  held  at  Boston  upon 
the  30th  of  May  171 1,  and  continued  by  several  Prorogations  unto  Wednesday 
the  17th  day  of  October  following  being  their  fourth  Sessions,  November  2d 
1 71 1  The  following  order  passed  ye  Council  read  and  concurred  by  the  House 
of  Representatives  viz4.  Upon  hearing  the  case  of  Newbury  referring  to  the 
House  lately  pretended  to  be  raised  for  the  publick  worship  of  God  on  or 
near  Deacon  Joshua  Brown’s  Land  contrary  to  the  directions  of  this  Court  of 
wch  there  is  no  present  necessity,  It  is  ordered  that  ye  building  of  the  said 
house  be  not  upon  any  pretence  whatsoever  further  proceeded  in  but  that  ye 
division  of  the  Town  into  two  Precincts  between  ye  old  Meeting  house  and 
that  upon  Pipestaves  Hill  be  ye  present  division  of  the  auditory  and  is  hereby 
confirmed  and  established  and  all  persons  concerned  are  to  yield  obedience 
accordingly  and  that  the  disorders  that  have  been  in  the  proceedings  about 
the  said  house  on  Brown’s  land  be  referred  to  the  next  Sessions  of  the  peace 
in  Essex. 

Consented  to, 

J.  DUDLEY. 


io7 


[1714- 


To  His  Excellency  Joseph  Dudley,  Esqr.  Captain  General  and  Govern1-  in 
Chief  in  and  over  her  Majesty’s  Province  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  in 
New  England. 

The  humble  Petition  of  several  Freeholders  and  other  Inhabitants  of  the  Town 
of  Newbury  in  behalf  of  themselves  and  others. 

Whereas,  your  Excellency’s  Petitioners  have  declared  themselves  Mem¬ 
bers  of  the  Episcopal  Church  of  England  as  by  law  established  and  have 
raised  a  building  of  Almighty  God  according  to  ye  manner  of  worship  pre¬ 
scribed  in  the  said  Church.  We  humbly  desire  your  Excellency’s  protection 
and  encouragement  in  our  just  and  laudable  undertakings.  We  are  con¬ 
vinced  that  the  Church  of  England  is  a  pure  orthodox  Church  and  are 
resolved  to  continue  no  longer  in  that  separation  which  has  so  unhappily 
prevailed  among  the  mistaken  and  prejudiced  Inhabitants  of  this  Country. 
This  resolution  has  occasioned  the  ill-will  of  our  Dissenting  Brethren  who  lay 
upon  us  more  than  ordinary  rates  for  the  maintenance  of  their  Minister  and 
other  purposes  of  that  nature,  which  act  of  theirs  is  very  great  hardship  and 
grievance  to  us  since  we  have  addressed  our  right  Reverend  Diocesan  the 
Bishop  of  London  to  send  us  a  Minister  whom  we  shall  most  gladly  receive, 
but  think  ourselves  under  no  obligation  to  any  other,  it  being  a  thing  unknown 
in  her  Majesty’s  dominions  that  the  members  of  the  Church  of  England  should 
be  forced  to  contribute  to  the  support  of  the  tolerated  dissenting  Teachers. 
We  therefore  pray  your  Excellency  that  we  may  not  be  molested  for  the 
future  upon  this  acc1,  and  beg  leave  to  subscribe  ourselves 

Your  Excellency’s  most  obedient 

Willm  Huse, 

John  Merrill, 

Joseph  Annis, 

Thos  Bartlett, 

Tristram  Brown, 

Sam1  Sawyer, 

Joshua  Brown,  Junr, 

Abraham  Merrill, 


humble  Servants, 

Joshua  Brown,  Senr, 
Josiah  Sawyer, 

Nath1  Bartlett, 
Joshua  Sawyer, 

John  Bartlet, 

Sam1  Bartlet. 


John  Eyre, 

John  Bartlet, 
Sam1  Bartlet, 
Richd  Williams, 
Robert  Rogers, 
Thos  Brown, 
John  Bartlet, 
Joseph  Bayley, 


1 7 1 4-] 


io8 


Boston,  28  February,  1711-12. 

I  recd  yesterday  an  address  and  Petition  signed  by  twenty-two  persons 
Freeholders  and  Inhabitants  of  the  Town  of  Newbury  setting  forth  that  they 
are  declared  Members  of  the  Episcopal  Church  of  England  as  by  law  estab¬ 
lished  and  that  they  have  raised  a  building  for  ye  service  of  God  according  to 
the  manner  of  worship  prescribed  in  the  said  Church,  desiring  protection  and 
encouragement  therein  accordingly. 

And  that  they  have  addressed  the  Right  Revd  the  Bp  of  London  to  have 
a  Minister  sent  to  them  and  that  thereupon  they  may  not  be  obliged  to  con¬ 
tribute  to  the  subsistance  of  the  other  Ministers  of  any  other  profession  as  at 
large  is  set  forth  in  ye  said  Petition. 

I  am  also  further  informed  by  the  Revd  Mr.  Harris  one  of  the  Ministers  of 
the  Church  of  England  in  this  place  that  at  their  desire  he  has  visited  and 
preached  to  that  new  Congregation  and  had  a  very  considerable  auditory  and 
that  he  will  continue  so  to  do  until  their  said  address  to  the  Bp  of  London 
shall  be  considered  and  orders  given  therein. 

I  am  therefore  of  opinion  that  the  said  Petitionrs  and  others  that  join  with 
them  ought  to  be  peaceably  allowed  in  their  lawful  proceedings  therein  for 
their  good  establishment  and  ought  not  to  be  taxed  or  imposed  upon  for  the 
support  and  maintenance  of  any  other  public  worship  in  the  said  Town,  of 
wch  I  desire  all  persons  concerned  to  take  notice  accordingly. 

Given  under  my  hand, 

J.  DUDLEY. 

To  Her  Majesty’s  Justices  of  Peace 

for  the  County  of  Essex,  Massachu¬ 
setts  Bay. 

This  paper  contains  the  Govern1’8  opinion  and  not  an  order  from  him  as 
was  desired.  The  Independents  had  no  regard  to  this  opinion  as  will  appear 
by  their  proceedings  set  forth  in  the  following  papers. 


109 


[i7i4- 


The  Case  of  the  Churchmen  at  Newbury. 


A  considerable  number  of  sober  thinking  and  well  disposed  persons  of  the 
independent  Church  at  Newbury  ^meeting  with  very  severe  and  unchristian 
treatment  there  and  being  well  satisfied  in  their  consciences  of  ye  excellency 
of  the  discipline  and  worship  of  the  Church  of  England  and  well  confirmed 
and  established  therein  by  ye  vigilant  and  industrious  endeavours  of  the  Epis¬ 
copal  Ministers  of  Boston  left  independency  and  at  their  own  charge  built  a 
church  for  the  worship  of  God  after  the  mode  used  in  the  Church  of  England 
at  which  the  Independents  took  great  offence  and  occasion  of  Quarrel  with 
them  using  all  the  arts  of  discouragement  they  could  devise  to  frustrate  their 
designs,  and  in  order  to  compass  it  at  a  Town  Meeting  at  Newbury  held  the 
21st  day  of  March  1709,  they  voted  to  make  rate  for  Mr.  Belcher  their  Min¬ 
ister  and  for  all  other  necessary  charges  relating  to  the  Ministry  against  which 
the  new  converts  objected,  making  known  their  purpose  of  quitting  Independ¬ 
ency  and  erecting  a  Church  as  aforesaid,  which  they  compleated  about  June  or 
July,  1 7 1 1 .  But  the  Independents  in  pursuance  of  that  Town  vote  (tho’  even 
at  the  time  the  Churchmen  opposed  and  entred  their  dissents  against  it)  rated 
these  men  (among  the  Independents  of  the  Meeting)  to  support  the  ends  of 
that  vote  and  afterwards  as  their  manner  is  made  their  Bills  or  lists  of  rates, 
and  on  the  5th  of  January,  1711  appointed  a  collector  who  had  a  warrant  with 
the  rate  bills  delivered  him  an  order  to  collect  the  same  the  tenour  and  nature 
of  which  warrant  is  that  if  any  of  the  persons  whose  names  are  inserted  shall 
refuse  to  pay  to  the  Collector  the  sum  or  sums  they  are  rated  at  he  then  has 
an  arbitrary  authority  to  levy  on  the  goods  of  the  party  and  for  want  thereof 
to  commit  him  to  Goal  till  satisfied. 

This  done  the  Collector  goes  entirely  out  of  the  method  of  his  warrant 
and  against  law  and  purely  to  put  these  poor  people  to  excessive  charges 
commences  original  actions  before  a  Justice  of  Peace  against  some  of  these 
Churchmen  and  founds  all  on  the  rate  bill  which  being  of  ye  same  nature  with 
a  Judgment  and  so  being  sure  to  cast  the  Defendants  obtains  a  bill  of  charge 
in  each  suit  often  surmounting  the  first  sum  of  tax  demanded  the  poorer  sort 
are  forced  to  submit.  But  it  happened  lately  that  Mr.  Bayley  and  Brown  two 
Churchmen  appealed  from  Judgments  severally  given  against  them  by  one 


1714.] 


1 10 


Justice  Jewet,  to  the  inferior  Court  of  Common  Pleas  at  Ipswich  and  filed  their 
reasons  of  appeal  according  to  the  course  of  such  proceedings  by  appeal  and 
had  counsel  sent  30  Miles  employed  and  paid  by  Col1  Nicholson  to  appear 
for  and  defend  them  in  those  actions  who  when  the  causes  were  called  urged 
and  argued  several  things  against  the  nature,  manner  and  the  illegality  of  the 
proceedings  as  partly  appears  by  their  reasons  in  that  behalf  but  more  espe¬ 
cially  That  the  Collector  having  an  executive  power  by  his  Warrant  (if  any 
cause  of  action  be  had  against  the  appealts)  the  remedy  was  in  his  own  hands 
and  therefore  he  could  not  in  this  arbitrary  manner  prosecute  the  appeal15, 
and  commence  actions  de  novo.  That  this  was  litigious  savoured  of  malice 
and  was  a  great  oppression  of  the  subject,  and  against  the  duty  and  office 
of  a  Collector  and  the  Charter ;  and  established  Laws  and  divers  other  things 
were  at  large  offered  in  point  of  Law  to  quash  the  process.  The  Judges 
advised  till  next  day  and  then  drew  up  and  declared  their  Judgments  (viz4.) 
The  Judgments  given  by  the  Justices  were  erroneous.  Reversed  the  same 
and  awarded  the  appealant  costs  (or  to  that  effect). 

But  still  these  poor  persecuted  Churchmen  are  subject  to  the  menace 
terrour  and  execution  of  that  Judicial  warrant  (tho’  at  present  freed  from  the 
apprehension  of  it)  whilst  under  the  Patronage  of  Col1  Nicholson  but  when 
he  leaves  this  country  they  will  be  left  in  some  distress  and  have  reason  to 
fear  the  Independent’s  force  of  that  dorment  Warrant. 

The  Laws  by  which  the  election  maintenance  and  affairs  of  the  Ministry  are 
Governed  are  entitled  as  follows  (viz4.) 

An  Act  for  the  settlement  and  support  of  Ministers  and  Schoolmasters. 

An  Explanatory  Act  concerning  the  same. 

An  Act  in  further  addition  to  the  Act  intitled  an  Act  for  ye  settlement  and 
support  of  Ministers. 

An  Act  more  effectually  providing  for  ye  support  of  Ministers. 


1 1 1 


[1714. 


A  Memorial  of  the  People  of  Newbury  to  Gen’  NICHOL¬ 
SON 


In  the  year  1711  we  raised^our  building  and  on  the  24th  day  of  July  we 
proclaimed  it  the  Queen’s  Chapel  and  have  defrayed  all  the  charges  relating 
to  our  former  Minister  Mr.  Belcher  which  was  Sixty  pounds  a  year  only  that 
small  arrear  which  is  due  from  May  31st  till  the  erection  of  our  Chapel.  The 
Collector  then  chosen  was  for  the  year  ensuing,  for  we  always  paid  him  yearly 
and  if  they  will  but  calculate  what  is  due  for  that  small  time  we  are  willing 
to  pay  it  but  intermixing  other  charges  with  the  Minister  would  force  us  to 
pay  both  for  the  whole  year  notwithstanding  we  declared  our  dissent  against 
their  proceedings  in  the  year  1705-6.  We  have  paid  all  since  we  entered 
our  dissent  but  ye  above  mentioned  arrear  which  has  put  us  to  some  charge 
and  no  small  trouble,  and  now  the  thing  is  set  in  a  fair  light  we  hope  your 
Excellency  will  lay  it  before  the  Governor  &  Council. 

We  are, 

Your  Excellency’s 

Obliged  and  humble  Servants, 

Thomas  Brown,  Joshua  Brown,  Senr., 

John  Merill,  Saml  Sawyer, 

Saml  Bartlet, 

In  behalf  of  the  rest  of  the  Church. 


1714.] 


I  I  2 


Remonstrance  of  several  Inhabitants  of  Newbury  to  Gen1 

NICHOLSON  ' 


TO  HIS  EXCELLENCY  FRANCIS  NICHOLSON,  Esqe. 

The  Remonstrance  and  Petition  of  Sundry  of  the  Inhabitants  of  ye  West 

Precinct  of  the  Town  of  Newbury  in  New  England  who  worship  God 

agreeable  to  the  usage  of  the  Church  of  England  as  by  law  established, 

Humbly  sheweth: 

That  your  Petitioners  ever  since  their  endeavours  for  a  settlement  have 
strugled  with  very  great  and  almost  insuperable  difficulties  on  the  acc1  of 
their  religion  from  their  unquiet  and  fractious  Neighbours  the  Independents 
of  Newbury  with  some  of  which  (for  they  cannot  recount  them  all  but  desire 
to  forget  and  forgive)  they  beg  leave  to  acquaint  your  Excellency,  viz1.  :  Their 
design  and  endeavour  has  been  to  possess  the  people  that  the  Church  is 
Popish  and  Superstitious. 

To  utter  and  publish  disrespectful  and  seditious  speeches  against  the  Gov¬ 
ernment  and  Ministry  at  home. 

Their  malicious  usage  of  some  of  them  particularly  John  Bartlet  and  his 
Brethren — The  imprisonment  of  Thomas  Brown  for  rates  and  taking  a  parcel 
of  cloth  from  Wm  Huse  for  other  taxes — shows  that  they  have  wanted  even 
Christian  charity  and  mutual  forbearance  (brings  to  our  minds  the  vote  of  the 
House  of  Commons  in  the  year  ’47  when  they  gave  indulgence  to  all  but  those 
who  used  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer. 

Their  unjust  rates  taxes  and  impositions  and  multiplicity  of  suits  thereupon 
against  some  of  the  Petitioners  for  supporting  and  maintaining  an  Independ¬ 
ent  Minister  after  they  had  separated  themselves  from  that  way  of  Worship 
and  erected  a  Church  for  Divine  service  at  their  own  charge  and  then  ye  Com¬ 
bination  wth  ye  Ministers  to  represent  and  decry  your  Petition  as  a  factious 
wicked  people  whose  religion  was  grounded  in  prejudice  without  principles. 

And  your  Petitioners  could  heartily  wish  that  the  persons  of  Character  and 
post  who  are  presumed  to  be  abetters  of  these  men  in  their  unjust  and  vigor¬ 
ous  proceedings  might  be  found  out  in  their  plots  and  machinations  to  check 


H3  [i7i4. 

the  growth  and  wholy  to  extirpate  the  Church  of  England  that  they  might 
receive  the  demerit  of  their  deeds  which  ’tis  hoped  time  will  discover. 

And  now  your  Petitioners  humbly  implore  your  Excellency’s  protection 
to  whom  as  to  their  Asylum  or  refuge  in  distress  they  apply  whom  above  all 
others  they  rely  on  not  only  because  your  Excellency  has  above  all  others 
exceeded  in  bounty  for  the  Establishment  of  the  most  Excellent  (tho’  dis¬ 
tressed  Church)  and  most  generously  at  your  own  charge  sustained  & 
defended  them  in  many  malicious  and  expensive  lawsuits  prosecuted  against 
them  by  the  Church’s  enemies,  but  also  as  you  are  of  that  Noble  and  exem¬ 
plary  virtue  (imitating  therein  the  glorious  pattern  of  Her  Majesty  the  head 
of  the  Church)  as  with  open  arms  to  relieve  and  cherish  the  oppressed  but  we 
forbear  to  proceed  to  mention  ye  numerous  instances  of  your  beneficence  lest 
we  offend. 

May  it  therefore  please  your  Excellency  to  lay  the  case  of  your  distressed 
Petitioners  at  her  most  sacred  Majesty’s  feet  and  please  to  communicate  the 
same  to  such  persons  of  Honor  and  State  in  such  manner  as  to  your  wisdom 
shall  seem  meet. 

That  strict  orders  may  be  given  to  the  Govern1  to  redress  our  Griev¬ 
ances  in  the  premises  that  so  for  the  future  we  may  be  happy  in  ye  exercise 
of  our  most  holy  Religion  and  partage  in  the  common  benefit  Her  Majesty 
vouchsafes  to  bestow  on  all  her  subjects  especially  the  Church  of  England, 

And  your  Petitioners  shall  ever  pray. 

Sam-  Sawyer,  Abraham  Merrill,  j  Churchwardens. 

Saml  Bartlet,  Joshua  Brown,  J 

and  others. 


Church  at  Marblehead  to  Gen1  Nicholson . 


Nov.  27,  1714. 

Sir, 

We  the  Subscribers  and  Benefactors  of  the  Church  of  England  erected  in 
Marblehead  do  understand  that  your  Excellency  being  bound  for  Great 
Britain  which  pray  God  protect  &  send  you  safe  is  the  humble  &  hearty 

IS 


1 7 1 4*] 


H4 

prayers  of  your  dutiful  children.  Returning  our  Father  &  founder  of  the 
Church  among  us  humble  &  hearty  thanks  for  your  generous  benevolence 
towards  erecting  of  said  Church.  Honored  Sir  we  think  it  our  bounden  duty 
to  acquaint  you  further  of  our  proceedings  which  is  as  followeth  Viz4.  July 
20th  at  a  Meeting  of  the  majority  of  the  Benefactors  at  the  House  of  Mr.  Geo. 
Jackson  in  order  to  Incorporate  Viz1.  The  Society  made  choice  of  Captn  John 
Calley  Moderator  &  Bartholomew  Jackson  Clarke  in  carrying  on  this  affair 
&  proceeded  further  to  make  choice  of  Mr.  Geo.  Jackson,  Mr.  John  Oulton, 
Captn  John  Calley,  Captn  James  Calley  to  be  a  standing  Committee  for  the 
carrying  on  that  affair  in  building  a  Handsome- Church,  Mr.  Geo.  Slackom  & 
Mr.  Hy  Humpries  Surveyors  of  the  Work,  Mr.  Thomas  Searle,  Mr.  John 
Taalmon,  Mr.  Thos  Candish,  Mr.  Sam1  Martyn  &  Mr.  Bartho.  Jackson  Col¬ 
lectors  ;  further  the  Society  obligeth  themselves  to  pay  one  third  part  of  their 
Subscriptions  when  the  Timber  rz  other  Utensills  being  on  the  spot  &  one 
third  part  more  when  covered  &  the  other  third  part  when  finish’d.  Pursuant 
the  Committee  erected  and  raised  a  Church  Septr  2d  of  the  dimensions  fol¬ 
lowing  Viz1.  48  foot  square,  23  foot  had  the  Tower  being  50  foot  from  the 
Ground  &  17  foot  square  And  we  design  the  Spire  53  foot  above  the  Tower. 
October  16  the  Church  being  now  inclosed  &  followed  &  the  most  part 
shingled  &  shut  up  and  we  have  agreed  for  finishing  the  whole  having  all 
things  in  place.  But  the  weather  proving  extream  hard  has  put  us  by  at 
present  but  hope  by  the  blessing  of  God  to  compleat  &  finish  the  whole  by 
the  last  of  June  ensuing  at  the  furthest  &  we  pray  your  Excellency’s  further 
assistance  for  procuring  an  able  Orthodox  Minister  for  us  whose  conversation 
may  be  according  to  his  doctrine  without  which  it  will  be  impossible  for  the 
Church  of  England  to  flourish  amongst  us  in  this  Town  considering  the  many 
Enemies  we  have  against  us.  So  with  due  respects  we  beg  leave  to  subscribe, 

Your  Excellency’s  most  dutiful  and 

Obedient  Children  to  command, 

Geo.  Jackson, 

Jn°.  Calley, 
James  Calley, 

In  behalf  of  the  Society. 


M’ .  LUC  si  S  to  the  Secretary . 


Septr  12,  1715. 

Sir, 

We  had  a  very  long  passage  not  arriving  here  till  the  12th  at  Even.  I 
shall  be  (God  willing)  at  Newbury  this  week.  I  am  like  to  meet  with  a  great 
deal  of  trouble  there  at  first  for  the  Dissenters  have  taken  possession  of  the 
church  and  robbed  it  of  its  Ornaments,  Vestments  and  Books,  but  upon  their 
being  called  to  an  account  for  these  things  they  told  the  Gentlemen  that  they 
would  restore  both  it  and  them  as  soon  as  any  Missionary  was  come  so  their 
farther  prosecution  was  stopt;  you  shall  know  the  state  of  the  Church  there  as 
soon  as  possible.  I  return  you  my  hearty  thanks  for  former  kindnesses  and 
with  my  service  to  you,  I  am,  Sir, 

Your  very  much  obliged 

humble  Servant, 

HENRY  LUCAS. 


<♦* 


The  Lord  Bishop  of  London  s  Instructio?is  to  Mr.  HARRIS 
Assistant  to  Mr.  MILES  at  Boston. 


Upon  the  reading  at  the  Vestry  this  day  My  Lord  Bishop  of  London’s 
Instructions  to  Mr.  Harris  Assistant  to  Mr.  Miles,  ordered  that  the  same  be 
entered  Verbatim  as  followeth  viz1. : 

Having  appointed  Mr.  Harris  to  go  over  Assistant  to  the  Minister  at 
Boston  for  his  better  satisfaction  I  have  thought  fit  to  declare  That  as  he  is 
not  to  go  under  the  absolute  command  of  Mr.  Miles  yet  he  is  to  pay  a  respect 
to  him  in  all  reasonable  things  and  take  an  equal  share  with  him  in  supplying 
the  Church  but  not  to  meddle  in  any  thing  that  relates  to  perquisites  whether 
for  Marriages  Burials  or  Christenings  and  to  be  contented  with  what  is 
allotted  him  from  hence  &  by  all  means  to  avoid  the  insinuation  of  any  that 
shall  attempt  to  make  matters  uneasy  betwixt  him  &  Mr.  Miles  who  I  do 


likewise  require  to  receive  this  his  Assistant  with  all  fair  &  good  usage  &  that 
they  both  conspire  so  good  an  understanding  that  nothing  may  creep  in  to 
make  a  breach  between  them :  And  that  they  do  agree  to  relate  all  stories 
that  shall  be  whispered  to  them  publickly  in  the  next  Vestry  that  such  little 
make  bates  may  be  discouraged  &  made  ashamed  of  such  base  behaviour  & 
therefore  I  desire  likewise  that  this  Paper  may  be  read  in  a  full  Vestry  that 
they  may  be  witnesses  of  your  sincere  conformity  to  what  is  appointed.  I  do 
also  declare  that  Mr.  Harris  shall  have  the  full  allowance  of  the  appointed 
bounty  by  Midsummer  next  come  twelve  Months  at  furthest,  as  not  being  yet 
fully  informed  to  what  degree  and  upon  what  ground  Mr.  Bridge  hath  com¬ 
mitted  that  insolent  Riot  upon  the  Church  of  Rhode  Island  which  so  soon  as 
I  am  ascertained  of  I  intend  the  full  allowance  shall  commence  from  that  time. 

Given  under  my  hand  this  28th  day  of  May,  1 708. 

H.  LONDON. 


Aprill  6th,  1709. 

Boston  in  New  England,  Decr  27,  1714. 
A  true  copy  then  compared  wth  ye  Entry  in  the  Church  Book. 


John  Jekyll,  J  , 

•L  J  >  Churchwardens. 

I  hos  Newton,  J 


Mr .  SHAJV  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Marblehead,  Jany  13th,  1715-16. 

May  it  please  the  Honble  Society, 

According  to  the  obligation  I  am  under  I  have  enclosed  an  account  of  my 
Parochial  Proceedings  since  my  arrival  at  Marblehead  wch  was  upon  the  20th 
day  of  July  last;  my  accounts  would  have  been  far  more  considerable  had  we 
not  grappled  with,  &  did  we  not  still  labour  under  several  difficulties.  There 
is  a  certain  number  of  persons  that  have  separated  themselves  from  an  old 
place  of  Worship,  &  have  as  some  of  their  chief  members  have  openly  declared, 


I 


”7  [1716. 

built  a  meeting  house  in  Damnable  spite  &  Malice  against  our  Ch,  this  house 
is  close  by  our  Ch,  &  the  persons  thereto  belonging  are  so  inveterate  against 
us,  that  they  omit  no  abuses  nor  indirect  practices  to  seduce  my  people ;  de¬ 
faming,  lying,  &  backbiting  is  their  daily  practice,  they  know  very  well  if  they 
could  once  suppreess  the  growth  of  this  Ch  at  Marblehead  wch  they  have 
with  indefatigable  industry  endeavoured  to  do  they  thereby  would  intirely  frus¬ 
trate  the  designs  of  the  Honble  Society  in  these  parts  of  America :  to  prevent 
the  general  envious  purposes  of  those  and  other  ill  wishers  to  our  pure  relig¬ 
ion,  I  can  inform  myself  of  nothing  that  is  more  likely  to  prove  effectual,  than 
for  his  excellency  the  governor  upon  his  arrival  to  put  those  persons  in  office 
that  are  members  of  our  Ch.  If  this  were  gradually  proceeded  in  our  Ch  would 
mightily  increase,  if  this  be  omitted  we  shall  find  it  very  difficult  if  at  all  to 
attain  to  any  perfection,  there  is  another  stratagem  wch  the  members  of  both 
meetings  have  made  use  of  to  obstruct  my  Ch,  that  is  by  reporting  my  people 
should  be  tributary  to  their  Ministers,  my  flock  being  very  poor  are  mighty 
uneasie  at  it,  for  the  majority  these  people  are  so  inveterably  bent  agst  us  that 
in  some  parts  if  a  man  professes  himself  a  member  of  our  Ch,  he  shall  meet 
wth  nothing  but  persecution,  &  very  oft  his  estate  confiscated,  &  all  this  to 
satisfy  the  avarice  of  their  Ministers.  These  are  but  a  small  part  of  the  many 
difficulties  we  labour  under. 

WILLM  SHAW. 


M\  LUCAS  to  the  Secretary . 


Newbury,  July  6th,  1716. 

Sir, 

Fearing  mine  hath  miscarried  I  send  this  to  desire  you  to  let  the  illus¬ 
trious  Society  know,  that  on  the  Friday  the  4th  day  after  our  Arrival  I  set  out 
for  Newbury  &  about  12  the  next  day  was  there.  I  found  the  Ch  broke  open 
the  people  at  variance  &  one  of  their  teachers  possest  the  pulpit  every  Sun¬ 
day,  the  next  morning  the  ornaments  were  restored  with  the  books,  &  I  did 
my  duty.  He  continued  teaching  them  in  their  way  in  an  house  so  nigh  us 
that  we  could  hear  him,  for  about  two  months,  &  then  left  them.  The  recon¬ 
ciling  of  the  people  was  a  very  difficult  thing  and  laborious  (yet  by  the 
Blessing  of  Gcfd)  I  effected  it  (tho’  it  was  look’t  upon  as  a  thing  impossible,  & 


I7I6.] 


1 18 


by  our  enemies  wanting  to  render  my  endeavours  fruitless)  &  bro’t  two  of 
their  made  deacons  (on  whom  they  relyed  to  dissolve  us)  to  receive  the  com¬ 
munion  the  2d  time  I  gave  it  wch  was  in  3  weeks  after ;  I  effected  it  not  till  on 
the  Saturday  before  it,  Our  town  being  above  9  miles  long  &  the  houses 
(unless  where  they  built  their  ships)  vastly  distant,  is  the  reason  why  at 
present  I  can  give  no  better  account  of  the  number  of  inhabitants  than  this, 
that  it  is  great. 

I  have  baptized  only  two,  one  was  an  infant,  the  other  a  person  of  48  years 
of  age,  whom  upon  his  earnest  desires  after  examination  I  admitted  to  partake 
of  the  communion  &  with  him  2  more.  I  hope  in  my  next  to  give  you  an 
account  of  a  considerable  number,  I  have  not  had  above  20  communicants  as 
yet  but  the  number  will  be  greater,  when  the  people  are  settled.  I  administer 
the  Lord’s  Supper  every  first  Sunday  of  the  month,  &  give  them,  the  Thurs¬ 
day  before,  a  suitable  lecture.  The  number  of  the  dissenters  is  great,  I  know 
not  any  profest  Papists,  of  Heathens  and  Infidels  we  have  but  a  few,  there  are 
26  families,  or  the  greatest  part  of  them  that  profess  themselves  of  the  Ch  of 
England  &  we  have  generally  upwards  of  a  100  at  Ch  &  it  increases. 

I  have  so  far  convinced  my  people  that  Good  Friday  was  religiously  to  be 
observed,  as  that  several  of  them  would  not  permit  any  servile  labour  to  be 
done  on  that  day  from  before  9  in  the  morning  untill  after  8  in  the  evening, 
for  their  encouragement  I  gave  them  a  passion  Sermon.  It  will  require  time 
to  bring  them  to  other  days  they  being  a  prejudiced  people.  I  have  been  over 
at  Amesbury  2  several  week  days  &  preached  to  the  people,  that  live  in  the 
woods  about  4  miles  from  us,  &  had  about  100  present  each  time  some 
Quakers,  one  has  declared  since  for  the  Ch,  &  altho’  I  have  preached  9  times 
&  had  10  within  14  days,  if  I  could  have  crosst  the  water,  I  shall  continue  it. 
The  people  are  very  ignorant,  they  exprest  a  great  satisfaction  in  hearing  the 
service,  &  desired  me  to  continue  it,  they  are  extremely  poor  most  of  them, 
&  can  do  nothing  for  a  Minister  of  the  Church.  Some  small  tracts  would  be 
heartily  accepted  &  do  great  service  among  them,  several  of  their  houses 
have  not  so  much  as  a  book  in  them. 

We  are  in  great  want  of  Bibles  &  Prayer  books  from  Brantill  yet.  I  have 
called  several  Ch  Meetings,  but  can  get  them  to  no  resolutions  of  doing  for 
me  anything,  neither  to  build  an  house  nor  to  lay  out  ground,  nor  settle  an 
allowance.  I  have  had  some  small  matters  of  provisions  of  them  but  very 
inconsiderable.  Our  contributions  (unless  some  of  our  Cant  are  at  Ch)  are 


[1716. 


1 19 

so  mean  that  I  blush  to  mention  them,  sometimes  7d  never  above  to  my 
remembrance  Is  6d,  thus  have  I  been  forced  to  supply  my  own  wants  out 
of  the  Society’s  bounty,  they  are  not  able  to  allow  the  ^40  per  Ann  they 
mentioned  to  the  Society,  the  richest  having  left  them  to  themselves  long 
before  I  came,  without  wch  I  am  assured  that  a  person  that  has  a  family  can 
save  nothing,  tho’  he  can  live  himself  without  one,  things  are  extremely  dear 
that  we  have  from  England,  so  also  are  provissions  &  scarce.  I  most  humbly 
leave  this  to  the  consideration  of  the  illustrious  Society.  I  believe  when  the 
people  are  settled,  this  Ch  will  be  very  large,  &  that  in  about  a  1 2  month’s 
time  when  our  enemies  perceive  that  the  poverty  of  its  members  can’t  be  its 
Ruin  wch  is  their  dependance,  not  a  few  of  them  will  also  come  into  it  &  the 
people  put  into  a  condition  to  do  something. 

I  set  apart  every  Friday  in  the  afternoon  for  expounding  our  most  excel¬ 
lent  catechism,  &  tho’  for  the  encouragement  of  the  children,  I  always  give 
them  money  yet  can  at  present  prevail  upon  but  few  to  come.  The  enemies 
of  the  Ch  make  use  of  their  utmost  endeavours  to  make  me  leave  my  people, 
but,  as  hitherto  they  have  been  in  vain,  so  I  heartily  beg  the  prayers  of  the 
Society  that  they  may  always  prove  so.  I  need  not  tell  the  Society,  that  wise 
&  learned  body  what  a  man  must  undergo,  that  hath  to  do  wth  such  a  preju¬ 
diced  people  as  these,  but  do  most  earnestly  beseech  them  in  their  prayers  to 
crave  the  Divine  assistance  to  enable  me  to  bear  it,  &  to  render  my  endeav¬ 
ours  successfull. 

We  are  now  considering  what  greatful  returns  are  justly  due  to  the  Soci¬ 
ety  for  your  favours  &  altho’  we  cannot  worthily  yet  as  well  as  we  are  able 
shall  speedily  make  them.  I  humbly  hope  the  imperfections  of  this  will  be 
overlook’t  the  post  waiting  for  it,  Be  pleased  to  assure  them  that 

I  am,  Sir, 

Your  most  dutiful  Servant, 

HENRY  LUCAS. 


1716.] 


120 


AT.  WILLIAM  TAILER  to  the  Secretary. 


Boston,  New  England,  August  30th,  1716. 

Sir, 

I  am  favoured  with  yours  of  the  14th  May  last  wch  came  to  hands  the  27th 
inst,  wherein  you  Signify  the  request  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of 
the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts  to  me  to  inform  them  if  any  of  the  Missionaries 
within  this  government  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  be  disaffected  to  the  Gov¬ 
ernment  of  his  Majesty  King  George,  &  that  if  there  be  any  such,  I  would 
acquaint  them  with  it.  Sir,  we  have  but  4  gentlemen  of  the  clergy  of  the  Ch 
of  England  in  this  Government  whereof  there  is  but  2  missionaryes,  &  I  think 
I  can  justly  recommend  all  of  them  to  the  Society  as  gentlemen  in  all  respects 
well  affected  to  the  present  constitution  &  bear  great  affection  &  zeal  to  his 
Majesty  King  George. 

As  I  have  the  honor  to  be  an  unworthy  member  of  the  Ch  of  England  & 
Lieutenant  Governor  of  this  province  wch  enables  me  to  shew  a  more  partic¬ 
ular  regard  to  that  community,  So  I  shall  esteem  it  the  happiest  circumstance 
of  my  life  to  have  it  in  my  power  for  to  be  any  ways  instrumental  to  promote 
the  Ch  as  by  Law  established,  tho’  some  ill  designing  men  have  struck  at  me 
at  home  to  get  me  displaced  wch  I  presume  is  only  for  my  being  a  Steady 
Churchman.  I  refer  you  to  General  Nicholson  for  my  character  who  has  the 
honor  to  be  of  that  Society  &  has  a  personal  knowledge  of  me. 

I  am,  Sir, 

Your  humble  Servant, 

WILLIAM  TAILER. 


I  2  I 


[1716. 


Gov.  SHUTE’S  Memorial. 


TO  THE  KING’S  MOST  EXCELLENT  MAJESTIE. 

The  Memorial  of  Samuel  Shute  Esqr.  Governour  of  your  Majestie’s  Province 
of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  In  New  England. 

Humbly  Sheweth, 

That  Soon  after  your  Majestie  was  pleased  to  appoint  me  Governour  of 
the  Said  Province  I  proceeded  on  my  Voyage  thither  where  I  Arrived  in  Octo¬ 
ber,  1716. 

I  soon  called  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Said  Province  together.  I 
found  the  House  of  Representatives,  who  are  chose  Annually  Poss’ed  of  all 
the  Same  powers  of  the  House  of  Commons  of  Great  Brittain,  and  of  much 
more  Greater,  They  having  the  Power  of  nominateing  once  A  year  the  Per¬ 
sons  that  constitute  Your  Majestie’s  Council  of  Said  Province  which  is  the 
other  House  of  Assembly  there,  And  giving  the  Salary  of  the  Govr  and  Lieu1 
Govr  but  from  Sixmonths  to  Sixmonths,  and  likewise  given  Such  only  as  is 
no  ways  Suitable  To  the  Rank  of  Your  Majestie’s  Govr  and  Lieut1  Govr  or 
to  the  known  abilities  of  the  Province,  and  this  notwithstanding  Your  Majes¬ 
tie’s  Instructions  Directing  them  to  Settle  a  Salary  Suitable  to  their  Stations, 
and  for  Such  Time  as  they  shall  continue  in  ’em. 

The  said  House  Likewise  appoint  ye  Salary  of  the  Treasurer  every  Year 
whereby  they  have  in  Effect  the  sole  Authority  over  that  Important  office, 
which  they  often  Use  in  Order  To  Intimidate  the  Treasurer  from  obeying  the 
proper  Orders  from  Issuing  money,  If  Such  Orders  are  not  Agreable  to  their 
Views  &  Inclinations.  By  all  which  means  the  House  of  Representatives  are 
in  a  manner  the  whole  Legislative  and  in  a  Good  measure  the  Executive 
Power  of  the  Province. 

That  this  House  consist  of  about  one  Hundred  who  by  an  act  of  Assembly 
must  be  Persons  residing  in  the  respective  Towns  which  they  represent,  whereby 
it  happens  that  the  Greatest  part  of  them  are  of  Small  fortunes  &  meane 
Education,  men  of  the  best  Sence  and  Circumstances  generally  residing  in  or 
near  Boston.  So  that  by  the  artifice  of  a  few  designing  membours  together 

16 


1 7i  6.] 


122 


with  the  Insinuations  of  Some  people  in  the  Town  of  Boston,  the  Country- 
Representatives  are  Easily  made  to  believe  yl  the  House  is  bearly  Supporting 
the  privileges  of  the  People,  whilst  they  are  Invading  the  undoubted  Pre¬ 
rogative  of  the  Crown.  Were  it  not  for  this  Act  the  Assembly  would  Certainly 
consist  of  men  of  much  better  Sence  temper  &  fortunes  than  they  do  at  present. 

That  the  Assembly  usually  Sit  at  Boston  the  Capital  of  this  Province,  a 
large  and  Populous  Town  Supposed  to  Contain  about  Eighteen  thousand 
Inhabitants  under  no  magistracy  by  the  want  of  which  many  of  the  Inhabitants 
become  too  much  disposed  to  A  Levelling  Spirritt  too  apt  to  be  mutinous  and 
disorderly,  and  to  Support  the  House  of  Representatives  in  any  Steps  they 
take  towards  Encroaching  on  The  Prerogatives  of  the  Crown.  That  this 
is  too  much  the  prevailing  Temper  in  the  majority  of  the  Inhabitants  pf  the 
Town  is  Plain  from  hence,  That  if  I  have  at  any  time  according  to  the  known 
power  Vested  in  Your  Majestie’s  Governour  of  that  Province  with  the  Strong¬ 
est  Reasons  Given  my  Negitive  to  any  Person  Nominated  to  be  of  Your 
Majestie’s  Council  there,  The  Said  Town  have  hardly  Ever  fail’d  to  Choose 
Him  their  Representative.  Three  Negitive  Councellours  are  the  present 
Representatives  of  the  Town  of  Boston.  This  practice  is  So  notoriously 
known  and  Justified  yl  it  is  a  Common  maxim,  that  A  Negitive  Councellour 
makes  A  Good  Representative. 

That  the  House  of  Representatives  thus  constituted  and  accepted  notwith¬ 
standing  the  many  Uncommon  priviledges  they  Enjoy  by  Virtue  of  their 
Charter,  far  from  being  contented  therewith,  have  for  Some  years  Last 
past  been  makeing  Attempts  upon  the  Prerogatives  that  have  been  Reserved 
to  the  Crown,  which  for  that  reason  as  well  as  from  the  obligation  of  my  oath 
and  the  Trust  Reposed  in  me  by  Your  Majesty,  I  have  Endeavoured  to  my 
utmost  to  maintain  against  all  Invassions  Whatsoever. 

I  would  humbly  beg  leave  to  lay  before  Your  Majesty  some  Instances  in 
which  they  have  Endeavoured  to  wrest  those  Prerogatives  out  of  your  Royal 
hands. 

The  House  of  Representatives  have  Denyed  your  Majesty’s  Rights  to  the 
Woods  in  the  Province  of  Maine,  Contrary  to  the  Reservations  in  their  Char¬ 
ter  to  an  act  of  Parliament  of  Great  Brittain  and  the  Instructions  I  have 
Received  from  your  Majestie  on  that  head.  And  the  said  House  having 
Received  an  Account  of  a  Great  Quantity  of  Trees  that  were  fell’d  and  cut 
into  Loggs  in  the  County  of  Yorke  many  of  them  fitt  for  masting  the  Royal 


123 


C1 71 6* 


Navy,  Voted  that  a  Committee  of  that  House  should  be  Joyned  with  a  Com¬ 
mittee  of  the  Council  to  make  Enquiery  into  that  Affair,  and  to  dispose  of 
those  Loggs  for  the  Use  of  the  Province,  To  which  the  Council  at  my  Instance 
made  the  following  Amendment  (Viz1.)  Saving  to  His  Majesty  His  Rights;  but 
the  House  of  Representatives  refused  to  agree  to  that  Amendment  after  which 
without  either  my  Consent  or  the  Council’s  they  Sent  a  Committee  of  their 
own  with  orders  to  dispose  of  the  Said  Loggs  for  the  use  of  the  Province. 
The  House  of  Representatives  would  have  refused  me  the  Power  of  a  Negi- 
tive  on  the  choice  of  their  Speaker,  which  I  thought  it  necessary  to  make  Use 
of  against  Mr.  Cooke  when  He  was  choosen  to  that  office  He  having  Publickly 
opposed  your  Majestie’s  Known  Right  to  those  Woods  and  the  Said  House 
Insisting  on  their  Choice  notwithstanding  the  Negitive  I  Had  given  it  I  dis¬ 
solved  that  assembly  and  then  made  a  Representation  of  the  whole  matter 
to  the  Right  Honble  the  Lords  for  Trade  and  plantations  Who  sent  me  the 
opinion  of  Your  Majestie’s  Attorney  Generali  upon  Consulting  the  Charter 
under  his  hand,  That  the  Power  was  Vested  in  Your  Majestie’s  Governour 
for  the  Time  being,  And  when  they  Acquainted  me  at  the  Next  meeting  of 
the  House  of  Representatives  by  a  message  that  they  had  Choosen  Mr. 
Clarke  for  their  Speaker  and  I  had  returned  them  for  Answer  that  I  Approved 
of  their  Said  Choice  the  House  of  Representatives  Sent  me  this  message 
(Viz1.)  That  they  did  not  Send  up  the  foregoeing  message  for  my  Approbation 
but  for  my  information  only.  And  Since  that  time  whenever  the  Speaker 
has  been  Absent  by  Sickness  or  otherwise,  they  have  Never  failed  to  choose 
ye  said  Mr.  Cooke  Speaker  Pro  Tempore.  The  House  of  Representatives  Voted 
a  Publick  Past,  throughout  your  Majesty’s  Said  Province,  a  thing  never  at¬ 
tempted  by  any  of  their  predecessors,  It  being  very  well  known,  That  that 
power  was  allways  Vested  in,  and  Exercised  by  your  majestie’s  Governour  in 
that  and  all  other  Colonys  In  America. 

Though  the  Royall  Charter  has  Vested  in  the  Governour  only  the  Power 
of  Proroguing  the  General  Assembly,  Yet  the  House  of  Representatives  Sent 
up  a  Vote  to  the  Council  adjourning  the  General  Assembly  to  the  Town  of 
Cambrige,  To  which  I  refused  to  give  my  Assent,  and  yet  after  this  they 
adjourned  themselves  for  Several  Days  without  my  Consent  or  Privity,  and 
did  not  meet  me  on  the  Day  to  which  I  had  adjourned  ye  General  Assembly. 

I  had  hoped  that  the  House  of  Representatives  upon  makeing  due  reflection 
on  the  Several  Attempts  they  had  Unwarrantable  made  against  these  your 


1716.'] 


124 


Majestie’s  Undoubted  Prerogatives,  and  the  Constant  opposition  they  had 
met  with  from  me  therein,  would  have  dissisted  from  any  further  Attempts  of 
this  kind  but  to  my  great  Surprize  they  Have  Endeavoured  to  wrest  the 
Sword  out  of  your  Royall  hands  as  will  appear  by  the  following  Instances : 

Though  the  Charter  as  well  as  your  Majesty’s  Commission  gives  the  Com¬ 
mands  of  all  the  Forts  in  the  said  Province  to  Your  Majestie’s  Governour, 
and  the  Sole  power  of  building  and  Demollishing  Such  Forts,  Yet  the  House 
of  Representatives  Voted  that  a  Committee  of  their  House  should  goe  down 
to  your  Majestie’s  Castle  William  to  take  an  acc‘  of  all  the  Stores  there  and  to 
take  receipts  from  the  officers  for  the  Same  without  any  application  made  to 
me  for  my  leave  and  in  the  same  Manner  without  asking  my  Consent  ordered 
the  Treasurer  that  he  should  pay  no  more  Subsistance  money  to  the  officers 
and  Soldiers  of  the  Fort  Mary  at  Winter  Harbour,  and  Directed  Him  to  take 
Speedy  Care  that  the  provissions  of  Ordnance  Arms  &  Ammunition  and  all 
other  Stores  of  Warr  at  the  Fort  should  be  transported  to  Boston  and  lodged 
with  Him.  Upon  which  I  must  beg  leave  to  observe  to  your  Majestie,  that 
the  least  of  these  is  the  only  Fort  and  Harbour  that  can  Secure  the  fishing 
Vessells  of  your  Majestie’s  Subjects  in  the  Esterne  Parts  the  Inhabitants  have 
been  So  Sensible  of  the  danger  of  Dismantling  this  Fort  that  One  Hundred 
thirty  two  persons  at  Marblehead  &c.,  have  Petitioned  the  House  of  Repre¬ 
sentatives  Since  my  Departure  that  the  Said  Fort  may  not  be  dismantled. 
Whereupon  the  House  has  dissisted  from  any  further  Attempts  that  way  & 
ordered  it  to  be  supported.  This  Instance  may  Serve  at  the  Same  Time  to 
Shew  the  Disposition  of  the  House  To  wrest  the  Sword  out  of  your  Royall 
hands  and  that  by  their  assuming  this  Undue  power  to  themselves  the  People 
are  taught  to  address  them  in  Cases  where  they  should  only  apply  to  Him 
that  has  the  Honour  of  Commanding  in  Chief  over  your  Forces  there. 

The  House  of  Representatives  Voted  that  Mr.  Moody  a  Major  in  your 
Majestie’s  Forces  there  should  be  suspended  and  that  Even  Unheard,  wch 
Vote  they  Sent  up  to  the  Council  for  their  Concurrence  but  the  Council  not 
concurring  the  Said  House  of  Representatives  ordered  that  the  Said  Major 
Moody  should  be  No  longer  paid  and  upon  my  Expostulation  with  the  House 
on  their  proceedings  against  a  major  in  your  Majestie’s  Service  So  manifestly 
contrary  to  the  rules  of  Justice,  They  Sent  me  a  message  Justifying  their  pro¬ 
ceedings  against  Him  in  Terms  that  have  not  been  Usually  given  to  one  that 
has  the  Honour  of  being  your  Majestie’s  Governour  in  that  Province  and  to 


I25  [1716. 

make  your  Majestie’s  Gov1  there  of  Less  weight  they  have  of  Late  addresst 
the  Chair  in  Terms  much  less  than  any  of  their  Predecessors. 

The  House  of  Representatives  ordered  a  Committee  to  Command  the 
officers  of  the  Eastern  and  Western  parts  of  The  Province  to  draw  out  their 
Forces,  and  muster  them  only  under  Colour  of  an  order  Signed  by  their 
Speaker,  and  ye  Said  House  has  been  so  far  from  Returning  to  a  Just  Sence  of 
Their  Duty  and  from  acknowledging  this  Unprecedented  Violation  of  the 
Most  Important  and  Undoubted  Right  of  your  Crown  that  they  have  Since  my 
departure  from  the  Said  Province  by  your  Majestie’s  leave,  repeated  their 
Unprecedented  attempts  by  pretending  to  the  power  of  draweing  of  the  Forces 
from  the  place  where  thay  were  which  bold  pretence  of  theirs  has  not  gone 
without  a  proper  animadversion  and  reprimand  from  your  Majestie’s  Lieu1 
Governour  These  Charges  may  be  made  Good  by  their  own  Votes. 

I  would  with  humble  Submission  further  lay  before  your  Majesty  that  upon 
my  arival  I  had  Good  reason  given  me  to  Expect  that  they  would  allow  me 
for  my  Salary  fifteen  hundred  pounds  pr  Annum  and  of  the  money  Currant 
there  but  they  gave  me  no  more  the  first  Year  than  Twelve  hundred  pounds 
of  that  mony  at  wck  time  one  hundred  and  Sixty  pounds  there  was  Equal  in 
Vallue  to  one  hundred  pounds  Sterling,  and  they  did  likewise  Continue  the 
Same  allowance  for  two  years  after,  and  though  provisions  have  been  much 
dearer  Since  they  have  given  me  no  more  than  a  Thousand  pounds  per 
Annum  And  of  that  mony  which  is  now  so  much  Reduced  in  its  Vallue  that 
two  hundred  and  Sixty  pounds  is  but  Equall  to  one  hundred  pounds  Sterling, 
and  therefore  is  now  above  a  Third  less  in  V allue  than  when  I  first  Arived  there 
So  that  Three  hundred  Eighty  five  pound  Sterling  pr  annum  is  all  which  they 
in  reality  now  allow.  They  Vote  me  that  Sum  by  moyetys  at  each  Sessions 
of  their  assembly  which  is  once  in  Six  Months,  but  Even  that  they  don’t  give 
me  till  I  have  passed  the  Bills  in  the  Respective  Sessions,  thereby  to  Con- 
strane  me  as  far  as  they  can  to  Consent  to  any  Bills  they  Lay  before  me. 

In  the  Last  Session  of  the  Assembly  they  have  voted  me  no  Salary  at  all 
So  that  I  have  been  and  must  be  without  any  Support  from  ’em  for  Some 
time,  And  because  I  did  all  in  my  power  to  prevent  their  Encroachments  on 
Your  Majestie’s  Just  Prerogative,  they  have  Endeavoured  to  make  me  Uneasy 
by  other  wayes  as  well  as  by  Reduceing  the  Salary  or  Allowance  which  they 
formerly  gave  me,  as  appears  by  compareing  the  Salery  ol  the  three  first 
years  with  the  Salery  or  Allowance  of  the  three  Last  years,  and  as  might  be 
made  appear  to  your  Majestie  by  other  Instances  if  that  was  necessary. 


1 7 1 7*] 


126 


That  they  have  Voted  the  Lieu1  Govr  for  His  Sarvice  of  three  Years  no 
more  than  Thirty-five  pounds  of  that  Country  money  which  He  Thought 
below  the  Honour  of  His  Commission  to  Accept,  for  which  Unjust  Treatment 
I  know  no  other  reason  than  that  He  is  firmly  Attached  to  the  Just  Preroga¬ 
tive  of  the  Crown. 

'Tis  but  Justice  to  the  Province  after  makeing  these  observations  on  the 
House  of  Representatives,  and  on  too  Great  a  part  of  the  Town  of  Boston 
humbly  to  acquaint  your  Majesty  that  the  whole  Clergy  of  the  Province  as 
well  as  the  Generallity  of  the  People  are  Zealously  affected  to  your  Majesty’s 
Person  &  Government  and  the  Succession  of  the  Crown  in  your  Majestie’s 
Royal  Family,  and  that  the  Unjustifyable  proceedings  of  the  House  of  Repre¬ 
sentatives  are  disapproved  by  those  in  the  Provinces  who  are  most  Dis¬ 
tinguished  for  their  wealth,  understanding  and  probity  though  by  reason  of  the 
constitution  of  that  Govern4  which  in  Effect  Excludes  many  of  the  Richest 
People  from  being  of  the  House  of  Representatives  are  not  able  to  prevent  or 
Redress  them. 

I  am  allso  humbly  of  opinion  that  This  Province  may  deserve  your  Majes- 
tie's  Attention  the  rather  because  it  is  of  Great  Extent,  well  peopled,  capable 
of  being  made  a  Strong  Fronteer  to  Several  of  your  Majestie’s  other  Colonys, 
furnishes  Pitch,  Tar,  mast  and  Plank  for  your  Royal  Navy  with  other  Valuable 
Commoditys  which  They  Exchange  for  British  Manufactures. 

(Signed,) 

Examined  by  SAMUEL  SHUTE. 

William  Haskins. 


Churchwardens  &f  V estry  of  Marblehead  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Marblehead,  New  England, 

Sir,  ioth  May,  1717. 

The  reason  we  have  not  answered  your  Letter  sooner  is  the  small  differ¬ 
ence  that  has  been  between  the  members  of  our  Church  and  the  dissenting 


127 


[1717. 

Churches  of  this  place :  occasioned  by  their  insisting  upon  our  being  under 
obligations  of  contributing  towards  the  support  of  their  Ministers  by  virtue  of 
their  Provincial  Laws.  This  we  looked  upon  as  a  severity  and  an  imposition, 
and  therefore  would  not  submit  to  it,  but  remonstrated  this  Grievance  to  his 
Excellency  our  present  Governor,  who  out  of  tender  regard  to  the  Interest  of 
the  Church  of  England  and  its  discipline,  by  his  seasonable  interposition  hath 
accomodated  the  differences  by  giving  us  a  discretionary  power  of  contributing 
this  year  what  we  shall  think  most  proper. 


Mr.  LUCAS  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Sir, 

As  to  your  other  which  is  concerning  the  Foundation  of  this  Church  and 
succession  of  Ministers  I  can  only  say  that  the  first  foundation  was  grounded 
upon  Faction.  The  meeting  House  being  decayed  (which  stood  very  con¬ 
venient  for  this  corner  of  the  Town)  and  consequently  wanting  to  be  repaired. 
The  majority  rather  than  they  would  do  that,  agreed  to  pluck  it  down  and 
build  a  new  one  upon  Pipestave  Hill  three  miles  from  us,  whereupon  this 
Corner  being  disgusted  was  resolved  to  have  one  of  their  own,  and  began  to 
build  it ;  upon  this  the  majority  (as  I  apprehend  it)  makes  application  to  the 
Governor  representing  them  to  be  but  a  small  number  and  not  able  to  main¬ 
tain  a  teacher.  By  this  they  obtained  of  the  Governor  an  Order  that  it  should 
not  be  built  upon  any  pretence  whatsoever.  But  Mr.  Bridges  being  here  & 
telling  that  if  they  would  declare  for  the  Church  of  England  he  would  secure 
them  from  trouble.  Now  they  rather  than  lose  their  Ends,  viewed  the  Book 
of  Common  prayer  &  make  their  Declaration,  and  vigorously  set  themselves 
to  work  upon  the  house,  and  having  raised  it,  they  called  it  Queen  Ann’s 
chapel.  In  the  mean  time  several  of  them  no  more  designed  to  be  Church¬ 
men  than  I  intend  to  be  a  Pagan,  for  they  thought  the  Society  would  never 
send  a  Missionary  over  to  them  and  if  so  in  time  they  by  making  friends  could 
turn  Queen  Ann’s  chapel  into  a  Meeting  House  for  when  they  saw  my  Cre¬ 
dentials  ’twas  a  very  hard  matter  to  make  them  believe  them,  And  some 


1717.] 


1 28 


wholly  withdrew  themselves  from  the  Church,  but  several  families  that  stood 
by  her  in  the  sad  condition  I  found  her  in,  which  I  represented  to  you  in  my 
first  letter,  continued  steady  ever  since,  and  the  more  they  know  of  her  the 
more  they  love  and  contend  for  her,  but  they  are  a  poor  people. 

Being  desired  to  go  over  to  Jamaica  a  place  so  called  in  the  town  of  Salus- 
bury  4  miles  off  to  Baptize  2  Children  of  one  who  comes  to  Church,  the 
weather  being  exceeding  Cold  that  they  could  not  be  brought,  I  went  and 
Baptized  them ;  this  was  the  cause  of  great  appearance  of  People  that  deny 
water  &  Infant  Baptism.  There  were  a  great  many  Quakers  Annabaptists 
and  Presbyterians  or  Independents  which  came  out  of  Curiosity  to  see  the 
performance.  Upon  this,  having  read  the  Common  prayer  and  Baptized  the 
Children  I  preached  a  Sermon  upon  John  the  3rd  &  the  5th  which  had  such  an 
Influence  (by  the  Blessing  of  God)  upon  some  of  them  that  they  are  resolved 
to  have  their  children  Baptized  &  I  gave  them  directions  how  to  prepare  them 
for  it.  I  intend  as  soon  as  the  season  will  permit  (if  Please  God)  to  continue 
my  Lectures  to  them  and  catechise  the  Children.  Some  small  Tracts  would  be 
very  gratefully  accepted. 


M' .  SHAIV  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Marblehead,  May  15th,  1717. 

Sir, 

Our  people  are  generally  speaking  poor,  the  purchasing  of  the  Land  and 
the  Building  of  the  Church  have  reduced  our  chief  founders  to  a  low  ebb. 
They  notwithstanding  the  threats  of  their  Native  Country,  their  Losses  and 
deprivations  of  honor,  adhere  stedfastly  to  the  Gospel ;  they  Hold  fast  the 
profession  of  their  faith  without  wavering  and  when  apparent  dangers  are  at 
hand  are  not  afraid  of  prosecution.  Now  the  people  of  this  Province,  not 
only  exclude  the  persons  who  profess  themselves  members  of  our  own  Church 
from  Public  Offices  but  also  industriously  labor  to  lay  double  payments  upon 
them.  The  Conclusion  of  your  Letter  concerning  Mr.  Phillips  I  have  carefully 
observed.  The  2nd  Letter  I  received  from  you  bearing  date  May  the  14th, 


C1 7 1 7- 


1 29 

1716,  includes  our  Missionary’s  Convention.  I  am  to  the  best  of  my  knowl¬ 
edge  the  only  one  in  this  Province  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay,  and  in  my 
submissive  Judgment  &  conformable  Behaviour  to  the  present  Established 
Government,  cannot  find  after  my  Oath  before  the  Bishop  of  London  in  that 
case  provided  the  necessity  of  a  query.  In  your  last  Letter  dated  the  11th 
June,  1716  you  give  me  Notice  of  two  Orders  lately  made  touching  the  Mis¬ 
sionaries  corresponding.  You  advise  us  to  take  a  ReceipCof  the  Master  fo 
the  Ship  for  every  Letter  purposed  for  the  Society,  that  is  what  we  may  and 
do  meet  with  great  difficulty  in  because  few  of  the  commanders  who  come 
here  are  truly  affectionated  to  our  happy  Constitution,  and  it  is  almost  what, 
in  my  humble  opinion,  seems  impracticable. 


Mr.  GUY  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Boston  in  New  England, 

14th  June,  1717. 

•Sir, 

Since  the  10th  of  this  Instant  I  have  met  with  some  persons  who  live  near 
the  places  I  am  ordered  to  officiate  in,  &  upon  the  best  information,  I  shall  be 
capable  of  doing  most  good  at  Tiverton,  it  being  the  center  of  the  Free  town 
&  Little  Compton,  whereas  if  I  was  to  reside  at  Narragansett  all  the  winter 
time,  the  three  other  Cures  would  be  left  unsupplied  by  reason  of  its  distance 
from  them  (it  being  above  thirty  miles  and  several  ferrys  to  cross  over  which 
are  impossible  upon  the  Account  of  the  hard  frosts  and  snows  which  gener¬ 
ally  happen  at  that  season).  I  thought  it  my  duty  therefore  not  to  neglect  this 
opportunity  but  acquaint  the  Honorable  Society  with  it  from  whom  I  humbly 
beg  an  answer  that  I  may  know  where  I  am  to  reside  with  my  family  when 
that  cold  season  comes  on,  till  when  I  shall  alternately  supply  all  the  Cures. 
The  generality  of  the  people  (as  I  am  well  informed)  are  almost  (in  all  these 
places)  as  ignorant  as  the  very  Heathens  upon  which  score  my  mission  will 
be  mighty  difficult  and  laborious. 


17 


1718.] 


130 


Churchwardens  and  Vestry  of  Marblehead  to  the  Honor¬ 
able  Society . 


(EXTRACT.) 


Marblehead,  Feby  17,  1718. 


Gentlemen, 

*  *  *  The  reason  of  our  not  Intimating  to  your  Honors  sooner 

of  our  Church’s  being  destitute  of  a  Minister  was  because  that  we  was  in 
expectation  of  a  Gentleman  of  this  Country  because  there  are  several  Young 
Gentlemen  here  whose  Inclination  leads  them  to  our  holy  Constitution  but 
being  surrounded  by  so  many  enemies  and  the  thoughts  of  being  wholly  res¬ 
pected  as  a  cast  off  or  Lost  Sheep  strayed  from  his  Flock  and  the  distance 
between  this  and  Great  Britian  is  a  very  hinderance  to  their  undertakings  but 
could  they  receive  here  Holy  Orders  as  in  Great  Britian  the  Church  would 
soon  flourish  in  America  beyond  any  Capacity  to  Express.  *  *  * 


M\  SHAW’S  Memorial  to  the  Society . 


March  Ultimo,  1718. 

In  obedience  to  the  Honorable  Society’s  given 
me  at  their  last  Convention  I  have  here 
briefly  represented  one  great  obstruction  of 
my  Ministerial  duty  in  the  Episcopal  Church 
at  Marblehead  in  New  England. 

Having  by  the  blessing  of  God  and  the  kind  assistance  of  our  present 
Governor  Colonel  Shute  obtained  an  exemption  from  the  oppressions  of  the 
Natives  and  all  things  seeming  to  favor  our  pious  intentions,  one  Charles 
Johnson,  Clerk  of  the  said  Church  contrary  to  the  Canons  thereof  sets  up 
(though  illiterate  as  his  Letter  which  I  have  delivered  to  Mr.  Humphreys  will 


[i7i8. 


131 

plainly  evince)  for  an  expounder  and  preacher  of  the  Gospel.  My  hearers 
generally  speaking  being  new  converts  and  having  too  many  of  them  itching 
ears  are  too  subject  to  be  led  out  of  the  way  by  his  seducing  doctrine.  This 
Man’s  method  did  not  only  cause  divisions  and  create  great  animosities  among 
the  Members  of  the  Church,  Inhabitants  of  the  aforesaid  Town,  but  caused 
several  to  abstain  from  the  Communion,  and  for  some  time  refrain  the  Church; 
and  also  put  an  absolute  stop  to  the  Masters  of  Ships  their  Charity,  who 
before  had  signalized  themselves  by  their  generous  donations,  myself  together 
with  some  of  the  chief  Inhabitants  belonging-  to  our  church  and  several  Mas- 
ters  of  Ships  having  in  vain  endeavoured  to  dissuade  him  from  such  proceed¬ 
ings  and  being  convinced  that  in  process  of  time  such  actions  would  tend  to 
the  unspeakable  prejudice  of  the  Church,  I  was  entreated,  and  by  importu¬ 
nity  prevailed  upon  to  return  home  and  represent  this  (as  I  humbly  conceive) 
great  impediment  to  the  Venerable  Society,  desiring  their  seasonable  advice 
in  so  important  an  affair,  withall  submissively  requesting  they  will  be  pleased 
not  to  impute  my  return  without  leave,  as  a  crime  unpardonable,  since  my 
design  therein  was  nothing  more  than  the  promotion  and  benefit  of  my  People 
and  also  since  they  are  not  left  destitute  of  a  supply.  I  humbly  beg  the 
Honorable  Society  will  be  pleased  to  consider  of  some  speedy  way  to  sup¬ 
press  this  dangerous  seducer  and  your  Honor’s  humble  servant  as  in  duty 
bound  will  not  cease  to  implore  the  blessing  of  Almighty  God  to  shower  down 
upon  your  endeavours. 

WM  SHAW. 

♦  . - 

Mr.  BRIDGES  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 


MR.  Humphreys, 


Boston,  May  19th,  1718. 


*  *  *  I  pray  give  my  duty  to  my  Lord  of  London  and  ac¬ 

knowledge  his  favor  to  the  Church  of  Newbery  for  the  Bell  he  was  pleased  to 
give  them.  They  are  a  good  sort  of  People  and  would  increase  very  much, 
were  there  as  much  care  and  application  made  to  encourage,  Instruct,  and 
Exhort  these  People  in  our  most  Holy  Religion  :  as  there  is  pains  and  Labour 


1720.] 


i32 


taken  for  the  vending  and  administering  of  Physick,  and  other  Irregular  prac¬ 
tice  unbecoming  a  Missionary  Teacher. 

This  I  was  obliged  in  conscience  to  hint  at  and  if  I  give  any  offence  there¬ 
by  I  heartily  beg  pardon  of  the  Society,  to  whom  my  regards  and  service  I 
pray  may  be  given.  I  am,  &c., 

JOHN  BRIDGES. 

♦ 

M\  BRIDGES  to  M\  LUCAS . 


(EXTRACT.) 


Portsmouth,  October  7th,  1718. 

SirJ 

*  *  *  for  the  last  Sessions  at  Boston  passed  an  Act  that 

obliges  every  Congregation  to  support  their  Respective  Minister  which  will 
oblige  them  to  do  it ;  if  not  I  have  an  obligation  under  Twenty-six  Persons’ 
hands  to  support,  Maintain,  and  Encourage  the  Minister  and  to  keep  the 
Church  in  the  true  Established  Religion  according  to  the  Church  of  England 
under  the  Penalty  of  forfeiture  of  fifty  pounds  each  subscriber  to  me  or  my 
assignee,  which  by  the  help  of  God  I  will  put  in  Execution  upon  their  non- 
compliance  or  refusing  to  pay  such  rate  as  shall  be  lay’d  on  them  to  pay  and 
all  such  as  shall  not  comply,  and  yet  come  to  church  should  not  have  the 
Church  for  their  Clock  to  save  their  Taxes  to  the  other  Ministers,  and  a  list 
should  be  taken  of  all  their  names  and  sent  to  the  next  proper  place  nearest 
to  that  they  live.  By  this  You  will  see  who  are  truly  religious  from  the  false 


ones. 


* 


- ■»  - 

Mr.  LUCAS  to  the  Secretary . 

Newbury,  June  19th,  1720. 

Sir, 

Be  pleased  to  let  the  Society  know  that  I  received  the  books,  and  have 
disposed  of  them  according  to  the  best  of  my  judgment,  but  now  they  have 


i33 


[1720. 


them  they  are  best  to  them  at  home,  few  used  them  in  the  church,  although 
they  are  liberally  supplied  with  them. 

Sir,  when  my  family  came  they  promised  great  matters,  as  a  house,  glebe, 
&c.,  but  I  found  it  quite  contrary,  being  put  into  a  house  a  mile  from  the 
church,  to  which  belongs  no  manner  of  conveniency  for  the  keeping  any  crea¬ 
tures  &  it  is  but  two  habitable  rooms  They  tell  me  I  have  enough  from  the 
Society  &  that  Mr.  Bridges  made  them  believe,  that  though  the  person  the 
Society  should  send  them  would  come  with  such  a  salary,  that  would  not  want 
their  assistance,  only  they  might  if  they  would,  when  they  had  any  fresh  pro¬ 
visions  &  they  could  not  tell  what  to  do  with  it,  then  might  send  him  some;  as 
for  what  they  promised  to  give  I  never  received  anything  &  they  declare  it 
some  of  them  that  they  would  never  have  made  a  declaration  but  in  expec¬ 
tation  that  they  should  have  a  minister  for  nothing,  &  indeed  what  I  have  of 
them  is  next  to  nothing.  I  have  not  so  much  as  a  conveniency  for  anything. 
They  seemed  Mighty  Churchmen  till  I  asked  them  for  a  house.  And  the 
Church  lyeth  in  the  same  condition  I  found  it  which  is  very  miserable  they 
can  never  agree  when  they  meet  together  to  do  anything  but  to  Quarrel  one 
with  another.  Godfathers,  godmothers  and  the  sign  of  the  *  they  utterly 
abominate  and  sure  and  certain  hopes  in  the  office  for  the  burial  of  dead,  are 
looked  upon  by  them  to  be  very  wicked.  True  Churchmen  we  have  very  few, 
not  above  six. 

The  canons  of  the  Church  has  frightened  them  very  much  &  severall  say¬ 
ing  they  could  not  join  with  such  a  Church  that  owned  them,  separated  so  that 
what  by  their  withdrawing  them  others  removing  them  from  hence,  &  by  the 
death  of  some  of  our  numbers  there  are  not  now  above  25  Communicants. 
No  person  could  endeavour  more  than  I  have  done  to  persuade  them  to  bring 
their  children  to  be  catechized.  I  could  not  get  above  three  or  four  to  be  sent, 
although  I  read  them  lectures  thereon  7  weeks  to  encourage  them,  I  have 
baptized  three,  only  one  adult.  The  number  of  Inhabitants  is  very  great  but 
few  live  nigh  the  place,  we  can  hardly  call  ours  an  handfull  in  comparison  with 
the  rest.  No.  of  Dissenters  I  know  not  but  ’tis  very  great  &  what  religion 
they  are  of  I  cannot  find.  It  is  an  admixture  of  several  opinions  Quakers 
few:  No.  of  heathens  and  infidels  I  know  not  any  a  few  blacks  there  are  in  town 
these  people  separated  upon  a  disgust  they  could  not  build  a  meeting  house 
without  a  declaration  for  the  Church  which  declaration  laid  the  foundation  of 
the  church.  With  all  due  respect  I  am  Sir 

Your  most  humble  Serv1,  HENRY  LUCAS. 


1720.] 


134 


Mr.  BRIDGES  to  the  Secretary . 


Portsmouth,  New  Hampshire,  Augst  31st,  1720. 

Sir, 

The  preservation  and  continuance  of  the  church  at  Newbury  is  the  only 
cause  of  this  information  that  on  the  23d  of  this  Inst,  the  Revd  Mr.  Henry 
Lucas  died,  whose  church  was  much  declined. 

I  do  in  behalf  of  these  people  humbly  beg  of  the  Venerable  Society,  that 
if  they  design  the  Church  shall  be  supported  there,  that  a  person  truly  relig¬ 
ious  sober  and  exemplary  in  his  life  and  conversation  be  soon  sent  over  to 
that  place  which  if  performed  I  am  in  hopes  such  a  man  in  a  little  time,  by 
his  sound  and  good  doctrine,  his  preaching,  his  prudent  carriage,  in  humility, 
diligence  &  perseverance  in  the  way  of  virtue  &  a  holy  life  would  save  that 
poor  sinking  infant  church,  otherwise  it  will  certainly  fall  and  come  to  naught. 

We  are  here  like  a  candle  set  on  a  hill,  not  to  be  hidden  in  the  midst  of 
enemies  to  our  most  holy  religion  (Lovers  of  themselves  only)  reviled,  abused 
hated  &  dispised,  who  wait  for  our  halting,  yet  it  may  please  God  to  bless  the 
labour  of  a  Good  man  and  that  church  flourish  amongst  thorns. 

I  am,  Sir,  your  most  humble  S‘, 

J.  BRIDGES. 


■  ■  ■■  ♦  ■  ■■■ 

Mr.  MOSSOM  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Sir, 

I  take  this  opportunity  by  the  Revd  Mr.  Harrison  to  write  to  you  a  third 
time  &  should  have  been  very  glad  to  have  received  one  from  you,  I’m  there¬ 
fore  still  to  acquaint  you  that  as  to  the  state  of  our  Church  by  the  blessing  of 
God  on  my  endeavours  It  seems  to  prosper  having  considerably  increased 
since  I  came  &  the  number  of  communicants  is  near  double  to  what  was  in 
the  town,  besides  several  that  I  have  brought  from  the  neighboring  towns  & 
many  more  as  I  understand  would  come  in,  were  they  not  deterred  by  this 


T35 


[1720. 


ft 


effectual  bar  to  the  growth  of  the  Church  their  being  obliged  to  pay  to  the 
dissenting  Minister,  and  even  upon  the  first  notice  of  their  design  to  come  to 
Church,  they  are  immediately  loaded  with  heavy  taxes,  which  if  possibly  could 
be  removed  &  we  of  the  Establishment  set  on  an  equal  foot  with  the  dissent¬ 
ers  I  beg  leave  to  tell  sir,  ’twould  be  one  of  the  most  ready  expedients  to 
promote  the  Interest  of  our  most  holy  mother  and  bring  many  into  her  com¬ 
munion. 

I  am,  Sir,  your  most  humble  servant, 

D.  MOSSOM. 

- .♦■■  ■  ■ 


Mr .  USHERS  Memorial. 


To  the  Honorable  and  Reverend  the  Society  for  the  Prorogation  of  the 

Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts, 


Sheweth, 

That  he  was  educated  at  Harvard  College  in  New  England  and  being 
desirous  of  taking  orders  in  the  Church  of  England  he  came  over  to  Great 
Britain  for  that  purpose  and  has  made  application  to  the  Right  Reverend  the 
Lord  Bishop  of  London  for  Ordination. 

Wherefore  he  prays  this  Honorable  Society  to  entertain  him  as  their  mis¬ 
sionary  in  some  part  of  New  England  if  a  vacancy  can  be  found  there ;  if  not 
to  S\  George’s  parish  in  South  Carolina  to  the  first  of  which  places  he  is 
more  inclinable  it  being  his  native  place  and  will  be  near  his  friends  and  rela¬ 
tions  and  your  petitioner  as  in  duty  bound  shall  ever  pray,  &c. 

JOHN  USHER. 


1722.] 


136 


Mr.  MOSSOM  to  the  Secretary . 


Marblehead,  June  11th,  1722. 

Sir, 

Yours  by  Captain  Janverin  together  with  a  Box  50  Bp  Beveridge’s 
Thoughts,  Dr.  Mapletoft’s  principles  and  forms  of  prayer  I  have  received 
according  to  the  Society’s  orders  the  principles  and  forms  of  prayer  I  reserve 
for  my  own  and  the  use  of  my  Successors.  Bishop  Beveridge’s  thoughts  I 
have  distributed  where  I  believed  them  wanting  and  might  be  made  good  use 
of  the  Society’s  Book  committed  to  me  by  Mr.  Bridges  I  delivered  to  a  gen¬ 
tleman  in  Boston  as  Mr.  Mc  Sparran  ordered  whose  receipt  I  took  for  them 
but  have  not  yet  got  Mr.  Mc  Sparran’s  which  when  I  do  shall  transmit  to  the 
Society  by  the  first  conveyance.  I  have  shewn  your  Letter  to  Mr.  Miles  and 
Harris  as  they  were  desired  to  inform  the  Society  concerning  the  Books  sent 
Mr.  Shaw  hither  to  which  they  have  answered  that  they  never  knew  or  saw 
what  he  brought  and  therefore  can  give  the  Society  no  satisfaction  in  the 
matter  and  Captain  Calley  his  wife’s  Father  assures  me  there  were  no  more 
left  than  the  six  I  have  viz1  3  volms  Archbishop  Tillotson’s  Sermons,  Bp  An¬ 
drews  on  the  Decalogue  and  Bishop  Pearson  on  the  Creed  and  Dr.  Hammon 
on  the  New  Testament  of  which  I  gave  the  Society  an  account  before  and  as 
to  Braintree  they  have  neither  of  them  been  there  of  a  considerable  time 
past  but  Mr.  Myles  informing  me  that  a  Library  was  there  belonging  to  the 
Society  which  he  believed  had  but  little  care  taken  of  it  I  went  to  see  in  what 
order  it  was,  the  Books  lay  in  a  very  dirty  manner  the  greater  part  rarely  or 
never  made  use  of  as  I  suppose  upon  examining  the  Catalogue  many  I  found 
wanting  and  of  which  no  account  could  be  given  others  lent  out  which  they 
said  would  be  returned  again  but  the  truth  is  that  if  Mr.  Vesey  should  die  and 
he  is  an  infirm  old  man  there  will  be  but  a  very  poor  account  to  be  given  of 
them.  When  I  was  last  there  I  prevailed  on  the  old  gentleman  to  lend  me  some 
of  the  Books  which  were  never  used  giving  him  a  note  of  my  hand  to  return 
them  on  demand  but  I  hope  that  since  there  are  no  more  Books  in  this 
Library  than  those  above  mentioned  left  by  Mr.  Shaw  the  Society  will  be 
pleased  to  empower  me  to  receive  what  are  there  and  make  them  a  standing 
library  for  this  Town.  This  Sir  I  give  in  answer  to  yours.  I  have  now  to 


i37 


[1722. 


acquaint  you  with  the  state  of  our  Church  which  by  the  blessing  of  God  on 
my  poor  labours  continues  to  maintain  its  ground  maugre  the  opposition  it 
meets  with  which  cannot  be  supposed  small  when  it  is  seated  in  the  midst  of 
a  Country  of  rigid  Independants  who  alone  have  the  countenance  of  the  Civil 
powers.  I  have  always  endeavored  that  my  demeanour  should  be  uniform 
and  that  my  life  and  conversation  might  bring  no  dishonour  on  my  function 
both  for  the  Church’s  as  well  as  my  own  sake  for  ’tis  a  received  maxim  with 
these  people  to  esteem  a  Minister  far  more  for  his  personal  than  relative 
Character  and  the  respect  for  the  Church  rises  or  falls  in  proportion  to  that 
of  the  minister.  Whether  I  may  have  contributed  in  this  instance  to  the  service 
of  the  Church  I  shall  not  presume  to  determine  but  shall  only  say  that  I 
sincerely  and  honestly  intended  it,  and  as  such  is  the  temper  and  disposition 
of  the  people  and  that  few  of  them  have  any  other  sense  of  us  or  our  labors 
among  them  than  that  we  are  obliged  to  them  for  coming  to  Church;  nay 
some  have  told  me  that  the  Society  account  themselves  obliged  to  them  for 
admitting  their  missionaries  and  will  frequently  tell  me  to  my  face  that  as  I 
can  demand  so  they  will  give  nothing  and  they  not  only  tell  it  but  as  fre 
quently  practice  it  and  this  year  they  have  discharged  themselves  from  doing 
anything  for  my  support  except  their  capricious  humours  shall  put  them  upon 
voluntarily  contributing  towards  it.  I  have  lived  from  my  first  coming  in  an 
house  which  the  Churchwardens  and  vestry  hired  for  me  (here  being  no  Glebe 
nor  Glebehouse)  at  the  charge  of  the  Church  but  now  they  have  thrown  the 
rent  off  from  themselves  and  put  it  upon  me  so  that  I  am  at  £20  per  annum 
certain  charge  and  not  one  penny  certain  income.  I  persuade  myself  some 
of  the  many  difficulties  I  meet  with  might  be  removed  would  the  Society  be 
pleased  now  and  then  to  honor  me  with  a  line  and  write  to  the  people  and 
give  them  juster  notions  of  the  vast  kindness  done  them  in  providing  them 
with  ministers  and  withall  require  that  we  may  be  treated  with  the  reverence 
to  our  Order  and  the  regard  to  our  persons  which  our  Religion  commands. 
If  the  Society  would  as  occasion  may  offer  ask  of  our  Governor  to  favor  us 
which  he  may  do  by  interposing  on  the  behalf  of  our  people  when  they  are 
taxed  to  the  Dissenting  Ministers  it  would  be  of  no  small  service  to  the 
Church  and  I  believe  he  would  do  it  were  it  asked  of  him  for  his  predecessor 
Governor  Dudley  did  it  for  the  Newbury  people  and  relieved  them  when 
taxed  insomuch  that  they  have  been  exempt  ever  since,  whereas  our  people 
have  never  obtained  such  a  favor  to  this  very  day ;  but  this  I  humbly  submit 

18 


1722.] 


138 


and  do  assure  the  Society  that  whatever  difficulties  or  troubles  surround  me 
I  am  by  the  Grace  of  God  resolved  steadily  to  pursue  their  pious  ends  and 
design  of  the  mission  while  I  continue  in  it  and  as  they  have  been  pleased  to 
show  me  such  distinguishing  marks  of  their  regard  and  good  will  for  which  I 
return  them  my  most  humble  thanks  I  hope  I  may  in  some  measure  prove 
myself  not  wholly  unworthy  of  what  has  or  may  hereafter  be  done  for, 

Sir, 

Your  most  obliged  humble  serv1, 

D.  MOSSOM. 


M r.  CHECKLET' S  Petition. 


To  the  Society  for  Propagating,  &c. 

Imprimis — He  prays  that  the  Society  would  employ  an  Itinerant  Mission¬ 
ary  in  New  England  who  should  be  vested  with  a  Commission  to  preach 
throughout  the  Provinces  of  the  Massachusetts,  New  Hampshire,  and  Mayne, 
the  Colonies  of  Rhode  Island  and  Providence  plantations  and  the  Colony  of 
Connecticut  and  that  this  Missionary  be  obliged  once  a  year  to  visit  the 
utmost  limits  of  New  England. 

2dly.  He  prays  that  the  Society  would  send  over  a  Library  of  proper 
Books  (not  to  be  given  away)  but  to  be  lent  to  the  poor  deluded  people  of 
that  Country,  which  Books  be  kept  at  Boston  and  under  the  care  and  direction 
of  the  said  Missionary. 


139 


[1722. 


Mr.  MOSSOM' S  Petition  to  Governor  SHUTE. 


June  27th,  1722. 

That  it  is  with  the  greatest  concern  I  am  obliged  to  address  your  Excel¬ 
lency  in  this  manner  but  upon  the  continual  repeated  complaints  of  the  people 
belonging  to  the  Church  of  England  in  Marblehead  of  which  my  Lord  Bishop 
of  London  has  appointed  me  the  Minister  that  the  selectmen  assessors  of  the 
said  Town  rate  and  assess  them  towards  the  support  of  a  dissenting  Minister. 
I  can  no  longer  sit  easy  because  it  is  a  burthen  which  for  many  substantial 
reasons  I  can’t  account  but  unjust  and  from  which  I  ought  to  seek  for  that 
relief  for  the  people  which  they  could  never  yet  obtain  from  this  Town.  I 
therefore  humbly  represent  to  your  Excellency  &  pray  that  you  will  be 
pleas’d  effectually  to  interpose  in  this  affair  and  require  of  the  Justices  of  the 
Peace  and  selectmen  that  henceforward  the  people  who  at  present  do  or 
hereafter  shall  belong  to  the  said  Church  in  Marblehead  may  be  absolutely 
and  entirely  exempted  from  paying  those  rates  or  assessments  which  are  made 
for  the  support  of  any  dissenting  Minister,  so  that  we  of  the  Establishment 
may  stand  at  least  upon  an  equal  footing  with  Dissenters,  and  since  they  are 
so  far  indulged  as  to  be  under  no  obligation  to  contribute  towards  the  main¬ 
tenance  of  the  clergy  of  the  Established  Church.  Those  who  are  Members 
of  her  &  as  such  have  undoubtedly  a  title  to  indulgence  may  be  freed  from 
the  imposition  of  contributing  towards  the  support  of  their  Teachers  your 
Excellency’s  concurrence  with  this  request  I  humbly  depend  upon  because  it 
is  the  common  concern  of  the  Church,  &  for  this  &  other  your  favors  towards 
her  I  shall  not  cease  to  pray  for  the  welfare  &  prosperity  of  your  Excellency. 

DAVID  MOSSOM. 


1722.] 


140 


Governor  SHUTE’  S  Order  upon  M.  MOSSOM1  S  Petition. 

Gentlemen, 

The  Revd  Mr.  Mossom,  Minister  of  the  Established  Church  in  your  Town, 
having  this  Morning  presented  me  with  a  Petition  praying  that  those  who  at 
present  are  or  hereafter  shall  become  Members  of  the  sd  Town  may  be  by 
authority  absolutely  exempted  &  freed  from  contributing  towards  the  support 
of  any  dissenting  Minister  whatsoever  or  paying  any  rates  or  assessments 
raised  for  that  purpose  either  now  or  for  the  future.  These  are  therefore  to 
require  you  to  forbear  laying  any  tax  or  assessment  on  the  people  belonging 
to  the  established  Church  in  your  Town  towards  the  support  or  maintenance 
of  any  Dissenting  Minister,  &  to  this  I  expect  due  obedience  will  be  paid. 

Given  under  my  hand  this  27  day  of  June,  1722. 

SAML  SHUTE. 

To  his  Majesty’s  Justices  of  the  Peace  j 
&  selectmen  of  the  Town  of  Mar- 
blehead,  New  England.  j 


♦ 


M'\  MOSSOM’ S  Petition  to  the  ^Justices  at  Salem. 


Whereas,  the  selectmen  assessors  of  the  Town  of  Marblehead  have  con¬ 
trary  to  an  order  from  his  Excellency  the  Governor,  assessed  and  rated  sev¬ 
eral  of  the  people  who  belong  to  &  constantly  attend  upon  the  public  worship 
of  God  as  it  is  performed  in  the  Church  as  by  law  established  towards  the 
support  of  a  dissenting  Minister  of  the  Town,  some  of  whose  goods  the  con¬ 
stable  has  distrained  upon  and  sold  for  payment  of  those  rates,  complaint 
whereof  having  been  made  to  me  as  Minister  of  the  said  Church,  who  are 
both  licenced  &  appointed  thereunto  by  the  Right  Revd  John,  Lord  Bishop  of 
London,  and  which  being  an  imposition  as  I  cannot  think  for  many  reasons 
besides  its  repugnancy  to  the  above  mentioned  order  not  warrantable,  but 
that  on  the  contrary  the  people  of  the  Church  have  an  undoubted  right  to  an 


141  [1723- 

exemption  from  all  taxes  &  assessments  made  for  the  support  of  any  dissent¬ 
ing  Minister,  and  having  been  informed  that  your  Honors  are  invested  with 
proper  powers  for  our  relief,  &  are  the  dernier  ressort  from  whence  we  may 
expect  our  request  answered  in  this  Country,  I  do  therefore  address  your 
honors  &  pray  that  you  will  effectually  interpose  in  the  behalf  of  us  &  provide 
that  this  burden  we  at  present  labor  under  may  be  removed  &  that  for  the 
future  no  occasion  may  be  given  for  complaints  of  this  kind,  this  my  just  & 
humble  request  I  presume  to  depend  on  your  honors’  readiness  to  concur 
with,  &  I  shall  not  cease  to  pray  for  your  welfare  &  prosperity,  who  am  your 
honor’s  obliged  Serv1, 

D.  MOSSOM. 

- « - 


M\  PLANT  to  the  Secretary . 


Boston,  in  New  England,  March  15,  1723. 

Sir, 

I  have  sent  unto  the  Hon’ble  Society  some  account  concerning  my  pro¬ 
ceedings  at  Newbury  but  the  expectation  I  have  of  increasing  my  hearers 
makes  me  defer  to  give  an  account  how  many  have  already  joined  themselves 
until  Summer.  We  are  making  preparation  to  build  galleries  and  to  clap¬ 
board  the  Church  on  the  outside  that  it  may  not  suffer  by  the  violence  of 
winds  and  storms.  I  have  enclosed  this  letter  in  yours  because  I  know  not 
how  to  direct  unto  Mr.  Usher,  I  find  both  my  people  and  other  the  Inhabitants 
very  civil  and  indeed  kind  unto  me,  several  not  belonging  unto  my  Church 
contributing  something  to  me  and  tho’  my  place  is  valued  to  be  the  smallest 
I  must  confess  that  for  the  love  I  have  for  the  people  and  the  truly  good  will 
and  extraordinary  civility  besides  kindness  I  receive  from  them  makes  me  to 
esteem  my  place  as  inferior  to  none. 


I  am,  Sir,  &c., 


M.  PLANT. 


1724.] 


142 


At  a  Council  held  at  the  Council  Chamber  in  Boston ,  upon 

Thursday ,  March  19,  1723. 


The  Board  taking  into  their  consideration  a  certain  Book  lately  Published 
&  sold  in  Boston,  entitled,  “a  short  and  easy  method  with  the  Deists,”  and 
observing  in  the  said  volume  many  vile  &  Scandalous  passages  not  only 
reflecting  on  the  ministers  of  the  Gospel  Established  in  this  Province  &  deny¬ 
ing  their  Sacred  function  &  the  Holy  ordinances  of  religion  as  administered 
by  them  but  also  sundry  vile  insinuations  against  his  Majesty’s  rightful  & 
Lawful  authority  &  the  constitution  of  the  Gov‘  of  Great  Britian — 

Voted ,  that  the  Attorney  General  be  directed  to  draw  up  a  presentment  of 
the  Sd  Book  as  a  scandalous  libel,  &  also  a  presentment  of  the  Author  or 
Publisher  thereof,  when  he  shall  be  known,  that  so  a  Prosecution  be  had 
thereon  at  the  next  general  sessions  of  the  peace  for  the  county  of  Suffolk  & 
that  Rob1  Auchmuty,  Esqr.  be  desired  to  assist  in  the  Sd  Prosecution  &  in  case 
of  the  absence  of  the  Attorney  General,  to  draw  up  the  Said  Presentments. 

Examined  by  J.  WILLARD,  See7. 


D  .  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary. 


Boston,  New  England,  Jany  4,  172S. 

Sir, 

On  September  24th  past,  Mr.  Johnson  and  I  arrived  safely  hereto  the  great 
joy  of  our  Episcopal  Brethren. 

I  had  before  now  given  you  an  account  of  my  affairs  but  that  I  had  noth¬ 
ing  observable  to  remark  to  you.  I  have  preached  for  the  most  part  every 
Sunday  since  I  have  been  here,  and  on  the  last  Sunday  I  preached  in  our  New 
Church,  that  being  the  first  time  of  our  assembling  in  it.  It  is  not  yet  fin¬ 
ished  but  workmen  are  daily  employed  upon  it  and  we  put  it  into  as  good  a 


i43 


[1724- 


posture  as  we  could  to  receive  an  audience.  Our  Church  was  very  much 
crowded  with  hearers  and  the  prayers  of  the  Church  were  performed  in  a  very 
regular  manner,  and  yet  there  was  scarcely  any  apparent  diminution  of  the 
attendants  at  the  other  Church  in  Boston.  I  can’t  yet  say  what  numbers  will 
frequent  our  worship  in  this  New  Church  but  it  is  thought  we  shall  have 
upwards  of  50  Families  besides  the  share  we  expect  of  seafaring  persons, 
which  is  a  great  and  growing  article  in  this  Town  of  very  notable  trade  and 
business.  There  is  no  doubt  to  be  made  of  it  but  that  the  interest  of  Relig¬ 
ion  and  of  the  Church  of  England  would  flourish  with  us  by  the  immediate 
presence  and  inspection  of  a  Bishop.  Such  is  not  only  the  universal  desire  of 
the  Church  in  this  Country  towards  it  but  also  of  many  that  want  hereby  to 
be  enlivened  &  emboldened  in  their  entrance  into  her  communion  and  so  are 
the  arguments  of  the  necessity  of  a  Bishop,  which  our  people  in  general  are 
forced  to  assent  to  from  the  great  and  tedious  Ecclesiastical  differences  that 
daily  arise  among  us,  but  yet  as  we  are  the  love  of  truth  the  many  good 
examples  we  have  of  the  power  of  our  Church’s  doctrine  and  communion 
(though  God  knows  we  have  too  exceptions)  &  the  great  relish  our  people 
have  of  the  Excellent  writings  of  the  Church  of  England,  both  doctrine  prac¬ 
tical  and  controversial  are  very  successful  to  weaken  or  overcome  our  strong¬ 
est  prejudices  &  our  young  people  are  hereby  brought  to  a  favor  for  our 
Church,  and  many  of  them  resolutely  come  to  her  communion  and  others  are 
kept  from  it  principally  from  an  awe  of  their  Parents  and  a  prospect  of  frowns 
from  those  they  depend  on.  I  speak  not  this  as  if  our  condition  were  easy 
without  a  Bishop  for  we  need  such  a  one  to  guide  us  and  protect  us  from  the 
scorn,  insults  and  hardships  we  are  exposed  to,  particularly  in  Bristol  and 
some  other  Country  places  where  the  Church  is  kept  low  by  the  double  charges 
laid  upon  her  Members  to  maintain  their  own  Ministers  and  bear  their  pro¬ 
portion  in  maintaining  a  dissenting  teacher  also,  but  I  speak  it  only  to  repre¬ 
sent  the  great  care  and  kindness  which  the  great  Shepherd  and  Bishop  of 
Souls  shews  to  us  &  the  fruit  and  advantage  that  may  be  expected  from  a 
Mission  here.  It  hath  not  been  possible  for  me  as  yet  to  make  a  visit  to 
Newhaven  according  to  the  conditional  orders  I  had  received  from  the  Honble 
Society  having  had  the  care  of  my  Family’s  settlement  upon  me  and  being 
always  concurred  with  my  brethren  here  in  one  thing  or  other  relating  to  the 
building  of  this  new  Church.  I  am  very  credibly  informed  of  the  growing 
interest  of  the  Church  in  those  parts  &  hope  I  might  visit  them  to  good 


1724.] 


144 


advantage  but  shall  not  do  it  to  the  prejudice  of  my  particular  Cure,  &  I  hope 
(God  assisting  me)  by  a  diligent,  prudent  and  conscientious  behaviour  to 
recommend  myself  to  a  continued  favor  and  support  from  the  Honble  Society 
as  I  always  desire  to  be  esteemed, 

Sir,  &c., 

TIM°.  CUTLER. 

- » 


To  the  Honile  WILLIAM  DUMMER ,  Esf.  Lieut  Gov¬ 
ern1'  &?  Commander  in  Chief  of  His  Majestie  s  Province 
of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  to  the  Honble  the  Council . 


May  it  please  your  Honours  : 

I  humbly  presume  to  acquaint  your  Honours,  That  having  in  a  Sermon 
preach’d  at  the  King’s  Chappel  the  twelfth  of  this  instant  April,  exposed  the 
pernicious  tendency  of  certain  Tenets,  &  principles  which  are  now  are  under 
the  Censure  of  the  Government,  &  directly  strike  at  our  most  gracious  Sov¬ 
ereign’s  Parliamentary  Right  to  the  Crown  of  Great  Britain,  I  find  that  the 
faithful  Discharge  of  my  Duty  to  God  and  the  King  has  drawn  upon  me  the 
Displeasure  of  some  Persons,  who  have  express’d  themselves  with  much  inde¬ 
cent  warmth  concerning  me,  &  sent  me  a  message  by  Cpt.  James  Sterling,  to 
meet  them  at  the  Exchange  Tavern  on  Thursday  next  at  Five  o’  Clock  in  the 
Evening,  Alledging  for  a  Pretence  that  in  my  Sermon  I  represented  them  as 
disaffected  to  the  present  happy  establishment,  wch  Proceeding  of  theirs  is 
irregular  &  unjustifiable  in  many  respects ;  But  I  shall  only  beg  Leave  to 
observe  :  That  this  is  a  Point  wherein  the  Governm.  is  concern’d,  &  undoubt¬ 
edly  belongs  to  the  Cognizance  of  this  Honble  Board ;  Our  most  worthy  & 
Right  Revd  Diocesan  has  been  likewise  pleased  to  write  a  Letter  to  the 
Honble  the  Lieut  Governr  of  this  Province,  wherein  his  Lordship  in  the  most 
earnest  manner  desires  his  Honour  to  grant  his  Protection  to  the  Clergy  when 
they  labour  under  any  Difficulties  &  Hardships ;  My  humble  Request,  there¬ 
fore,  to  your  Honours  is,  That  you  will  please  to  Order  me  and  the  above 
mention’d  Persons  to  appear  before  this  Honble  Board,  That  so  the  objections 
against  my  Sermon  and  my  Defence  may  be  heard  with  sedate  and  calm  atten- 


145 


[1724. 


tion,  by  Gentlemen  eminent  for  Prudence,  Integrity,  Loyalty  &  all  other  Qual¬ 
ities  becoming  your  high  Station.  I  am  with  unfeigned  Duty  and  Respect, 
Your  Honr’s  Most  Obedient  Humble  Servant,  HENRY  HARRIS. 

Boston,  N.  E.,  April  24,  1724. 


At  a  Council  held  at  the  Council  Chamber  in  Boston  upon  Thursday,  April 
30th,  1724: 

The  aforegoing  memorial  of  the  Revd  Mr.  Henry  Harris  was  Read ;  And 
thereupon  Voted  That  a  Message  be  sent  to  Cpt.  James  Sterling,  That  the 
Lieut  Governr  and  Council  desire  to  speak  with  him  &  the  other  Gentle¬ 
men  met  with  him  at  the  Exchange  Tavern,  Excepting  the  Revd  Mr.  Miles. 

Cpt.  Sterling  with  the  other  Gentlemen,  with  the  Revd  Mr.  Miles  &  Mr. 
Harris  being  present, 

Mr.  Harris’s  Memorial  was  Read  again,  &  a  Letter  from  the  Right  Revd 
the  Lord  Bishop  of  London  to  his  Honour  the  Lieut  Governr,  Desiring  his 
Protection  of  the  Church  of  England  and  the  Ministers  thereof  within  this 
Province. 

And  after  some  Discourse  of  the  Parties  on  the  Subject  Matter  of  the  sd 
Memorial,  Mr.  Harris  moved  for  Leave  to  read  such  Paragraphs  in  his  Ser¬ 
mon  preach’d  at  the  King’s  Chappel  the  12th  Instant,  as  he  understood  were 
excepted  against,  wch  being  granted,  He  read  the  same  &  solemnly  affirmed 
that  they  were  genuine,  &  as  he  deliver’d  them  in  his  Majie’s  Chappel.  And  no 
Person  present  objected  against  their  being  truly  recited. 

The  Parties  being  withdrawn,  And  the  Board  having  thereupon  taken  the 
said  Paragraphs  of  Mr.  Harris’s  Sermon  aforesaid  into  mature  Consideration : 

Are  of  Opinion  that  they  are  not  only  altogether  unexceptionable,  but  full 
of  Duty  &  Loyalty  to  his  Most  Excellent  Majesty  King  George,  as  well  as 
Zeal  &  Affection  to  the  Protestant  Succession,  &  the  Church  of  England  as  by 
Law  establish’d,  &  of  Honour  &  Respect  to  his  Majies  Govern1  of  this  Prov¬ 
ince,  &  do  tend  to  promote  Piety,  Charity  &  Peace  among  his  Majestie’s  good 
Subjects  ; 

And  therefore  His  Honr  the  Lieut  Governr  is  desired  to  Recommend  the 
sd  Mr.  Harris  to  the  Right  Revd  the  Lord  Bishop  of  London  &  the  Honble  the 
Society  for  Propogating  the  Christian  Religion  in  forreign  Parts  as  a  Person 
of  great  Loyalty  &  Merit. 

A  true  Copy.  Examined  by  J.  WILLARD,  Secr’y. 

19 


1 724-] 


146 


M\  DUMMER  to  the  Secretary  * 


Boston,  N.  E.,  May  15,  1724. 

Honorable  Gentlemen, 

The  following  account  is  of  an  affair  wherein  the  Revd  Mr.  Henry  Harris, 
one  of  the  Ministers  of  the  King’s  Chapel  in  this  place,  is  concerned  and 
altho’  he  is  not  a  Missionary  from  your  Hon’ble  Society  it  is  thought  proper  to 
address  you  on  this  occasion  your  Society  consisting  of  many  persons  of  great 
eminence  &  distinction  both  in  Church  &  State  &  matters  of  religion  (especially 
such  wherein  the  plantations  are  concerned)  being  under  your  immediate  care 
&  management. 

Some  months  since  one  John  Checkley,  a  Shopkeeper  in  this  place  &  a  per¬ 
son  of  known  disaffection  to  his  Majesty  &  now  under  bonds  for  Recusancy, 
published  a  book,  entitled  “  A  Short  &  Easy  Method  with  the  Deists,”  to 
which  he  added  “  A  Discourse  Concerning  Episcopacy,”  the  most  of  which 
discourses  were  taken  from  the  writings  of  the  late  Mr.  Lelley,  which  book 
gave  great  offence  to  his  Majesty’s  Government,  of  this  Province  more  espe¬ 
cially  for  that  an  indefeazible  hereditary  right  to  the  Crown  was  therein 
advanced  and  a  parliamentary  right  oppugned  &  denied  &  the  sd  book  &  pub¬ 
lisher  were  presented  by  the  Grand  Jury  for  the  County  of  Suffolk  at  the  last 
General  Sessions  of  the  peace,  upon  which  the  said  Checkley  withdrew  & 
remained  out  of  the  Province  till  the  end  of  the  Session.  During  the  prose¬ 
cution  of  this  Book  the  said  Mr.  Harris  preached  a  sermon  in  the  aforesd  Chap¬ 
el  in  which  he  condemned  the  tenets  advanced  in  this  book  &  warned  his 
Auditors  against  encouraging  and  abetting  the  sd  book  &  author,  upon  which 
he  acquainted  me  that  he  was  sent  for  by  the  Gentlemen  of  the  Vestry  to  give 
answer  to  the  exceptions  they  had  taken  to  his  discourse.  Mr.  Harris  looking 
upon  himself  under  great  hardships  that  he  should  be  called  to  an  account  by 
his  people  for  anything  he  had  delivered  from  the  pulpit,  especially  what  was 
intended  for  the  honor  and  support  of  his  Majesty’s  Government,  thereupon 
made  application  to  me  and  his  Majesty’s  Council,  complaining  of  his  treat¬ 
ment  &  praying  that  the  matter  might  be  heard  at  the  Board,  which  was 


*  A  letter  in  the  same  words  was  also  sent  by  the  Governor  to  the  Bishop  of  London. 


i47 


[1724. 


done  accordingly  &  upon  a  fair  and  impartial  hearing,  all  parties  being  present, 
the  Board  were  entirely  satisfied  of  the  sermon  &  passed  a  vote  which  I  here¬ 
with  inclose,  that  Mr.  Harris  be  recommended  to  your  Honors  as  a  person  of 
great  loyalty  &  merit  &c.,  which  I  can  do  with  the  greater  freedom  from  my 
personal  knowledge  of  him  to  be  a  Gentleman  of  that  virtue  &  learning  &  so 
capable  of  serving  the  interest  of  religion  here  as  to  deserve  your  Hon’ble 
Society’s  Protection  &  favor  for  which  qualities  he  has  had  a  general  esteem 
in  this  place  for  the  many  years  of  his  residence  among  us. 

I  am  with  great  respect  Gentn,  your  most  obed1  most  humble  Serv1, 

WM  DUMMER. 


Queries  to  be  Answered  by  Every  Minister . 


CHRIST  CHURCH,  BOSTON. 

How  long  is  it  since  you  went  over  to  the  Plantations  as  a  Missionary? 

I  arrived  here  in  the  service  of  the  Mission  Sept.  24,  1723. 

Have  you  had  any  other  Church,  before  you  came  to  that  which  you  now 
possess;  and  if  you  had,  what  Church  was  it,  and  how  long  have  you  been 
removed? 

I  have  had  no  other  Church  before  this. 

Have  you  been  duly  Licensed  by  the  Bishop  of  London  to  officiate  as  a 
Missionary,  in  the  Government  where  you  now  are? 

Yes. 

How  Long  have  you  been  Inducted  into  your  Living  ? 

I  had  no  other  induction  but  by  an  opportunity  to  preach  in  this  Church, 
which  was  first  on  the  29  of  Decr  following. 

Are  you  ordinarily  resident  in  the  Parish  to  which  you  have  been  In¬ 
ducted? 

I  am  always  so. 

Of  what  extent  is  your  Parish,  and  how  many  Families  are  there  in  it? 

Here  are  no  parochial  bounds,  but  there  are  about  80  families  belonging 
to  this  Church. 


1724.]  i48 

Are  there  any  Infidels,  bond  or  free,  within  your  Parish;  and  what  means 
are  used  for  their  conversion? 

There  are  a  few  unbaptized  negroes,  slaves,  who  come  to  Church  with  the 
families  they  belong  to. 

How  oft  is  Divine  Service  performed  in  your  Church?  And  what  pro¬ 
portion  of  the  Parishioners  attend  it? 

The  workmen  being  daily  employed  in  the  finishing  this  Church,  Divine 
Service  is  only  performed  on  Sundays  and  some  particular  festivals  of  the 
Church,  besides  what  dangers  of  fast  &  thanksgiving  the  authority  here 
enjoyns  us  &  then  the  Church  is  ordinarily  full  with  constant  &  transient 
hearers. 

How  oft  is  the  Sacrament  of  the  Lord’s  Supper  administered?  And  what 
is  the  usual  number  of  Communicants? 

It  is  administered  once  a  month  to  about  40  Communicants. 

At  what  times  do  you  Catechise  the  Youth  of  your  Parish? 

This  Church  not  being  yet  finished  I  have  no  advantage  for  that  work  at 
present,  but  intend  to  enter  on  it  as  soon  as  possible. 

Are  all  things  duly  disposed  and  provided  in  the  Church,  for  the  decent 
and  orderly  performance  of  Divine  Service? 

We  have  as  decent  a  provision  as  our  infant  condition  will  allow  but  we 
have  no  communion  plate  besides  a  Silver  Cup. 

Of  what  value  is  your  Living  in  sterling  money,  and  how  does  it  arise? 

By  a  weekly  contribution  I  have  at  present  to  the  value  of  ^50  Sterling 
a  year,  going  but  a  little  way  to  the  support  of  my  numerous  family,  in  this 
great  and  expensive  town  &  the  value  of  our  Province  Bill  Sinking,  I  must 
have  less  every  year. 

Have  you  a  House  and  Glebe?  Is  your  Glebe  in  Lease,  or  Let  by  the 
Year?  Or  is  it  occupied  by  yourself? 

I  have  none,  but  live  in  a  house  which  I  hire  for  ^10  Sterl.  a  year. 

Is  due  care  taken  to  preserve  your  House  in  good  repair?  And  at  whose 
expense  is  it  done? 

Have  you  more  Cures  than  one?  If  you  have,  what  are  they?  And  in 
what  manner  served? 

I  have  but  one  Cure. 

Have  you  in  your  Parish  any  public  School  for  the  Instruction  of  Youth? 
If  you  have,  is  it  endowed?  And  who  is  the  Master? 


149 


[1724- 

In  this  Town  Mr.  Mills,  the  Society’s  Schoolmaster,  a  worthy  Communi¬ 
cant  of  the  other  Church  hath  /15  a  year  for  that  service. 

Have  you  a  Parochial  Library?  If  you  have,  are  the  Books  preserved, 
and  kept  in  good  condition?  Have  you  any  particular  rules  and  orders  for 
the  preserving  of  them?  Are  those  rules  and  orders  duly  observed? 

The  Honorable  Society  hath  furnished  us  with  a  Library  to  the  value  of 
,£10  Sterl.  under  my  particular  care. 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


MARBLEHEAD,  NEW  ENGL®. 

April  28,  1724. 

How  long  is  it,  since  you  went  over  to  the  Plantations  as  a  Minister? 

I  left  London  24  of  Septr,  1718. 

Have  you  had  any  other  Church,  before  you  came  to  that  which  you  now 
possess;  and  if  you  had,  what  Church  was  it,  and  how  long  have  you  been 
removed? 

I  came  the  Society’s  missionary  directly  to  this  Town. 

Have  you  been  duly  Licensed  by  the  Bishop  of  London  to  officiate  as  a 
Missionary,  in  the  Government  where  you  noware? 

I  was  licenced  by  My  Late  Lord  of  London  for  this  place,  my  Licence 
bearing  date  Aug1  26,  1718. 

How  long  have  you  been  Inducted  into  your  Living? 

We  have  no  induction  in  this  country,  nor  has  the  Govr,  as  I  have  heard, 
any  power  to  induct.  We  take  possession  &  hold  by  the  Bishop’s  Licence. 

Are  you  ordinarily  resident  in  the  Parish  to  which  you  have  been  In¬ 
ducted? 

I  am  constantly  resident  in  the  Parish. 

Of  what  extent  is  your  Parish,  and  how  many  Families  are  there  in  it? 

Here  are  no  limitations  of  Parishes,  but  this  Town  which  consists  of  about 
300  families  has  in  it  2  dissenting  meeting  houses,  besides  this  Church,  there 
are  belonging  to  the  Chh  between  70  &  80  families. 

Are  there  any  Infidels,  bond  or  free,  within  your  Parish;  and  what  means 
are  used  for  their  conversion? 

There  are  not  more  than  3  or  4  Negro  Slaves,  within  my  Parish  who  gen¬ 
erally  come  to  Divine  worship  with  their  masters. 

How  oft  is  Divine  Service  performed  in  your  Church?  And  what  propor¬ 
tion  of  the  Parishioners  attend  it? 


1724.] 


i5o 

Twice  every  Lord!s  day  I  preach  &  once  of  the  Friday  preceding  the  first 
Sunday  in  the  month  &  on  Christmas  day,  Ash  Wednesday,  Good  Friday, 
Ascension  day ;  I  preach  as  I  do  on  the  fast  and  thanksgiving  days  appointed 
by  the  State  &  read  Prayers  on  Holy  days.  The  generality  of  the  Parishion¬ 
ers  attend  on  the  Lord’s  day  when  at  home,  for  as  it  is  a  fishing  Town,  the 
greatest  part  of  the  men  go  to  sea,  &  are  often  out  at  sea  upon  their  fishing 
voyages  2  or  three  months  together. 

How  oft  is  the  Sacrament  of  the  Lord’s  Supper  administered?  And  what 
is  the  usual  number  of  Communicants  ? 

I  administer  the  Sacrament  of  the  Lord’s  Supper,  on  the  first  Sunday  in 
every  month,  the  usual  number  of  communicants  is  between  30  &  40.  The 
whole  consists  of  more  than  50. 

At  what  times  do  you  Catechise  the  Youth  of  your  Parish? 

I  Catechise  the  youth  every  Friday  &  Sunday  in  Lent  &  at  the  same  time 
expound  to  them. 

Are  all  things  duly  disposed  and  provided  in  the  Church,  for  the  decent 
and  orderly  performance  of  Divine  Service  ? 

Our  Church  is  plain  but  neat.  We  have  neither  Pulpit  Cloth,  nor  com¬ 
munion  tablecloth,  only  one  small  silver  cup  for  distributing  the  wine  at  the 
Sacrament  the  people  are  so  poor  that  they  are  not  able  to  purchase  more, 
the  Church  being  still  in  debt  near  £200. 

Of  what  value  is  your  Living  in  sterling  money,  and  how  does  it  arise? 

The  value  of  my  living  is  uncertain.  I  receive  nothing  from  the  people 
but  the  contributions  collected  after  Divine  service  on  the  Lord’s  days  at  the 
Church,  most  of  which  depends  upon  strangers,  taken  one  with  another  they 
are  computed  between  20  &  30  Shillings  this  money  which  is  the  most  ex¬ 
tended  value  and  that  does  not  amount  to  10  Shillings  Sterling. 

Have  you  a  House  and  Glebe?  Is  your  Glebe  in  Lease,  or  Let  by  the 
Year?  Or  is  it  occupied  by  yourself? 

I  have  neither  house  nor  Glebe  but  am  obliged  to  hire  a  house  myself,  for 
which  I  pay  out  of  my  own  pocket  ^25  per  ann.,  the  Parish  contributing 
nothing  towards  it. 

Is  due  care  taken  to  preserve  your  House  in  good  repair?  And  at  whose 
expense  is  it  done? 

Have  you  more  Cures  than  one?  If  you  have,  what  are  they?  And  in 
what  manner  served? 

I  have  but  this  one  Cure. 


15l  [1724- 

Have  you  in  your  Parish  any  public  School  for  the  instruction  of  Youth? 
If  you  have,  is  it  endowed?  And  who  is  the  Master? 

Here  is  a  School,  the  master  is  a  Dissenter,  he  is  paid  by  a  Town  rate  and 
they  will  not  admit  any  other  for  schoolmaster  but  a  Dissenter. 

Have  you  a  Parochial  Library?  If  you  have,  are  the  Books  preserved, 
and  kept  in  good  condition?  Have  you  any  particular  rules  and  orders  for 
the  preserving  of  them?  Are  those  rules  and  orders  duly  observed? 

I  have  no  Parochial  Library.  The  Society’s  £10  worth  of  Books,  sent  by 
my  Predecessor  were  not  here  when  I  came,  except  6  which  he  left  &  those  I 
keep  in  good  order. 

DAVID  MOSSOM, 

Minister. 


NEW  ENGLAND,  NEWBURY. 

How  long  is  it,  since  you  went  over  to  the  Plantations  as  a  Missionary? 

Two  Years. 

Have  you  had  any  other  Church,  before  you  came  to  that  which  you  now 
possess;  and  if  you  had,  what  Church  was  it,  and  how  long  have  you  been 
removed? 

None. 

Have  you  been  duly  Licensed  by  the  Bishop  of  London  to  officiate  as  a 
Missionary,  in  the  Government  where  you  now  are  ? 

Yes. 

How  long  have  you  been  Inducted  into  your  Living? 

Are  you  ordinarily  resident  in  the  Parish  to  which  you  have  been  In¬ 
ducted? 

Of  what  extent  is  your  Parish,  and  how  many  Families  are  there  in  it? 

About  30  families. 

Are  there  any  Infidels,  bond  or  free,  within  your  Parish;  and  what  means 
are  used  for  their  conversion  ? 

How  oft  is  Divine  Service  performed  in  your  Church?  And  what  propor¬ 
tion  of  the  Parishioners  attend  it? 

Every  Lord’s  day  &  my  congregation  consists  of  about  eight  score  souls. 

How  oft  is  the  Sacrament  of  the  Lord’s  Supper  administered?  And  what 
is  the  usual  number  of  Communicants? 


1724.] 


152 


Every  first  Sunday  in  the  month  &  38  Communicants. 

At  what  times  do  you  Catechise  the  Youth  of  your  Parish? 

I  found  very  few  youths  at  my  first  settlement  &  these  very  ignorant,  so 
that  ’tis  a  melancholy  thought  to  reflect  upon  either  the  Ministers’  or  parents’ 
carelessness  of  their  children’s  Instruction  in  the  Catechism  which  requires  a 
longer  time  to  retrieve,  than  I  have  been  able,  by  reason  of  my  long  sickness. 

Are  all  things  duly  disposed  and  provided  in  the  Church,  for  the  decent 
and  orderly  performance  of  Divine  Service? 

My  Church  is  not  supplied  with  a  surplice. 

Of  what  value  is  your  Living  in  sterling  money,  and  how  does  it  arise? 

Have  you  a  House  and  Glebe?  Is  your  Glebe  in  Lease,  or  Let  by  the 
Year?  Or  is  it  occupied  by  yourself? 

Is  due  care  taken  to  preserve  your  House  in  good  repair?  And  at  whose 
expense  is  it  done? 

Have  you  more  Cures  than  one?  If  you  have  what  are  they?  And  in 
what  manner  served  ? 

Have  you  in  your  Parish  any  Public  school  for  the  instruction  of  Youth? 
If  you  have,  is  it  endowed?  And  who  is  the  Master? 

Have  you  a  Parochial  Library?  If  you  have,  are  the  Books  preserved, 
and  kept  in  good  condition?  Have  you  any  particular  rules  and  order  for 
the  preserving  of  them?  Are  those  rules  and  orders  duly  observed? 

MATTHIAS  PLANT. 


i53 


[1724. 


Queries  to  be  answered  by  the  persons  who  were  Commissaries * 

to  my  Predecessor. 


Boston,  N.  Engld,  June  1,  1724. 

What  public  Acts  of  Assembly  have  been  made  &  confirmed  relating  to 
the  Church  or  Clergy  within  that  Gov1  ? 

Ansr.  There  are  Several  laws  for  the  Establishing  of  Independants,  & 
Settling  Orthodox  Ministers  chosen  by  the  people.  The  Church  of  England 
only  indulged,  as  the  Anabaptists  &  Quakers  for  never  in  any  of  the  Laws  is 
the  case  supposed  that  the  Clergy  of  the  Chh  of  Engld,  should  be  here  Sup¬ 
ported. 

How  oft  hath  it  been  usual  to  hold  a  visitation  of  the  Clergy  ?  How  oft 
have  you  called  a  convention  of  them  ?  &  what  has  been  the  business  ordi¬ 
narily  done  &  the  method  of  proceeding  in  such  meetings  ? 

Ansr.  There  are  3  Mysys  in  these  Provinces,  Dr.  Cutler,  Mr.  Mossom,  at 
Marblehead,  &  Mr.  Plant,  at  Newbury,  &  some  use  utmost  endeavours  to 
promote  the  Peace  &  increase  of  the  Church,  yet  never  had  any  convention 
or  visitation  in  any  place. 

Does  any  Clergyman  officiate  who  has  not  the  Bishop’s  Licence  for  that 
Gov1  ? 

Ansr.  There’s  no  Clergyman  that  I  Know  of,  but  has  the  Bishop’s  Licence 
to  officiate  in  their  respective  Towns. 

What  Parishes  are  there  that  have  yet  no  Churches  nor  Ministers  ? 

Ansr.  Several  Towns  Petitioned  for  Ministers  many  Years  ago;  but  none 
being  sent  to  them,  the  Dissenters  have  fined  one  in  each  Town  &  obliged 
the  people  to  pay  an  annual  Salary,  voted  by  the  majority,  collected  by  rating 
every  inhabitant  of  Sd  Town. 

How  is  the  revenues  of  the  Churches  applied  which  arises  during  the 
vacancies  ? 

Ansr.  In  this  Gov1  the  Clergy  of  the  Church  have  a  weekly  gathering 
towards  their  maintenance,  besides  what  the  Missionaries  have  allowed  from 
the  Society. 


20 


*  Mr.  Myles  is  desired  to  Ans^  these  for  N.  England. 


1 724-] 


i54 


What  are  the  ordinary  prices  of  the  necessaries  of  life  there  ? 

Ansr.  The  ordinary  prices  of  necessaries  is  very  high  &  increasing  yearly. 
English  Goods  advance  per  cent  250,  some  200,  some  much  more,  provisions 
of  all  sorts  much  dearer  of  late  years  than  they  were  formerly. 

Can  you  suggest  anything  that  may  be  serviceable  to  religion  &  conduce 
to  the  ease  of  the  Clergy  &  their  more  comfortable  substance,  which  you 
believe  to  be  fairly  practicable  &  which  will  no  way  interfere  with  the  author¬ 
ity  of  the  Govr  nor  be  judged  an  infringement  of  the  rights  of  the  people  ? 

Ansr.  It  would  tend  very  much  to  the  advantage  of  the  Church  &  com¬ 
fort  of  the  Clergy,  if  the  members  of  the  Chh  were  freed  from  any  compul¬ 
sion  to  pay  to  the  independant  ministers,  as  they  are  forced  to  do  in  many 
places  Particularly  in  Bristol  where  the  Church  people  have  been  imprisoned 
for  not  paying  their  rates  towards  the  maintenance  of  Mr.  Cotton  a  Dissent¬ 
ing  Minister  of  that  Town. 

SAML  MYLES. 


Churchwardens  and  Vestry  of  Trinity  Church  to  the  Sec¬ 
retary. 


At  a  Vestry  held  in  Trinity  Church  in 
Newport  on  Rhode  Island,  June  1,  1724. 

Sir, 

We  being  deeply  sensible  of  the  Hon’ble  Societie’s  favor  in  their  kind  & 
generous  support  of  religion  in  this  place  take  this  opportunity  to  return  our 
most  grateful  acknowledgements  for  the  same  &  humbly  to  represent  that  we 
being  also  under  a  necessity  of  building  a  larger  church  shall  want  the  assist¬ 
ance  of  the  religious  &  the  charitable  &  if  our  Hon’ble  patrons  will  be  pleased 
to  smile  upon  the  design  by  bestowing  any  glass  for  the  windows  or  any  other 
furniture  for  the  altar  and  pulpit  they  will  be  lasting  monuments  of  their  piety 
&  loud  demands  for  the  prayers  of  many  for  the  blessings  of  heaven  upon 
their  person  &  design  ;  but  tho’  with  pleasure  we  can  thus  represent  the  grow¬ 
ing  state  of  our  Church  yet  with  the  utmost  concern  some  remoras — that 
seem  now  to  give  a  check  to  the  increase  of  the  church  in  the  neighboring 
province  of  Boston  in  that 


155 


[i7  24- 


First.  The  laws  that  relate  to  marriages  &  the  maintenance  of  Dissenting 
Ministers  there  whereby  the  Missionaries  &  Members  of  the  Church  are 
much  distressed  &  discouraged  are  put  in  vigorous  execution.  But  secondly, 
what  has  given  the  most  deep  &  sensible  wound  to  the  interest  of  religion  in 
this  Country  &  whose  fatal  effects  we  feel  at  this  distance  in  the  insults  & 
triumphs  of  the  Church’s  enemies  from  the  unfortunate  occasion,  is  the  late 
unhappy  conduct  of  Mr.  Harris  assistant  to  Mr.  Myles  in  Boston  whose  vestry 
he  cited  to  appear  before  the  Lieut  Governor  &  Council  there  (whose  mem¬ 
bers  are  strangers  to  the  Church’s  principles  &  professed  enemies  to  its  in¬ 
terest  &  advancement)  to  answer  his  feigned  insinuations  of  their  being 
dissatisfied  with  him  for  his  zeal  to  the  Government  whereunto  (so  far  as  we 
can  learn)  they  are  all  firmly  attached  &  would  devote  their  lives  and  for¬ 
tunes  to  its  service  &  support  the  intent  of  his  applying  to  the  council  (it’s 
plain  by  the  results)  was  to  gain  upon  their  interest  &  obtain  their  recommen¬ 
dations  which  we  know  our  superiors  are  too  wise  to  take  any  notice  of,  they 
being  the  testimonies  of  the  Church’s  avowed  enemies.  However  if  there  is 
not  a  speedy  course  taken  for  the  remedy  of  those  evils  in  the  repeal  of  those 
laws  that  affect  the  Church  &  its  ministers  &  the  resenting  the  wrongs  Mr. 
Harris’s  untoward  behaviour  has  done  to  both,  our  adversaries  will  triumph 
over  her  misfortunes  &  the  Church  lose  ground  &  its  honor. 

We  humbly  present  our  duty  to  the  Hon’ble  Society  assuring  them  that 
we  are  with  all  possible  respect  &  esteem  their,  as  we  are  sincerely, 

Sir,  your  most  obed1  humble  servants, 

James  Honeyman, 

Henry  Bull, 

Godfrey  Mallbone, 

&  others. 


Churchwardens. 


M\  HARRIS  to  the  BISHOP  of  LONDON. 


Boston,  New  England,  June  22d,  1724. 

May  it  please  your  Lordship, 

To  receive  my  humble  &  most  hearty  thanks  for  your  fatherly  care  & 
goodness  expressed  towards  your  Clergy  of  this  province  in  your  Lordship’s 
Letter  to  the  Hon’ble  the  Lieu1  Governor  Willm  Dummer,  Esqre,  who  has  on 
all  occasions  employed  his  authority  &  influence  in  protecting  our  excellent 
Church  &  its  Ministers  from  open  enemies  &  pretended  friends,  from  non 
jurors  &  Jacobites  who  under  color  of  advancing  religion  have  given  it  a 
wound  which  can’t  easily  be  healed  &  taken  the  most  effectual  method  to  pre¬ 
vent  the  growth  of  the  Church  in  these  parts  of  the  world.  That  this  may 
not  be  thought  to  be  gratis  dictum,  I  beg  leave  to  lay  before  your  Lordship  a 
narrative  of  some  occurrences  which  I  shall  attest  with  sufficient  vouchers. 
’Twould  be  too  long  to  recount  by  what  steps  a  defection  from  the  present 
happy  constitution  &  protestant  interest  has  of  late  so  much  prevailed  here. 
In  general  ’tis  to  be  ascribed  to  Scotch  Highlanders  &  other  strangers  who 
flocking  over  into  this  Country  in  great  numbers  have  fomented  divisions  & 
propogated  their  seditious  principles  among  the  inhabitants,  but  none  did  they 
so  egregiously  pervert  as  one  John  Checkley  who  keeps  a  Toy  shop  in  this 
place.  Him  they  found  to  be  an  instrument  as  fit  for  their  purpose  as  ever 
Jetzer  was  for  the  Monks  of  Bern  in  Switzerland  &  desperate  like  James 
Shephard  in  modern  times.  Mr.  Lesley’s  rehearsals  &  other  works  falling  into 
this  man’s  hands  they  work’d  so  powerfully  upon  his  distempered  brain  that 
he  was  very  impatient  till  he  had  communicated  his  discoveries  to  the  rest  of 
mankind.  The  first  essay  he  made  in  order  to  the  conversion  of  the  Dissenters 
was  his  reprinting  the  short  &  easy  method  with  the  Deists  tho’  I  don’t  sup¬ 
pose  there  is  one  Deist  in  New  England  excepting  those  of  his  own  party. 
His  next  effort  (as  I  remember  the  order  of  his  proceedings)  whereby  he 
thought  to  extirpate  independency  his  publishing  Lesley’s  Dialogues  concern¬ 
ing  predestination  which  being  very  crude  &  mean  (notwithstanding  the  great 
name  of  the  author)  soon  met  with  a  proper  answer  so  that  the  doctrine  of 
predestination  grew  more  into  reputation  than  it  had  done  before  &  the  Dis¬ 
senters’  cause  suffered  nothing  from  such  feeble  attacks.  Being  thus  unsuc- 


i57 


[1724. 


cessful  in  print  he  resolved  to  try  what  he  could  do  another  way  &  having 
some  acquaintance  with  Mr.  Timothy  Cutler  then  a  Dissenting  Minister  in 
the  neighboring  province  of  Connecticut  he  plyed  him  with  such  irresistible 
arguments  as  compelled  him  to  declare  for  the  Church  of  England  upon 
Jacobite  principles  namely,  the  invalidity  or  nullity  of  the  Baptism  &  other 
ordinances  administered  by  the  Dissenters.  I  had  a  great  deal  of  reason  to 
believe  that  the  chief  motive  of  this  person’s  conversion  was  the  prospect  of  a 
new  Church  in  this  Town  &  sent  to  your  Lordship’s  predecessor  an  account 
of  that  whole  affair  but  my  Letter  not  coming  to  his  Lordship’s  hands  till  a 
few  weeks  before  his  death  his  Lordship  was  not  capable  of  considering  the 
subject  matter  thereof.  The  original  is  with  Dr.  Bearyman  the  late  Bp’s  Chaplain 
&  if  your  Lordship  desires  a  sight  of  it  I  presume  he’ll  produce  it.  Checkley 
valued  himself  so  much  upon  the  above  mentioned  Proselyte  that  he  followed 
him  &  the  other  Connecticut  Gentn  to  England  where  he  appeared  as  a  Can¬ 
didate  for  Holy  Orders  applying  himself  to  the  Hon’ble  Society  de  propagando 
Evangelio  for  a  mission  in  their  service  &  insinuating  himself  by  his  lies  into 
the  favor  of  several  members  of  that  Ven’ble  Body  that  in  all  probability  he 
would  have  obtained  his  ends  had  not  His  Excellency  Col1  Shute  our  worthy 
Govr  laid  open  his  villany  by  informing  the  Hon’ble  Society  that  he  had  re¬ 
fused  to  take  the  oath  of  abjuration  when  tendered  to  him  in  New  England  & 
that  he  had  also  embarrass’d  His  Excellency’s  Administration  by  his  factious 
&  turbulent  behaviour.  Hereupon  the  Society  thought  fit  to  reject  him.  After 
this  repulse  he  pursued  his  old  schemes  &  adhered  to  his  old  principles  re¬ 
printing  while  he  was  in  London,  Lesley’s  Discourse  concerning  Episcopacy 
intermixing  some  scurrilous  stuff  of  his  own  with  many  positions  of  dangerous 
consequence  to  the  Governm1.  After  his  return  to  New  England  he  in  an  auda¬ 
cious  manner  exposed  to  sale  the  said  treatise  for  which  offence  the  Hon’ble 
the  Lieu1  Govr  &  His  Majesty’s  Council  ordered  the  Attorney  General  & 
another  Counsel  learned  in  the  law  to  draw  up  an  Indictment  &  the  Grand 
Jury  found  the  Bill  against  him.  Conscious  of  his  misdemeanors  he  absconded 
&  fled  out  of  the  province  which  being  a  Demonstratn  of  his  guilt  &  the  pas¬ 
sages  in  the  book  being  very  flagrant  I  thought  it  my  duty  to  animadvert  in  a 
Sermon  upon  tenets  of  such  pernicious  tendency  the  indefeasible  hereditary 
right  of  princes  being  expressly  asserted  in  Checkley’s  libels  &  all  Magis¬ 
trates  who  derive  their  power  in  any  measure  from  the  consent  of  the  people 
stigmatized  with  the  title  &  character  of  usurpers,  as  a  good  subject  I  could 


1724.] 


158 

not  suffer  such  things  to  pass  without  reproof  from  the  pulpit  &  as  the  divine 
of  the  established  Church  I  deemed  it  incumbent  on  me  to  condemn  another 
doctrinal  error  maintained  in  that  book  namely,  the  invalidity  of  the  Baptism 
administered  by  Protestant  Dissenters  which  opinion  when  it  was  broach’d  in 
the  late  reign  by  Dr.  Hickes,  Mr.  Lawrence  &  other  writers  of  that  side  were 
strenuously  opposed  by  the  upper  House  of  Convocation  &  my  Lords  the 
Bishops  made  a  Declaration  against  it ;  besides  I  am  convinced  in  my  own 
private  judgment  that  the  sd  doctrine  is  not  defensible  for  which  conviction  I 
own  myself  indebted  to  the  learned  writings  of  the  Revd  Mr.  Bingham  &  this 
I  am  well  assured  of  that  the  introducing  these  notions  into  this  Country  has 
so  incensed  &  exasperated  the  minds  of  the  people  that  it  is  morally  impossi¬ 
ble  they  should  ever  be  brought  over  to  the  Church  upon  the  terms  of  being 
rebaptized  now  so  violently  urged  upon  them.  On  the  other  hand  the  Jacob¬ 
ite  party  were  to  that  degree  enraged  against  me  for  preaching  in  derogation 
of  their  favorite  book  that  they  held  a  consultation  wherein  they  devoted  me 
as  a  sacrifice  to  their  revenge  &  for  the  effecting  of  it  they  contrived  that  the 
people  who  composed  our  vestry  should  call  me  to  an  account  for  abusing 
them  &  representing  them  as  disaffected  to  the  Governm1.  They  met  at  a 
tavern  &  I  had  not  then  the  least  notice  of  their  designs  against  me  but  being 
indisposed  was  absent  from  that  meeting  so  they  sent  one  of  the  Church¬ 
wardens  with  a  message  or  summons  for  me  to  attend  at  the  next  vestry 
which  I  declined  as  being  inform’d  by  several  honest  Gentn  whose  words  I 
could  depend  upon  that  my  enemies  had  already  prejudged  my  sermon  & 
charged  me  with  saying  things  that  I  did  not,  &  had  been  likewise  guilty  of 
much  insolence  &  ill  manners  which  sort  of  treatment  as  I  had  not  deserved 
at  their  hands  &  might  for  aught  I  know  proceed  from  their  being  intoxicated 
with  the  fumes  of  tobacco  &  wine  (two  things  always  offensive  to  me)  I 
judged  it  necessary  to  present  a  memorial  to  the  Hon’ble  the  Lieu1  Govr  & 
his  Majesty’s  Council  wherein  I  desired  that  the  matter  might  be  heard  before 
them  which  was  granted  &  what  the  event  of  that  hearing  was  your  L’dship 
will  see  by  the  inclosed  memorial  &  the  vote  of  the  Council  upon  it.  While 
these  things  were  transacting  the  Tories  became  a  little  apprehensive  of  their 
danger  &  procured  a  vote  in  the  vestry  that  an  address  should  be  presented 
to  His  Majesty  the  tenor  &  design  whereof  is  to  clear  every  individual  person 
belonging  to  our  communion  from  the  imputation  of  disloyalty  which  address 
I  refused  to  sign  for  the  reasons  specified  in  a  remonstrance  subscribed  by  my- 


159 


Iff 724- 


self  &  some  other  Gentn  of  unquestionable  honor  &  veracity  who  enjoy  con¬ 
siderable  posts  &  bear  commissions  under  the  King.  This  remonstrance  is  sent 
to  his  Excellency  our  Govr  now  in  London  who  is  desired  to  communicate  it 
to  your  Lordship  for  the  vindication  of  the  subscribers.  Here  I  must  not 
omit  to  mention  one  circumstance  in  which  Checkley’s  friends  mightily 
triumph,  &  that  is  his  taking  the  oaths  about  3  weeks  ago  which  all  discerning 
people  ascribed  to  the  impending  penalties  of  the  law  his  trial  being  not  yet 
come  on,  he  having  escaped  the  last  sessions  by  his  flight  but  now  residing  in 
Boston,  his  case  is  exactly  described  by  the  Right  Revd  Father  in  God  the 
Lord  Bishop  of  Bangor  in  the  last  30th  of  Jany  Sermon  preached  before  the 
Lords,  wherein  his  Lordship  in  a  very  true  &  lively  manner  displays  the 
notions  which  some  people  have  of  the  oaths,  upon  what  principles  &  with 
what  views  they  take  them.  I  submit  it  to  your  Lordship  whether  I  ought  not 
to  have  warned  &  cautioned  my  hearers  against  such  principles  &  practices, 
whether  by  these  warnings  I  have  represented  them  as  Jacobites  or  have  they 
not  rather  (I  speak  only  of  some  of  them)  by  their  malignant  &  froward  car¬ 
riage  represented  themselves  more  effectually  than  I  could  possibly  do  if  their 
spurning  at  my  admonitions  &  their  abetting  &  encouraging  a  professed  Non¬ 
juror  &  subscribing  to  a  seditious  book  be  any  proof  of  Jacobitism  then  they 
have  an  undoubted  claim  to  that  character  but  that  I  have  reflected  upon  the 
whole  body  of  the  people  belonging  to  the  Church  or  treated  them  ill,  I  utterly 
deny  ;  on  the  contrary  I  can  with  the  strictest  truth  assure  your  Lordship  that  I 
have  shewn  a  forgiving  spirit  even  to  my  most  inveterate  enemies  being  con¬ 
tented  with  a  liberty  of  differing  from  ’em  in  judgment  &  not  attempting  any¬ 
thing  to  their  prejudice.  I  have  used  all  the  gentle  methods  of  persuasion  to 
reclaim  ’em  from  their  errors  &  have  never  been  wanting  in  a  meek  conde¬ 
scension  to  their  infirmities  nor  in  a  becoming  tenderness  to  their  persons  & 
reputations  having  during  the  whole  course  of  my  ministry  for  more  than  15 
years  behaved  myself  inoffensively  as  they  have  themselves  acknowledged 
upon  a  thousand  occasions  which  will  in  some  measure  appear  by  their  former 
recommendations  of  me  to  your  L’dship’s  predecessors  Dr.  Compton  &  Dr. 
Robinson.  I  am  not  ignorant  that  at  this  juncture  I  am  blamed  by  some,  of 
my  conduct  towards  T.  Cutler,  the  Minister  of  the  New  Church  in  this  place 
tho’  upon  the  most  impartial  examinatn  I  can’t  charge  myself  with  the  least 
offence  in  that  respect  &  I  have  challenged  his  friends  to  produce  any  one 
instance  of  it,  for  from  the  time  of  his  admission  into  the  Hon’ble  Society’s 


1 724-] 


160 


service  it  has  been  my  particular  care  not  to  say  or  do  anything  which  might 
tend  to  his  disparagement,  but  what  my  opinion  of  him  was  when  he  declared 
for  the  Church  your  Lordship  will  perceive  by  my  letter  to  your  Lordship’s 
predecessor  &  my  present  opinion  of  him  is  that  his  behavior  is  so  imprudent 
his  notions  so  wild  &  extravagant  &  his  principles  so  uncharitable  that  I  may 
venture  to  affirm  that  the  Church  will  never  flourish  under  his  care,  the  affec¬ 
tions  of  the  dissenters  being  entirely  alienated  from  him,  &  there  is  not  so 
much  as  one  person  of  tolerable  note  &  distinction  whom  he  has  brought  off 
from  the  congregational  persuasion.  This  is  what  I  foresaw  would  be  the  issue 
of  his  management,  &  to  shew  my  dislike  of  it  I  declined  having  any  intimate 
conversation  with  him,  lest  his  principles  should  be  thought  to  be  espoused 
by  all  of  our  communion  &  so  the  whole  Church  should  suffer  thro’  the  indis¬ 
cretion  of  one  man.  I  am  satisfied  that  by  this  means  I  have  promoted  the 
interest  &  credit  of  the  established  Church  &  am  favor’d  with  the  approbation 
of  all  the  King’s  Officers  (one  only  excepted)  &  the  most  intelligent  part  of 
the  congregation  &  the  King’s  Chapel  wherein  I  officiate  is  throng’d  & 
crowded  with  a  very  numerous  audience.  This  it  seems  is  no  small  grievance 
to  Dr.  Cutler’s  friends  who  impute  the  ill  success  of  his  ministry  to  my  cold¬ 
ness  towards  him  &  as  I  am  informed  have  sent  to  your  Lordship  a  complaint 
against  me  which  was  kept  a  secret  by  the  persons  who  were  active  in  it,  but 
a  Gentn  (Mr.  Rob1  Temple)  to  whom  those  people  offered  their  Petition  for 
his  signing  gave  me  this  account  that  whereas  I  had  treated  Dr.  Cutler  very 
unkindly  &  represented  his  hearers  as  Jacobites  to  the  great  discredit  of  the 
Church  &  the  comfort  of  the  dissenters,  they  therefore  petitioned  your  Lord- 
ship  for  my  removal  from  my  present  station.  The  Gentn  observed  to  them  that 
as  by  their  own  confession  they  did  'not  pretend  to  tax  me  with  any  miscar¬ 
riages  in  my  life  &  conversation  he  thought  it  a  proceeding  of  a  very  extraor¬ 
dinary  nature  &  unparrall’d  barbarity  to  endeavor  to  take  away  my  bread, 
supposing  the  charge  of  the  facts  set  forth  in  their  petition  was  made  good, 
but  that  he  was  not  satisfied  in  the  truth  of  them  &  therefore  could  sDn  no 

o 

such  papers.  I  doubt  not  but  your  Lordship  being  apprized  of  the  origin  & 
grounds  of  the  sd  petition  will  think  it  resembles  the  ambassage  which  Philip, 
King  of  Macedon  sent  to  the  Athenians  requiring  them  to  banish  Demos¬ 
thenes  out  of  their  state.  The  arguments  which  the  Grecian  Orator  urged  in 
his  defence  are  well  known  to  your  Lordship  &  therefore  I  think  it  needless 
to  repeat  them.  I  am  told  that  some  people  who  belong  to  the  King’s  Chapel 


i6i 


[1724. 


have  concurred  with  those  of  the  New  Church  but  how  far  my  colleague,  the 
Revd  Mr.  Myles  is  concerned  in  this  dirty  work  I  can’t  say,  only  this  I  am  sure 
of  that  he  has  declared  more  than  once  he  had  no  quarrel  with  me  &  should 
not  interest  himself  in  the  differences  betwixt  me  &  my  adversaries,  since 
which  time  he  has  rec’d  large  presents  from  them  which  ’tis  possible  may  be 
attended  with  the  same  effects  they  had  in  Solomon’s  days,  viz.  of  blinding 
the  eyes.  However  I  am  not  averse  to  the  substance  of  the  petition  that  your 
L’dship  would  please  to  remove  me  from  this  place,  I  hope  not  in  anger  or  by 
way  of  punishm1,  but  as  a  reward  of  my  faithful  &  laborious  services  in  these 
parts  of  the  world,  for  tho’  ’tis  difficult  to  speak  of  one’s  self,  yet  no  man  shall 
stop  me  of  this  boasting  in  the  regions  of  New  England  that  I  have  both 
planted  &  water’d  several  flourishing  churches  here  &  have  seen  the  happy 
&  faithful  increase  of  my  labors  which  by  the  blessing  of  God  succeeded 
according  to  my  wishes  not  that  I  gained  the  dissenters  by  any  sinister  arts 
or  made  ’em  any  concessions  either  in  doctrine  or  discipline  but  used  the 
strongest  reasons  I  could  think  of  to  convince  their  understandings  &  the 
softest  words  with  the  most  affable  courteous  behaviour  to  attract  their  esteem 
&  engage  their  affections,  commending  the  purity  of  their  morals  &  desiring 
their  perfection  in  an  union  with  our  truly  primitive  apostolical  Church,  to 
which  end  I  dispersed  1500  copies  of  Bp  King’s  Inventions  of  men  in  the 
Worship  of  God,  &  Bp  Williams’s  Lawfulness  of  worshipping  God  by  the 
Common  prayer,  these  treatises  being  in  my  humble  opinion  best  adapted  to 
the  necessities  &  capacities  of  the  people  in  this  Country  &  fully  answering 
my  expectations,  I  confess  the  scene  at  present  is  much  altered  &  the  Church’s 
interest  visibly  declines  since  Dr.  Cutler  has  tried  his  new  experiments.  Thus 
tho’  he  was  made  a  Doctor  in  the  Schools  he  proves  himself  to  be  a  novice  in 
the  Church  &  obliges  the  World  with  the  taste  of  the  first  fruits  of  his  Novi¬ 
tiate — in  supplanting  me  into  whose  labors  he  is  entered  without  expressing  the 
least  grateful  sense  of  the  benefit  he  reaps  from  my  unwearied  patience,  toil 
&  industry.  So  that  with  some  variation  &  prejudice  to  the  poetry,  Virgil’s 
words  are  not  foreign  to  my  present  circumstances  Hanc  ego  Ecclesiam  struxi 
tulit  alter  Honores  sic  Nos  non  Vobis. 

If  your  Lordship  requires  it  I  will  get  these  things  attested  by  persons 
more  considerable  both  for  number,  fortune  &  reputation  than  my  adversaries 
who  have  complained  of  me  to  your  Lordship  ;  but  in  the  mean  time  as  I 
thought  it  my  duty  to  refer  these  disputes  to  the  Governnfl  which  I  conceive 


21 


1724.] 


I  62 

to  be  agreeable  to  your  Lordship’s  letter  to  the  Clergy  of  this  province,  a 
Letter  to  your  Lordship  from  the  Hon’ble  the  Lieu1  Govr  concerning  my 
conduct  seemed  more  satisfactory  than  from  obscure  persons. 

I  am  now  afraid  that  I  have  tried  your  Lordship’s  patience,  &  nothing  but 
absolute  necessity  shod  have  induced  me  to  trespass  so  long  upon  your  Lord¬ 
ship’s  precious  moments,  being  sensible  that  ’twould  be  an  injury  to  the  public 
to  give  your  Lordship  any  unnecessary  trouble  or  interruption  in  the  dis¬ 
charge  of  your  weighty  &  important  cares  &  this  consideration  hindered  me 
from  congratulating  your  promotion  to  the  See  of  London  being  also  sensible 
that  your  Lordship’s  celebrated  virtue  can  receive  no  addition  of  lustre  from 
such  poor  compliments  as  mine,  I  beg  leave  to  add  one  word  more  &  I  have 
done,  &  that  is  that  the  fatigue  &  vexation  I  have  lately  met  with  here  have 
thrown  me  into  such  an  ill  state  of  health  that  for  the  recovery  thereof  I  shall 
be  necessitated  to  undertake  a  voyage  for  England  this  year,  &  intend  God 
willing  to  do  myself  the  honor  of  waiting  upon  your  Lordship,  depending  upon 
your  Lordship’s  goodness  in  the  continuance  of  my  subsistance  till  I  am  pro¬ 
vided  for  at  home,  for  I  am  under  no  apprehension  that  your  L’dship  will  let 
me  starve  as  having  suffered  very  much  already  in  my  worldly  interest  for  a 
steady  attachment  to  the  present  happy  constitution  both  in  Church  &  State. 

I  humbly  recommend  myself  to  your  Lordship’s  blessing  &  am  with  the 
most  profound  Veneration, 

May  it  please  your  Lordship,  your  Lordship’s 

Most  dutiful  &  most  obed1  humble  serv1, 

H.  HARRIS. 


Dr.  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary. 


Boston,  N.  England,  July  31,  1724. 

Sir, 

I  now  present  you  with  the  state  of  our  Church  for  another  half  year. 

The  building  yet  remains  unfinished  (tho’  we  are  yet  laboring  on  it)  so 
that  I  am  unable  to  attend  the  duties  of  Catechising  &  weekly  prayers  as  I 
intend,  God  willing,  when  it  is  done,  but  we  find  already  that  our  cost  has  been 


C1 724- 


163 

well  bestowed  in  the  erecting  such  a  fabric  for  the  Glory  of  God  having  such 
numbers  that  continually  come  to  us  &  I  can  only  inform  you  of  these  we 
having  no  parochial  bounds  and  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  &  a  neighboring 
town  there  are  belonging  to  us  at  least  80  families  which  with  the  strangers 
of  which  we  have  a  considerable  share  constantly  make  up  a  full  congrega¬ 
tion.  I  have  baptized  to  the  number  of  1 1  infants,  no  adult  persons.  We 
have  between  40  &  50  of  our  communion  &  tho’  I  can’t  tell  of  any  reduced 
from  a  remarkable  dissoluteness  to  a  virtuous  life  yet  I  thank  God  there  are 
many  serious  persons  belonging  to  us  both  young  and  old,  devout  in  the 
Church  &  consciencious  in  their  conversations  &  maintaining  as  unblemished 
characters  for  all  moral  virtues  as  any  of  the  Dissenters  with  us  that  hereby 
bring  reputation  to  our  holy  religion  &  to  our  Church  amidst  those  who  are 
not  over  ready  to  honor  us  with  their  good  esteem  &  commendations. 

But  whatsoever  difficulties  arise  from  their  disaffection  to  us  they  are  not 
equal  to  the  troubles  that  arise  from  some  of  our  own  members,  a  late 
instance  whereof  affecting  myself  in  such  a  manner  as  I  think  the  canons  of 
the  Church  and  our  reputation  in  general  here  is  injured  I  think  myself  obliged 
to  let  the  Society  know  of  it  at  this  time  tho’  at  the  same  time  I  do  with  grief 
say  it  is  the  unhandsome  treatment  I  have  received  from  the  Revd  Mr.  Henry 
Harris,  Assistant  to  the  Revd  Mr.  Samuel  Myles,  Rector  of  His  Majesty’s 
Chapel  in  Boston. 

Mr.  Myles  on  the  18th  instant  desired  of  me  that  we  might  in  the  next  day 
on  the  forenoon  exchange  pulpits,  which  I  accordingly  complied  withal  & 
preached  the  sermon  which  for  the  meanness  of  it  I  am  shamed  to  shew,  but 
for  my  own  vindication  am  obliged  to  send  over  to  this  HonbIe  Society,  trust¬ 
ing  in  the  candor  of  the  Honble  Members  of  it  towards  a  composition  of  one 
day  for  being  obliged  to  make  two  sermons  every  week  I  think  that  the 
best  proportioning  of  my  time  to  this  service.  In  it  I  had  an  eye  to  the  first 
&  fifth  head  of  instruction  given  to  the  missionaries  with  respect  to  them¬ 
selves  &  tho’  perhaps  there  may  appear  a  little  tartness  in  remarking  the 
spirit  of  dissenters  with  us  yet  I  humbly  conceive  &  upon  my  conscience 
declare  that  I  think  it  necessary  &  that  I  keep  within  as  good  bounds  as  any 
Missionary  here.  However,  Mr.  Harris  made  not  this  a  bone  of  contention, 
but  in  the  afternoon  of  the  sd  day  took  notice  in  his  Sermon  of  an  expression 
of  mine  to  tax  me  with  Popish  principles  as  will  I  presume  appear  from  a  true 
inclosed  copy  of  what  he  delivered  to  which  several  of  the  hearers  have  sub- 


1 724-] 


164 

scribed  their  hands  in  what  I  have  made  bold  to  send  to  my  Lord  of  London. 
I  chose  rather  to  have  gained  a  copy  of  his  Sermon  from  him  &  after  I  failed 
by  the  private  intercession  of  a  friend  of  his  I  went  to  him  with  the  Church¬ 
wardens  of  His  Majesty’s  chapel  and  with  all  possible  civility  desired  the 
same,  but  instead  of  gaining  that  was  very  rudely  bid  to  go  out  of  his  house, 
and  so  I  must  be  contented  with  what  evidence  I  can  get. 

I  have  sat  down  tamely  under  many  injuries  &  affronts  from  that  Gentle¬ 
man  &  so  I  should  do  under  this,  did  I  think  it  supportable,  but  I  look  at  all 
my  serviceableness  to  the  Church  struck  at  by  such  insinuations  &  do  find  that 
some  dissenters  already  build  upon  his  words  in  representing  me  as  carrying 
on  designs  of  Popery,  and  what  further  ill  effects  the  thing  may  have  to  evac¬ 
uate  the  ends  of  my  mission  God  alone  knows.  I  therefore  look  upon  myself 
obliged  in  duty  to  God  &  to  the  Honble  Society  by  whom  I  am  supported  to 
make  known  to  them  the  difficulties  I  labor  under  humbly  begging  that  they 
would  take  my  case  into  consideration  &  as  far  as  they  shall  think  proper 
mediate  with  my  Lord  Bp  of  London  who  hath  the  full  state  of  the  case  laid 
before  him  that  I  may  have  a  suitable  protection  from  the  inconveniency  of 
such  a  treatment  &  may  be  better  secured  for  the  time  to  come. 

I  am,  Sir, 

Your  very  humble  servant, 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 

“For  a  small  skill  in  chronology  may  inform  any  one  that  the  Church  at  that 
time  was  overspread  with  thick  darkness,  error  and  superstition.  One  cen¬ 
tury  makes  a  great  difference.  If  I  had  been  to  have  expressed  it  (if  I  would 
wish  to  err)  I  would  have  said  if  I  must  err  let  me  err  with  the  Church  as  it  is 
now  or  as  it  was  100  years  ago.  I  think  it  my  indispensible  duty  to  say  thus 
much  at  this  time  as  a  preservative  against  Popery  &  superstition.” 

The  Reverend  Mr.  Harris  said  these  words  or  words  to  the  same  purpose. 

Saml  Myles,  v 

James  Sterling,  v  Churchwardens. 

John  Barns,  J 

The  reason  why  the  above  attestation  begins  so  abruptly  is  because  the 
subscribers  are  not  so  positive  of  the  immediately  preceding  part  of  the  dis- 


l65  C1 724. 

course  tho’  several  of  the  auditors  remember  it  was  introduced  in  the 
following  words  or  words  to  the  same  purpose,  &  where  “  I  can  not  but  take 
notice  of  a  shocking  expression  from  the  mouth  of  a  protestant  if  he  may 
be  called  so.  If  I  must  err  let  me  err  with  the  Church  as  it  was  200  years 
ago  for  a  small,”  &c. 

♦ 


The  Secretary  to  the  Revd  Mr.  MOSSOM. 


(EXTRACT.) 

London,  Aug1  25th,  1724. 

Revd  Sir, 

I  have  communicated  to  the  Society  your  Letter  to  them  dated  Marble¬ 
head,  the  25th  of  Feby,  1722-3,  wherein  you  complain  of  the  hardships  the 
members  of  the  Church  of  England  there  lye  under  by  being  taxed  to  a  Dis¬ 
senting  Minister  and  your  petition  to  his  Excellency  the  Governor  &  his 
order  thereupon.  The  Society  have  examined  into  several  of  the  laws  of 
that  province  relating  to  this  case,  and  have  also  been  informed  by  his  Excel¬ 
lency,  Governor  Shute,  present  at  the  Board  of  the  Society  that  several  of 
the  members  of  the  Church  of  England  at  Marblehead  were  formerly  Dis¬ 
senters  before  your  arrival  and  had  entered  into  a  contract  under  their  hands 
for  the  support  of  the  Dissenting  Minister  during  his  continuance  among 
them  in  pursuance  of  which  they  are  still  obliged  to  pay  their  subscriptions, 
they  being  recoverable  by  law.  The  Society  therefore  have  ordered  me  to 
acquaint  you  that  they  conceive  you  have  not  fully  and  impartially  represented 
the  state  of  the  case  in  your  Letters  to  them.  If  therefore  you  have  anything 
further  to  offer  to  the  Society  in  this  case  you  should  clear  the  point  in  your 
next  Letter.  *  *  * 


BISHOP  of  LONDON  to  M\  MYLES, 


Fulham,  Septr  3rd,  1724. 

Good  Sir, 

I  am  very  sorry  to  find  by  the  accounts  which  I  have  received  of  late  from 
New  England,  that  the  differences  among  the  Clergy  at  Boston  are  grown  to 
such  an  height,  &  that  they  have  spread  themselves  into  other  parts  of  that 
Government,  &  are  like  to  spread  more  &  more.  The  representations  which 
come  over  hither  concerning  the  true  ground  and  foundation  of  these  unhappy 
differences,  are  so  various  that  I  am  not  able  as  yet  to  form  any  certain  judg¬ 
ment  about  it,  nor  to  see  who  is  most  in  the  blame.  But  as  in  cases  of  this 
nature  there  is  usually  more  or  less  of  blame  resting  on  both  sides,  while  pas¬ 
sion  prevails  against  reason,  so  I  earnestly  entreat  &  require  both  sides  to  lay 
aside  passion  &  to  think  seriously  of  peace.  They  should  remember  that 
they  belong  to  one  and  the  same  Church,  &  which  is  more,  to  a  Church  that  is 
yet  in  its  infancy  &  in  the  midst  of  enemies  who  will  take  great  advantage 
against  it  from  these  unhappy  feuds  and  animosities  among  its  Ministers  and 
principal  Members.  The  Letters  from  thence,  both  to  the  Society  and  myself, 
are  full  of  the  hardships  that  the  Ministers  of  the  Church  of  England  suffer 
from  the  Independents  there,  which  one  would  hope  would  be  a  lesson  to  the 
ministers  to  unite  firmly  among  themselves  &  to  support  one  another,  and  in¬ 
stead  of  reproaching  &  aspersing  their  own  brethren,  to  enter  into  the  most 
proper  &  Christian  Methods  of  defending  themselves  against  the  oppressions 
of  their  adversaries,  &  of  preserving,  and  by  degrees  enlarging,  that  poor 
Church  which  is  committed  to  their  care. 

It  is  with  great  concern  that  I  write  this,  arising  from  a  just  apprehension 
of  the  mischiefs  which  are  like  to  accrue  from  those  differences  to  religion  in 
general,  &  to  the  Church  of  Engld  in  particular ;  and  I  write  to  you  as  a 
person  who  is  not  directly  concerned  in  the  quarrel,  &  who,  being  upon  the 
place,  can  best  Judge  of  the  most  likely  methods  to  bring  both  sides  to  a 
peaceable  disposition,  which  I  earnestly  entreat  you  to  endeavour  by  all  ways 
possible.  One  way,  and  I  hope  a  successful  one,  may  be  to  shew  what  I  write 
to  both  the  contending  parties  &  to  let  them  know  that  I  beseech  &  conjure 
them  to  lay  aside  their  animosities  &  to  forget  &  forgive  the  provocations  that 
have  passed  on  both  sides,  as  becomes  Christians,  &  more  especially  the  Min- 


i6y 


[1724. 


isters  of  the  Gospel.  The  entring  into  a  strict  examination  of  all  the  particu¬ 
lars,  in  order  to  see  who  is  most  to  be  blamed,  would  be  a  long  work,  &  I 
doubt  at  this  distance  impracticable ;  but  at  best  it  would  be  a  work  of  much 
time,  <Sf  all  that  while  the  feuds  would  be  kept  up  &  increase,  &  the  Church 
lie  bleeding  of  the  wounds  which  they  have  already  given  her,  &  which  it  is 
the  earnest  wish  of  all  good  men,  both  here  and  there,  to  see  immediately 
closed  by  mutual  forbearance  &  a  friendly  reconciliation. 

I  have  been  informed  within  these  few  days,  by  one  of  the  Bishops  who 
had  recd  a  letter  from  Boston,  that  some  of  the  Ministers  in  that  Gov1  are  be¬ 
ginning  the  dispute  about  the  validity  or  invalidity  of  Baptism  administered  by 
persons  not  Episcopally  ordained.  This  was  set  afoot  here  in  England  by  the 
Nonjurors  some  Years  since,  &  bred  great  disturbance  among  us;  and  the 
Archbishop  &  Bishops  in  Convocation  set  forth  a  paper  to  shew  that  it  has 
been  the  constant  doctrine  of  the  Church  of  England,  that  Baptism  with  water , 
in  the  name  of  the  Father,  of  the  Son,  &  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  by  what  hand 
soever  administered,  is  valid  in  itself,  and  not  to  be  repeated,  however  irregu¬ 
lar  in  the  manner  of  it.  Nothing  is  more  certain  than  that  this  was  the  Doc¬ 
trine  which  the  greatest  Patrons  of  our  Church  maintained  against  the  Puri¬ 
tans  in  the  reigns  of  Queen  Elizabeth  &  King  James  the  Ist,  &  it  is  easy  to 
see  with  what  views  the  contrary  doctrine  has  been  advanced  &  espoused  of 
late  years  by  the  enemies  of  the  Protestant  Succession  &  the  present  Gov1,  & 
if  any  Missy  shall  renew  this  controversy  &  advance  the  same  doctrine  there 
that  the  Nonjurors  have  been  advancing  here,  I  shall  esteem  him  an  enemy  to 
the  Church  of  Engld  &  the  Protestant  Succession,  &  shall  deal  with  him  ac¬ 
cordingly. 

I  earnestly  recommend  these  things  to  your  care,  &  beseeching  God  to 
dispose  both  parties  to  peace  &  to  prosper  your  endeavours  for  the  obtaining 
of  it, 

I  remain,  Sir, 

Your  faithful  friend 

and  Brother, 

EDM®  LONDON. 


1724.] 


1 68 

M\  MOSSOM  to  the  BISHOP  of  LONDON . 


Marblehead,  N.  Engld,  Decr  17,  1724. 

My  most  Hond  Lord, 

As  your  Lordship  was  pleased,  in  your  Letter  of  Queries,  to  require  of 
your  Clergy  proper  notices  of  what  may  occur,  in  compliance  to  your  request 
I  humbly  make  use  of  the  present  occasion,  both  for  that  end  &  to  return 
your  Lordship,  for  my  own  part,  my  most  sincere  &  dutiful  thanks  for  your 
last  letter,  which,  tho’  directed  immediately  to  Mr.  Myles,  upon  your  Lord¬ 
ship’s  command  to  be  communicated,  after  that  he  had  it  a  considerable  time 
in  his  hands,  shown  it  to  all  sorts  &  sects  of  men  that  were  inclined  to  see  it, 
as  he  told  me  himself,  he  vouchsafed  me  a  sight  of  it  also.  I  indeed  must 
acknowledge  there  arose  no  small  complacence  &  satisfaction  in  my  mind 
when  I  saw  your  Lordship’s  express  determination  of  a  case  nearly  concern¬ 
ing  us,  &  your  pathetic  exhortations  &  authoritative  injunctions  to  Peace  and 
amity  between  your  Clergy,  &  as  an  happy  expedient,  to  contribute  thereto 
forgiveness  &  forgetfulness  of  everything  past.  As  to  the  first  of  these,  I 
call  it  a  case  nearly  concerning  us,  for  while  it  lay  undetermined  we  had  it  fre¬ 
quently  objected  to  us  by  the  Dissenters,  that  the  Gentn  of  the  Church  in 
New  England  avowed  doctrines  contrary  to  the  determinations  of  my  Lords 
the  Bishops  in  Convocation,  &  upon  the  matter  there  was  too  much  room  for 
it,  for  my  Lord,  Mr.  John  Checkly,  heretofore  a  professed  &  convict  non-juror, 
who  had,  as  he  boasted,  converted  Dr.  Cutler,  &  upon  the  merit  of  the  con¬ 
version  followed  him  to  England,  designing,  as  the  event  manifested,  if  pos¬ 
sible  to  get  into  orders  himself,  caused  to  be  printed  for  him  while  he  was 
there  some  collections  he  had  made  from  several  of  Mr.  Lesly’s  works,  and 
about  six  months  after  his  return  hither,  published  them  by  subscriptions. 
The  offensive  paragraphs  in  them  presently  alarmed  the  governnff,  &  he  was 
ordered  to  be  prosecuted  by  the  Attorney  General,  upon  which  he  thought  fit 
to  conceal  himself,  but  in  some  time,  at  the  instances  of  his  friends,  he  ap¬ 
peared,  called  in  the  true  father  (tho’  at  first,  to  raise  his  credit,  they  were 
palm’d  upon  the  world  as  his  own),  &  showed  whose  offspring  they  were,  & 
at  length,  to  give  proof  that  he  had  no  design  to  say  that  Governrff,  which,  as 
was  alleged,  his  book  was  calculated  for,  he  took  the  oaths.  This  indeed  has 


169 


[1724. 


not  preserved  him  from  censure  &  a  fine  of  ^50,  &  upon  the  whole,  my  Lord, 
such  is  the  flaming  zeal  of  this  Mr.  Checkley  &  the  party  which  abets  him,  that, 
be  your  Lordship’s  decisions  what  they  will,  except  they  agree  with  their  ways 
of  thinking,  they  put  ’em  behind  ’em  &  take  no  notice  of  them ;  and  if  it  hap¬ 
pens  thus  to  your  Lordship  it  will  be  no  difficult  matter  to  fix  the  portion  of 
the  poor,  inferior  Clergy ;  we  who  by  our  Canon1  Obedience  are  obliged  to 
abide  by  your  Lordship’s  determinations  in  all  things,  must  expect  to  be,  and 
we  are,  the  Butts  of  their  vehement  &  ungoverned  heat.  Nothing  is  too  hard 
for  them  to  say  against  us,  &  for  us  to  bear  from  them.  Of  this  I  speak  ex¬ 
perimentally. 

And  may  it  please  your  Lordship,  as  your  determinations  in  doctrinal  mat¬ 
ters,  so  have  your  authoritative  injunctions  their  due  weight  with  me,  for  I  was 
no  sooner  acquainted  with  ’em  than  I  endeavoured  they  should  have  the  de¬ 
sired  effect ;  &  in  order  thereunto,  conferred  with  Mr.  Harris  upon  the  point, 
whose  Temper  &  disposition  of  mind  I  knew  to  be  naturally  peaceable,  &  he 
declared  himself  ready  to  come  into  any  methods  for  healing  all  breaches,  in 
pursuance  of  which  we  took  the  first  opportunity  of  inviting  Dr.  Cutler  into 
the  same.  We  met  him  at  a  Gent’s  house,  in  company  with  another,  both  of 
whom  were  his  very  good  friends ;  &  yet,  whatsoever  we  all  could  urge,  he 
would  not  consent  to  the  sealing  of  a  Peace  except  a  good  number  of  the 
Laity  were  also  resolved  to  it,  whose  minds  he  would  first  know.  I  showed 
him  the  absurdity  of  calling  in  the  Laity  to  close  the  difference  between  Cler¬ 
gymen,  and  probably  the  unsuccessfull  issue  it  would  have,  &  the  event  has 
fully  confirmed  my  judgment.  I  have,  indeed,  once  and  again  talked  with  Dr. 
Cutler  upon  it,  requested  him  to  consider  the  value  of  peace  itself,  as  well  as 
the  authority  of  him  that  enjoins  it;  but  I  do  not  discern  anything  I  can  say 
makes  impression  upon  him. 

And  for  a  close  my  Lord,  be  pleased  to  give  me  leave  to  observe  that  we 
are  but  in  this  province  3  English  Clergymen,  Mr.  Harris,  Plant,  &  myself. 
An  exceeding  difficult  part  we  have  to  act,  for  while  we  are  true  to  our  trusts, 
&  the  Laity  can’t  mould  us  into  their  tempers  &  make  us  as  fiery  zealous  as 
they  are,  we  are  sure  to  encounter  the  utmost  of  their  spleen  &  displeasure. 
However  I  doubt  not  we  each  of  us  shall  go  on  in  the  faithful  &  conscientious 
discharge  of  our  duty ;  by  the  Grace  of  God  I  will,  &  Mr.  Harris  has  re¬ 
quested  me  to  assure  your  Lordship  the  same  for  him  ;  &  let  the  attacks  made 
upon  us  be  what  they  will,  leaving  the  event  to  God,  secure  in  our  own  integ- 


22 


I725-] 


170 


rity  &  inoffensiveness,  humbly  depend  upon  all  that  candour  &  goodness  from 
your  Lordship  which  dutiful  sons  and  faithful  Clergymen  may  hope  from  a 
kind  father  &  a  tender  Bishop. 

I  am,  my  Lord,  yours,  &c„  &c., 

DAVID  MOSSOM. 


THE  MEMORIAL  of  Timothy  Cutler ,  Samuel  Myles , 
Ministers  of  the  Established  Church  of  England  in  Bos¬ 
ton  humbly  presented  to  the  Honble  JVm  Dummer ,  Esq. 
Eieut  Govr  of  His  Majesty's  Province  of  Massachusetts 
Bay ;  The  Honl,le  his  Majestfs  Council  representatives 
of  the  said  Province  in  Gen1  Court  assembled  this  \oth 
day  of  jfune ,  1725. 


Whereas  we  are  informed  that  a  memorial  has  been  presented  to  this 
Honble  Court  &  that  the  prayer  of  it  hath  already  been  granted  by  the  Honble 
His  Majesty’s  Council  &  is  now  depending  in  the  Honble  House  of  Represen¬ 
tatives  : 

Therefore  we  humbly  beg  leave  to  offer  the  following  reasons  against  the 
sd  memorial. 

Ist.  The  matter  of  the  petition  being  general  respecting  ye  miscarriages 
of  the  whole  body  of  people  in  this  land  it  is  presumed  to  comprehend  the 
Churches  of  England  wherein  the  Petitioners  have  no  right  to  intermeddle. 

2d.  Whereas  by  the  tenour  of  the  Petition  which  is  to  revive  decaying 
Piety,  in  Conformity  with  the  Faith  &  order  of  the  Gospel,  In  explication  of 
which  general  Terms  the  Petitioners  refer  this  Honble  Court  to  a  time  (45 
years  ago)  when  there  was  no  Church  of  England  in  New  England  ;  We 
therefore  apprehend  that  the  Synod  petitioned  for  is  designed  to  prejudice 
the  people  of  the  Land  against  the  sd  Church  &  we  have  little  reason  to  ex¬ 
pect  that  in  such  a  Synod  she  will  be  treated  with  that  Tenderness  and  respect 
which  is  due  to  an  established  Church. 


I71  [i725. 

3d.  As  the  Episcopal  Ministers  in  this  Province  are  equally  concerned 
with  the  Petitioners  for  the  Purity  of  Faith  &  manner  in  this  Land  it  is  disre¬ 
spectful  to  them  not  to  be  consulted  in  this  important  affair. 

4th.  Whereas  it  is  desired  by  the  several  churches  in  the  Province  do  meet, 
&c.  It  is  either  a  hard  reflection  upon  the  episcopal  churches  as  none  in  not 
including  them  ;  &  if  they  are  included  we  think  it  very  improper  it  being 
without  the  knowledge  of  their  Rl  Revd  Diocesan  the  Lord  Bishop  of  London. 

5th.  Whereas  by  Royal  Authority  the  Colonies  in  America  are  annex’d 
to  the  Diocese  of  London  &  inasmuch  as  nothing  can  be  transacted  in  eccle¬ 
siastical  matters  without  the  Cognizance  of  the  Bishop,  We  are  humbly  of 
opinion  that  it  will  neither  be  dutiful  to  his  most  sacred  Majesty  King  George 
nor  consistent  with  the  rights  of  our  Rl  Revd  Diocesan  to  encourage  or  call 
the  said  Synod  until  the  pleasure  of  His  Majesty  shall  be  known  therein. — We 
humbly  pray  this  Honble  Court  to  take  the  premises  into  their  serious  consid¬ 
eration. 

Timothy  Cutler, 

Saml  Myles. 

In  the  House  of  Representatives  June  nth  1725,  Read. 

In  Council  June  14^,  1725,  Read. 

- 22,  Read  again,  and, 

Whereas  this  Memorial  contains  an  indecent  reflection  on  the  proceedings 
of  this  Board  with  several  groundless  Insinuations — 

Voted  it  be  dismissed. 

Sent  down  for  concurrence. 

In  the  House  of  Representatives  June  23d,  1725. 

Read  and  Concurred. 


J.  Willard,  Secry. 


I725-] 


172 


The  New  England,  Letters  have  brought  the  following  address : 

June  1  ith,  1725. 

Benjamin  Lynde,  John  Cushing,  and  Daniel  Oliver,  Esqrs,  brought  down 
an  address  from  the  reverend  ministers,  at  their  general  Convention,  the  27th 
of  May  past,  in  these  words  : 

To  the  very  HonbIe  Wm  Dummer  Esqr.,  Lieu1  Govr  and  Comr 
in  Chief,  &c  to  the  Honourable  the  Councillors,  to  the 
Honoured  the  Representatives  in  the  Great  and  General 
Court  of  his  Majesty’s  Province  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay 
assembled  and  now  sitting — A  Memorial  and  address 
humbly  presented. 

At  a  general  Convention  of  Ministers  from  several  parts  of  the  province  at 

Boston,  27th  May,  1725. 

Considering  the  great  and  visible  decay  of  piety  in  the  Country,  and  the 
Growth  of  many  miscarriages,  which  we  may  fear  have  provoked  the  Glorious 
Lord,  in  a  law,  in  a  series  of  various  Judgments  wonderfully  to  distress  us ; 
Considering  also  the  laudable  example  of  our  predecessors  to  recover  and 
establish  the  faith  and  order  of  the  Gospel  in  the  Churches  and  provide 
against  what  immoralitys  might  threaten  to  impair  them  in  the  way  of  general 
Synods  convened  for  that  purpose,  and  considering  that  about  Forty  Five 
Years  have  now  rolled  away  since  these  Churches  have  now  seen  any  such 
conventions,  it  is  humbly  desired,  that  the  Honoured  General  Court,  would 
express  their  concern  for  the  great  interests  of  Religion,  in  the  Country,  by 
calling  the  several  churches  in  the  province  to  meet,  by  their  Pastors,  and 
Messengers,  in  a  Synod,  and  from  thence  offer  their  advice  upon  that  weighty 
case  which  the  circumstances  of  the  day  do  loudly  call  to  be  considered : 
What  are  the  Miscarriages  whereof  we  have  reason  to  think  the  Judgment  of 
Heaven  upon  us,  call  us  to  be  more  generally  sensible,  and  what  may  be  the 
most  evangelical  and  effectual  expedients  to  put  a  stop  to  those  or  the  like 
miscarriages.  This  proposal  we  humbly  make  in  hopes  that  if  it  be  prosecu- 


173 


tes¬ 


ted  it  may  be  followed  with  many  desirable  consequences  worthy  the  study  of 
those  whom  God  has  made,  and  we  are  so  happy  to  enjoy,  as  the  nursing 
Fathers  of  our  Churches. 


The  Revd  Mr.  Danforth,  Mr. 
Williams,  Mr.  Sewall,  &  Mr. 
Thayer  are  desired  to  pre¬ 
sent  this  Memorial. 


COTTON  MATHER. 

In  the  Name  of  the  min¬ 
isters  assembled  in  their 
General  Convention. 


Extract  from  the  New  England  Courier ,  Dated 

July  i o'4,  1725. 


Having  in  our  last  inserted  the  Memorial  of  the  general  convention  of 
Ministers  met  at  Boston,  we  shall  in  this  present  our  readers  with  the  votes 
thereon,  together  with  the  memorial  of  the  Reverend  Doctor  Timothy  Cutler 
and  the  Reverend  Mr.  Samuel  Myles,  Ministers  of  the  Church  of  England 
against  the  Memorial  of  the  Dissenting  Ministers. 

In  Council,  June  3rd,  1725. 

Read  and  voted  that  the  Synod  and  assembly  proposed  in  this  Memorial 
will  be  agreeable  to  this  Board,  and  the  Reverend  Ministers  are  desired  to 
take  their  own  time  for  the  said  assembly,  and  it  is  earnestly  wished  the  issue 
thereof  may  be  a  happy  reformation  of  all  the  articles  of  a  Christian  life 
among  his  Majesty’s  good  subjects  of  this  province. 

J.  Willard,  Secretary. 

Sent  down  for  concurrence. 

Read,  and  the  house  entered  into  a  long  debate  on  the  subject  matter  of 
the  said  address  and  Memorial,  and  voted  that  the  same  be  referred  to  the 
next  Session  for  further  consideration. 

Sent  up  for  concurrence. 


T725-] 


i74 


The  Memorial  of  Timothy  Cutler,  Samuel  Myles,  Ministers  of  the  Established 
Church  of  England  in  Boston,  humbly  presented  to  the  Honorable  Wil¬ 
liam  Dummer,  Esq.,  Governor,  &c.,  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay,  the  Hon¬ 
orable  his  Majesty’s  Council  and  representatives  of  the  said  province, 
in  general  Court  assembled,  this  10th  day  of  June,  1725. 

Whereas  we  are  informed  that  a  Memorial  has  been  presented  to  this 
honorable  Court  and  that  the  prayer  of  it  hath  been  already  granted  by  the 
honorable  his  Majesty’s  Council  and  is  now  depending  in  the  honorable  the 
house  of  representatives.  Therefore  we  humbly  beg  leave  to  offer  the  follow¬ 
ing  reasons  against  the  Memorial : 

Ist.  The  matter  of  the  petition  being  general  respecting  the  whole  Body 
of  people  in  this  Island,  it  is  presumed  to  comprehend  the  Church  of  Eng¬ 
land,  wherein  the  petitioners  have  a  right  to  intermeddle. 

2nd.  Whereas,  by  the  tenor  of  the  petition  which  is  to  revive  decaying 
piety  in  conformity  to  the  faith  and  order  of  the  Gospel,  in  explication  of 
which  terms  the  petitioners  refer  this  Honorable  Court  to  a  time  (45  years 
ago)  when  there  was  no  Church  of  England  in  New  England.  We  therefore 
apprehend  that  the  Synod  petitioned  for  is  to  prejudice  the  people  of  the 
Land  against  the  Church,  and  we  have  little  reason  to  expect,  that  in  such  a 
Synod,  she  shall  be  treated  with  that  tenderness  and  respect  that  is  due  to  an 
Established  Church. 

3rd.  As  the  Episcopal  Ministers  in  this  province  are  equally  concerned 
with  the  petitioners,  for  the  purity  of  faith  and  manners  in  this  Land,  it  is  dis¬ 
respectful  to  them  not  to  be  Consulted  in  this  affair. 

4th.  Whereas  it  is  desired  that  the  several  Churches  in  this  province  do 
meet,  &c.,  it  is  either  an  hard  reflection  upon  the  Episcopal  Churches  as  none, 
in  not  including  them  ;  and  if  they  are  included,  we  think  it  very  improper,  it 
being  without  the  knowledge  of  their  Right  Reverend  Diocesan,  the  Lord 
Bishop  of  London. 

5th.  Whereas,  by  Loyal  Authority,  the  Colonies  in  America  are  annexed  to 
the  Diocese  of  London,  and  inasmuch  as  nothing  can  be  transacted  in  Eccle¬ 
siastical  Matters  without  the  cognizance  of  the  Bishop,  we  are  humbly  of 
opinion  that  it  will  neither  be  dutiful  to  his  most  sacred  Majesty  King  George, 
nor  consistent  with  the  rights  of  the  Right  Reverend  Diocesan  to  encourage 
or  call  the  said  Synod  until  the  pleasure  of  his  Majesty  shall  be  known  there- 


175 


[1725 


in,  we  humbly  pray  this  Honorable  Court  to  take  premises  into  their  serious 
consideration.  Timothy  Cutler, 

Samuel  Myles. 

In  the  House  of  Representatives,  June  11th,  1727,  Read. 

In  Council  June  14th,  1725,  Read. 

June  22,  Read  again,  and, 

Whereas  this  memorial  contains  an  indecent  reflection  on  the  proceedings 
of  this  Board,  with  several  Groundless  Insinuations — 

Voted  that  it  may  be  dismissed. 

Sent  down  for  concurrence. 

J.  Willard,  Secretary. 

In  the  House  of  Representatives  June  23rd  1725. 

Read  and  concurred. 


♦ 


The  New  England  Clergy  to  the  BISHOP  of  LONDON. 


May  it  Please  Your  Lordship: 

Tho’  we  readily  Embrace  every  Suitable  Occasion  of  accounting  for  the 
Affairs  of  the  Churches  under  our  Care  to  your  Lordship,  &  to  the  Honoura¬ 
ble  Society,  Yet  humbly  Conceiving  that  a  joynt  Representation  of  the  State 
of  Religion  in  these  parts  may  carry  some  Weight,  we  have  transmitted  a  just 
&  faithful  one  to  our  Generous  Patrons,  a  Coppy  whereof  we  now  trouble  your 
Lordship  with.  And  tho’  no  Clergy  were  ever  more  Happy  under  the  vigil¬ 
ant  &  affectionate  Care  of  a  Diocesan  than  we  at  present  are,  as  far  as  is 
possible  for  the  Benign  Influences  of  Episcopal  Power  to  be  extended.  Yet 
Your  Lordship’s  known  uncommon  Concern  for  the  Growth  of  these  Tender, 
But  (by  the  Blessing  of  God)  Thriving  Nurseries,  gives  us  room  to  think 
that  the  Arguments  for  the  Necessity  of  a  Bishop  in  this  Country  will  have  a 
Due  Consideration  with  your  Lordship. 

We  have  also  presumed  to  approach  the  Throne  with  a  Dutiful  Application 
to  his  most  Sacred  Majesty,  for  his  Gracious  Countenance  &  Protection  to  Us  & 
our  Churches,  which  we  humbly  beg  your  Lordship  will  be  pleased  to  lay  before 
Him,  with  our  Most  Loyal  Regards  for  his  Sacred  Person  &  Illustrious  House. 


1 725-] 


176 


All  our  Brethren  in  these  Parts  have  been  Notified  of  our  Designs  to 
meet  and  the  Reasons  of  our  Assembling  together,  and  have  had  Sufficient 
time  to  joyn  us.  But  (Excepting  Mr.  Myles  who  was  not  able  to  undergo  the 
Fatigue  of  a  Journey)  we  can’t  account  for  the  absence  of  Those  who  now 
don’t  Concur  in  our  Representations. 

We  are  with  all  possible  Respect  &  Veneration, 

May  it  Please  your  Lordship, 

Your  Lordship’s  Most  Humble  &  Most  Obedient  Servants, 

Timothy  Cutler, 

James  Honyman, 

James  M.  Sparran, 
Matthias  Plant, 

George  Pigot, 

Samuel  Johnson. 

Newport  on  Rhode  Island  in  New  England,  21st  July,  1725. 

P.  S. — We  are  obliged  to  inform  Your  Lordship,  That  Mr.  Usher  gave  us 
to  understand,  that  since  the  Design  of  Our  Meeting  has  been  notified,  he  has 
received  a  letter  from  a  Friend  of  his  at  Boston,  which  he  refused  to  shew  Us  ; 
Wherein  he  sayd  he  was  advised  against  joyning  with  Us  ;  Nor  will  he  concur 
in  this  Address  to  Your  Lordship,  notwithstanding  the  many  Expostulations  & 
Arguments  used  with  Him  so  to  do;  and  thereupon  He  has  abruptly  left  the 
Convention. 

Timothy  Cutler, 

James  Honyman, 

James  M.  Sparran, 
Matthias  Plant, 

George  Pigot, 

Samuel  Johnson. 


* 


177 


[!725* 


Clergy  of  New  England  to  the  Secretary . 


Newport  on  Rhode  Island,  21st  July,  1725. 

Sir, 

We,  the  subscribers  honored  by  the  Society  with  a  Mission  to  New  Eng¬ 
land  though  very  remotely  situated  one  from  another,  have  thought  ourselves 
obliged  from  our  own  particular  interests  and  the  common  good  of  the  Church 
in  these  parts,  to  assemble  ourselves  together  at  this  present  time,  to  cultivate 
an  amicable  correspondence  with  one  another  to  encourage  our  hearts  and  to 
strengthen  our  hands  in  the  important  business  we  are  entrusted  with  and  to  that 
end  concur  in  a  representation  of  the  state  of  Religion  in  this  Country  in  addition 
to  the  particular  Representations  which  in  obedience  to  the  commands  of  the 
Honorable  Society,  we  have  made  from  time  to  time.  It  is  with  great  satisfaction 
that  we  behold  our  several  congregations  in  a  thriving  condition  and  find  in 
multitudes  of  our  neighbors  very  easy  and  open  minds  to  the  reception  of 
Truth  and  a  growing  esteem  and  affection  towards  our  most  excellent  Church 
so  that  several  of  us  not  only  serve  our  particular  cures,  but  are  invited  and 
welcome  to  preach  and  officiate  in  places  very  distant  from  them  and  find  the 
very  happy  and  promising  consequences  of  so  doing.  However  the  zeal 
which  we  find  towards  the  Church  is  not  strong  enough  to  breake  through  all 
the  difficulties  which  bear  so  hard  upon  it,  when  (as  the  time  go  with  us)  the 
honor  of  every  temporal  interest  of  a  Churchman  is  hazarded  by  his  open 
profession  and  a  special  frown  falls  on  those  whom  Reason  and  experience  of 
the  confusions  and  misery  of  Schism  and  Dissention  awaken  and  recover  to 
us  in  persuance  of  which  all  methods  are  used  in  our  several  Governments  to 
discourage  people  from  embracing  our  Government  Doctrine  and  Liturgy,  by 
assisting  and  Imprisoning  many  of  the  people  for  their  taxes  to  the  support 
of  Dissenting  teachers  whose  consciences  keep  them  from  assembling  with 
them  and  whose  duty  to  God  and  grateful  respect  to  the  Society’s  expecta¬ 
tions  oblige  them  to  contribute  what  they  can  to  our  encouragement  and  sup¬ 
port  and  at  this  time  the  strongest  endeavors  are  used  to  prevail  on  the  civil 
authority  to  establish  independency  in  the  Country,  and  blast  our  hopes  of 
the  increase  and  strength  of  the  Church  of  England,  notwithstanding  all  our 
care  to  cultivate  a  friendly  and  amicable  correspondence  with  them.  A  speci- 


*3 


I725-] 


178 


✓ 


men  of  this  their  temper,  we  now  make  bold  to  present  the  Honorable  Soci¬ 
ety  with.  We  humbly  conceive  nothing  can  more  effectually  redress  these 
grievances  and  protect  us  from  the  insults  of  our  adversaries  than  an  Ortho¬ 
dox  and  Loyal  Bishop  residing  with  us,  and  at  this  time  are  awakened  to  such 
a  thought  by  the  coming  over  of  Docter  Welton,  late  of  White  Chapel  who 
has  privately  received  the  Episcopal  character  in  England  and  from  whose 
influences  and  industry  we  have  reason  to  fear  very  unhappy  consequences 
on  the  peace  of  the  Church  and  the  affections  of  this  Country  to  our  most 
excellent  constitution  and  his  most  sacred  Majesty’s  Person  and  Government. 
Not  only  those  who  profess  themselves  Churchmen  long  and  pray  for  this 
great  blessing  of  a  worthy  Bishop  with  us  but  also  multitudes  of  those  who 
are  well-wishers  to  us  but  are  Kept  concealed  for  want  hereof,  and  immediate¬ 
ly  appear  and  form  many  more  congregations  too.  If  once  this  happiness  were 
granted  this  would  supply  us  with  many  useful  Ministers  from  among  our¬ 
selves  whom  the  hazards  of  the  seas  and  sickness  and  the  charges  of  travel 
discourage  from  the  service  of  the  Church  and  tempt  them  to  enlist  them¬ 
selves  as  members  or  Ministers  of  Dissenting  Congregations.  Our  people 
might  receive  the  great  benefit  of  Confirmation,  the  usefulness  whereof  we 
preach  and  they  are  very  deeply  sensible,  a  better  harmony  might  be  among 
ourselves  than  now  is,  of  very  necessary  consequence  to  our  happiness  and 
reputation.  The  mouths  of  our  enemies  might  be  stopped,  both  the  Roman 
Katholics  of  the  Governments  around  us  who  have  Bishops  and  the  Dissent¬ 
ers  with  whom  we  dwell,  who  upbraid  us  for  pressing  those  things  we  cannot 
enjoy.  In  a  word  by  the  means  all  those  glorious  ends  which  the  Society  pro- 
poseth  to  themselves,  might  with  a  vast  deal  more  regularity,  facility  and  suc¬ 
cess  be  obtained.  We  beg  the  Society’s  pardon  and  Candour  towards  us  in  the 
representation  we  have  presumed  to  offer,  with  the  continuance  of  those  sup¬ 
ports  we  receive  from  their  piety  and  benignity  while  our  humble  ambition  to 
make  ourselves  worthy  of  it  by  preaching  and  practising  a  profound  devotion 
towards  God,  all  possible  Loyalty  to  his  most  Sacred  Majesty,  King  George, 
and  a  full  complacency  in  the  succession  established  in  his  most  illustrious 
House,  a  Zeal  towards  our  most  Excellent  Church  the  Edification  of  all  that 
are  in  it,  and  an  offensive  demeanor  towards  those  who  are  without.  In  the 
sincerity  of  which  declarations  we  subscribe  ourselves  Their  most  obliged  and 
your  most  humble  Servts,  Timothy  Cutler, 

James  Honyman, 

And  others. 


179 


H1 725- 


Copy  of  letter  from  the  BISHOP  of  LONDON  to  the  DUKE 

of  NEWCASTLE, 


Fulham,  17th  August,  1725. 

May  it  Please  Your  Grace, 

I  take  the  liberty  to  enclose  the  Flying  Post  of  this  day,  for  the  sake  of 
the  address  in  the  first  column,  from  the  Convention  of  Ministers  in  New 
England,  and  I  humbly  conceive  that  there  are  two  things  which  deserve  to  be 
considered,  first,  what  use  the  Ministers  make  of  their  being  suffered  to  meet  in  a 
regular  Synod,  and  next,  whether  the  suffering  the  Ministers  in  New  England 
to  hold  a  Synod  will  not  be  a  fresh  handle  of  complaint  amongst  those  of  the 
Clergy  here,  who  are  apt  to  clamour  for  a  sitting  Convocation. 

My  Lord, 

Your  Grace’s 

Very  Faithfull  Servant, 

EDMD  LONDON. 


♦ 


Extract  from  the  Boston  News  Letter. 


Thursday,  Aug1  19th,  1725. 

The  public  having  been  shamefully  imposed  on  by  an  article  of  News  in 
the  Boston  Gazette  of  Aug1  2  nd,  it  may  not  be  improper  to  insert  the  same  in 
this  paper,  and  then  give  some  account  of  the  matter  of  fact  contained  in  it. 
The  article  of  news  was  as  followeth,  viz1. 

Boston,  Aug1  2nd. — On  Wednesday  last  the  Reverend  Docter  Timothy 
Cutler,  Rector  of  Christ  Church  in  Boston  (at  the  request  of  several  of  the 
inhabitants  of  the  Town  of  Scituate)  performed  Divine  Service  according  to 
the  Liturgy  of  the  Church  of  England,  in  one  of  the  Meeting  Houses  of  the 
said  Town  to  the  general  satisfaction  of  the  auditory. 

Whether  this  account  was  published  by  Docter  Cutler  or  his  order  is  not 
our  present  business  to  enquire.  We  shall  therefore  proceed  to  observe  the 


T725-l 


180 


falsehood  of  an  insinuation  in  the  said  advertisement,  which  is:  That  a  con¬ 
siderable  number  of  the  principal  inhabitants  of  Scituate  had  invited  Docter 
Cutler  to  come  and  Evangelise  the  people  there.  Whereas,  in  good  truth,  he 
was  invited  but  by  one  Man  who  was  disaffected  to  the  Minister  of  the  place. 
However  by  the  way  this  shews  the  Docter’s  fervent  zeal  and  indefatigable 
pains  to  make  proselytes  to  the  cause  and  promote  ceremonies  by  destroying 
substantiate  in  Religion.  The  rest  of  the  audience  were  the  Docter’s  attend¬ 
ants  being  three  in  number  (well  known  in  Boston)  some  disaffected  persons 
from  the  neighboring  Towns,  3  other  men,  inhabitants  of  Scituate,  and  about 
40  school  boys  and  young  people.  A  hopeful  auditory  no  doubt,  and  the 
reader  may  easily  judge  what  manner  of  performance  would  be  to  their  gen¬ 
eral  satisfaction.  Here  it  will  be  but  fair  to  inform  the  public  that  the  entrance 
which  the  Docter  and  his  Company  made  into  the  meeting  house,  was  with¬ 
out  the  knowledge  and  consent  of  the  minister  or  principal  Men  of  the  Town 
and  by  consequence  somewhat  unhandsome  if  not  clandestine.  There  is  a 
brief  and  just  account  of  Docter  Cutler’s  Journey  to  and  performance  at 
Scituate,  which  has  occasioned  much  talk  and  speculation  among  the  Plebians, 
everyone  passing  what  censure  he  pleased  on  the  action,  though  most  hold  it 
not  very  honorable  on  the  Docter’s  side.  We  shall  sum  up  the  whole  matter 
with  this  one  reflection,  among  many  others  that  might  be  made,  vizk  If  a 
Presbyterian  Minister,  at  the  desire  of  1  or  2  disaffected  persons  in  the  Doc¬ 
ter’s  congregation,  had  without  his  knowledge  or  consent  entered  into  his 
Church  and  prayed  and  preached  there  without  dispute  the  Docter  would 
have  resented  it  as  an  insufferable  affront  and  injury,  and  by  this  time  we  had 
been  well  nigh  stunned  with  the  Clamours  of  the  party. 


♦ 


Copy  of  letter  from  the  LORD  BISHOP  of  LONDON 
to  the  DUKE  of  NEWCASTLE, 

August  21st,  1725. 

May  it  please  your  Grace, 

I  troubled  your  Grace  lately  with  an  account  of  what  the  Independent 
Ministers  in  New  England  are  doing,  in  order  to  obtain  powers  for  holding  a 


1 8 1 


C1 725- 


regular  Synod.  To  what  I  then  mentioned  as  deserving  in  my  opinion  the 
consideration  of  the  Ministry,  I  desire  to  add  that  it  may  be  a  doubt  upon  the 
act  of  union  between  England  and  Scotland,  whether  the  Independents  in 
New  England  are  any  more  than  a  Federal  Ministry  and  people. 

The  act  of  uniformity  (13,  14  Car.  2)  extends  no  further  than  the  realm 
of  England,  Dominion  of  Wales,  and  Town  of  Berwick  upon  Tweed,  and 
therefore  left  the  Crown  at  liberty  to  make  such  Worship  and  Discipline  as 
the  King  or  Queen  for  the  time  being,  the  established  Worship  and  Disci¬ 
pline  of  the  other  territories. 

But  by  the  act  of  union  (6  Ann.  c.  5)  every  King  and  Queen  at  their 
Coronation  shall  take  and  subscribe  an  oath  to  maintain  and  preserve  inviola¬ 
bly  the  settlement  of  the  Church  of  England,  and  the  Doctrine,  Discipline, 
Worship,  and  Government  thereof  as  by  law  established  within  the  Kingdoms 
of  England  and  Ireland,  the  domiriion  of  Wales  and  town  of  Berwick  upon 
Tweed,  and  the  territories  thereunto  belonging. 

If  by  this  clause  the  Ministers  and  people  of  the  Church  of  England  in 
the  Plantations  be  made  the  established  Church  within  the  several  Govern¬ 
ments,  then  all  the  rest  are  only  tolerated  as  here  in  England,,  and  if  so  this 
double  ill  use  may  be  made  of  by  permitting  the  Independent  Ministers  of 
New  England  to  hold  a  regular  Synod.  The  established  Clergy  here  may 
think  it  hard  to  be  debarred  of  a  Liberty  which  is  indulged  the  Tolerated 
Ministers  there,  and  the  tolerated  ministers  here  may  think  it  equitable  that 
their  privileges  should  not  be  less  than  those  of  their  Bretheren  in  New 
England. 

I  think  it  my  duty  to  suggest  these  things  for  the  consideration  of  your 
Grace  and  the  other  Ministers. 

I  am,  &c., 

EDMD  LONDON. 


1 725-] 


182 


DOCTER  CUTLER S  Representation  to  M\  DUMMER , 
Lieutenant  Governor  of  New  England \ 


THE  MEMORIAL  OF  TIMOTHY  CUTLER,  RECTOR  OF  CHRIST  CHURCH  IN 

NEW  ENGLAND. 

Aug1  27th,  1725. 

Humbly  Sheweth, 

That  whereas  the  said  Timothy  Cutler,  in  pursuance  of  the  duty  of  his 
Office,  did,  upon  invitation  and  in  a  very  quiet  and  inoffensive  manner  per¬ 
form  the  Divine  Service  according  to  usage  of  the  Church  of  England,  and 
preach  at  Scituate,  on  July  the  28th  last  past.  This  said  action  of  his  is  most 
opprobriously  represented  in  the  Boston  News  Letter  N°  1725,  published  by 
authority,  wherein  among  the  many  falsehoods  and  injurious  reflections 
“therein  uttered,  there  is  this,” — however  by  the  way  this  shews  the  Docter’s 
fervent  zeal  and  indefatigable  pains  to  make  proselytes  to  the  cause,  and 
promote  ceremonies  by  destroying  substantiate  in  Religion. 

The  Memorialist  in  his  own  vindication,  presumes  to  give  your  Honor  a 
just  and  true  narrative  of  that  matter.  And  first  he  would  observe  to  your 
honor  that  the  article  of  news  in  the  Boston  Gazette  here  referred  to,  was 
printed  entirely  without  his  knowledge  or  order. 

Again,  that  he  was  invited  by  two  persons  of  the  Town  of  Scituate  whose 
disaffections  (if  any)  to  the  minister  in  the  place  he  did  not  nor  doth  think 
himself  obliged  to  look  into,  but  who  manifested  themselves  to  be  well 
affected  to  the  Church  of  England,  and  told  him  that  his  coming  would  be 
grateful  to  sundry  more  people  in  Scituate. 

Further,  that  the  persons  who  attended  him  out  of  Boston  were  to  the 
number  of  7,  three  of  whom  were  strangers  to  him,  the  other  with  two  from 
a  Neighbouring  Town  and  a  person  who  followed  him  out  of  Town  the  next 
morning  are  persons  of  unsullied  character,  for  aught  he  knows. 

That  being  arrived  at  Scituate  July  27th,  he  was  informed  that  the  meeting 
House  was  swept  for  his  reception,  that  the  next  morning  the  number  of 
people  who  presented  themselves  to  Worship  God  with  us  appearing  too 
large  for  the  House  he  thought  to  officiate  in.  Three  persons  considerable 
for  age,  2  whereof  whose  names  he  cannot  recollect,  but  one  of  them  said  to 


i83 


[I725- 


be  a  Man  of  a  very  large  estate,  and  the  other  person  called  Lieutenant 
Dammon,  a  Man  highly  reputed  of  there,  and  none  of  the  three  being  of 
Communion  of  the  Church  of  England,  came  to  the  House  where  he  was  and 
said  to  this  effect,  That  as  (the  Memorialist)  they  supposed  was  come  upon 
Account  of  Religion  there,  and  the  audience  was  like  to  be  large,  they 
desired  (the  Memorialist)  to  go  up  to  the  meeting  house  and  perform  the 
worship  and  service  there,  and  added  they  thought  nobody  could  except 
against  a  thing  of  that  nature,  and  the  Memorialist  still  hesitating  upon  it  (the 
Minister  Mr.  Brown  being  out  of  Town)  they  said  they  would  take  all  the 
blame  upon  themselves,  whereupon  the  Memorialist  conducted  by  them  went 
to  the  meeting  House,  the  door  whereof  he  found  open  and  these  persons 
having  made  a  way  for  his  entrance  followed  him  in.  Lastly  that  as  he  was 
told,  besides  those  that  attended  him  to  the  place  there  was  upwards  of  90 
persons  within  the  house,  near  40  of  whome  he  supposes  to  be  married  or 
marrigeable  persons;  people  of  a  decent  aspect,  Dress  and  Behaviour,  And 
he  was  informed  there  would  have  been  more  if  it  had  not  been  bruited 
about  Friday  before  that  he  was  discouraged  from  coming,  besides  other 
moveable  circumstances  that  he  omits  least  he  should  be  too  tedious  to  your 
honor. 

The  Memorialist  humbly  presents  to  your  Honor’s  consideration  the  case 
as  represented  in  the  Boston  News  Letter  which  he  thinks  tends  to  the  ruin 
of  his  reputation,  the  disadvantage  of  his  Labors  in  religion,  the  discourage¬ 
ment  of  any  Minister  or  Missionary  in  the  faithful  discharge  in  these  parts 
and  by  consequence  to  the  great  prejudice  of  the  Church  of  England,  and 
he  desires  your  honor  will  order  such  reparation  to  be  made  to  his  Character 
and  afford  such  protection  to  the  Church  of  England  in  this  as  well  as  in  all 
other  instances  as  your  honor  in  your  wisdom  and  justice  shall  think  fit. 

Your  honor’s  most  humble  and  Obd1  Send, 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


1 725-] 


184 


Copy  of  Letter  from  the  BISHOP  of  LONDON  to,  the 

DUKE  of  NEWCASTLE. 


Fulham,  August  31st,  1725. 

May  it  please  your  Grace, 

Since  I  waited  on  your  Grace  at  the  Cockpit,  I  have  seen  the  Resolutions 
of  the  Council  and  House  of  Representatives  in  New  England  in  relation  to 
the  Synod  of  the  Independent  Ministers  there. 

The  resolution  of  the  Council  is  as  follows : 

“In  council  June  3d,  1725,  read,  and  voted  that  the  synod  and  assembly  pro- 
“  posed  in  this  memorial  (from  the  Independent  Ministers)  will  be  agree¬ 
able  to  this  board,  And  the  Reverend  Ministers  are  desired  to  take 
“  their  own  time  for  the  said  assembly,  and  it  is  earnestly  wished  the 
“issue  thereof  may  be  a  happy  reformation  in  all  the  articles  of  a 
“Christian  Life,  among  his  Majesty’s  good  subjects  of  this  Province.” 
In  the  House  of  Representatives  the  resolution  is  this  : 

“Read  and  referred  to  the  next  session  for  further  consideration.” 

Which  being  sent  up  to  the  Council,  the  Order  there  is  Read  and  con¬ 
curred. 

The  next  Session  will  be  between  Michaelmas  and  Christmas,  which  I 
thought  proper  to  be  intimated  to  Your  Grace  together  with  the  foregoing 
resolutions. 

I  am,  &c., 

EDMD  LONDON. 

♦  ■■■  ■ 


Dr.  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary . 


Boston,  New  England,  Septr  23rd,  1725. 

Sir, 

From  the  beginning  of  Decr  last  to  this  time,  I  have  baptized  22,  of  which 
were  two  negroes,  one  whereof  is  an  Adult,  and  my  Communicants  are  to  the 


i»5 


[172 

number  of  75,  17  whereof  live  out  of  Town  ;  and  I  hope  that  they,  with  many 
others  belonging  to  me  (excepting  their  culpable  omission  of  the  communion), 
live  to  the  Honor  of  the  Church,  and  the  comfort  of  their  own  souls  ;  and  it 
is  with  a  great  deal  of  pleasure  and  truth  that  I  let  the  Honorable  Society 
know  that  I  live  in  peace  and  love  with  a  numerous  and  very  increasing  con¬ 
gregation,  who  are  very  constant  and  very  devout  at  our  public  worship,  and 
it  is  not  uncommon  for  Dissenters  to  visit  my  congregation,  who,  many  of 
them,  do  depart  with  satisfaction,  which  many  that  are  inveterately  set  against 
the  Church  labor  to  overbalance  by  a  spirit  of  zeal  and  acrimony  against  me. 
Some  other  motives,  indeed,  of  the  like  kind  there  are.  From  the  pains  I  have 
taken  this  summer  to  preach  upon  invitation  at  two  places,  twice  at  Brantry 
once  at  Scituate,  a  place  30  miles  from  this  Town,  where  perhaps  there  never 
was  an  Episcopal  Minister  before,  but  where  I  was  well  and  decently  received, 
and  expect  to  go  again  at  their  desire  ere  long.  There  are  a  great  number  of 
Opinionists  in  the  place,  and  some  favorably  disposed  to  the  Church  of  Eng¬ 
land.  I  went  down  there  in  the  use  of  the  strictest  precautions,  and  know  not 
how  I  could  mend  my  behaviour  in  a  second  visit,  but  yet  the  mouth  of  Cal¬ 
umny  is  open  against  me,  as  appears  in  the  printed  paper  enclosed,  which,  with 
the  actings  upon  it,  I  make  bold  to  present  to  the  Society,  ambitious  to  show 
myself  (by  the  help  of  God)  worthy  of  a  better  treatment  than  ill  natured  men 
are  pleased  to  bestow  upon  me,  and  to  lay  in  my  defence  with  the  Society 
against  my  false  crimination  in  the  steps  I  have  taken.  I  have  had  the  advice 
and  countenance  of  the  Reverend  Mr.  Myles,  to  say  nothing  of  the  approbation 
of  the  whole  Church,  and  as  it  suited  not  my  Inclinations  nor  leasure,  so  was  it 
not  proper  for  me  to  prosecute  the  printer  or  to  Publish  anything  in  my  own 
vindication.  It  is  enough  for  me  to  have  left  my  case  to  the  reflections  of  the 
Honorable  Society,  and  particularly  my  Right  Reverend  Diocesan,  whose 
charitable  opinions  I  shall  always  solicit,  and  pray  God  I  may  deserve  them. 
Which,  since  I  have  now  done,  I  shall  (God  assisting  me)  go  thro’  with  what 
furthur  difficultys  remain  for  me  in  the  service  of  religion  and  the  Church  of 
England ;  and  I  humbly  desire  the  directions  and  encouragements  of  the 
Honorable  Society  for  that  end. 

I  am,  &c., 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 

*4 


I725-] 


186 


Advice  of  the  COUNCIL  of  BOSTON  upon  Docter  CUT¬ 
LER’S  Representation. 

Septr  23d,  1725. 

At  a  Council  held  at  the  Council  Chamber  in  Boston,  upon  Thursday,  2nd 
Septr,  1725,— 

His  honor  the  Lieutenant  Governor  communicated  a  Memorial  he  had  re¬ 
ceived  from  the  Reverend  Timothy  Cutler,  complaining  of  some  unjust  reflec¬ 
tions  cast  on  him  in  the  Boston  Newspaper,  Number  1125  (said  to  be)  pub¬ 
lished  by  Authority,  relating  to  his  performing  Divine  Service  in  the  meeting 
house  in  Scituate,  the  28th  July  last  past,  which  being  read  and  considered,  his 
Majesty’s  Council  gave  the  following  advite: 

Whereas  inconveniences  have  once  and  again  arisen  to  the  Government 
by  several  matters  being  printed  in  the  Newspapers,  that  are  said  to  be  pub¬ 
lished  by  Authority,  which  have  never  been  kqown  to  the  Government  or 
offered  for  their  approbation, — 

Advised  that  his  honor  the  Lieutenant  Governor  give  his  orders  to  the 
Publishers  of  the  several  Newspapers  not  to  insert  in  their  papers  these 
words,  “  published  by  Authority,”  or  words  of  the  like  import  for  the  future. 

Copy,  &c.,  J.  WILLARD,  Secretary. 


- ♦ - 

A  Letter  from  the  LORDS  fUSTICES  to  the  LORD 
BISHOP  of  LONDON signed  by  CHARLES  DEL- 
AFAYE ,  their  Secretary .  ♦ 


Whitehall,  24th  Septr,  1725. 

My  Lord, 

Your  Lordship’s  letters  to  my  Lord  Duke  of  Newcastle,  concerning  the 
address  of  the  General  Convention  of  Independent  Ministers  in  New  England 
to  the  Lieu1  Governor,  Council  and  House  of  Representatives,  for  the  calling 


187 


[J725- 

of  a  Synod,  having  been  by  his  Grace  laid  before  the  Lords  Justices,  their 
Excies  have  referred  this  matter  to  the  consideration  of  Mr.  Attorney  and  Mr. 
Solicitor  General.  And  as  no  account  of  it  has  been  sent  to  the  Government, 
their  Excies  desire  your  Lordship  will  please  to  communicate  to  them  such  in¬ 
formations  as  you  have  received  concerning  it,  and  they  are  directed  to  apply 
to  you  for  that  purpose.  I  have  the  honour  to  acquaint  your  Lordship  with 
this  by  their  Excellcies’  command,  and  am,  with  great  truth  and  respect,  &c., 

CHARLES  DELAFAYE. 


A  letter  from  CHARLES  DELAFAYE,  Esf,  to  M\  AT¬ 
TORNEY  and  M\  SOLICITOR  GENERAL . 


Whitehall,  September  24th,  1725. 

Gentlemen, 

I  send  you  herewith  by  command  of  the  Lords  Justices,  Copys  of  some 
letters,  which  my  Lord  Duke  of  Newcastle  has  received  from  the  Lord  Bishop 
of  London,  setting  forth  that  an  address  from  the  General  Convention  of  the 
Independent  Ministers  in  New  England  has  been  presented  to  the  Lieu1  Gov¬ 
ernor,  Council  and  House  of  Representatives  of  that  Colony,  desiring  them 
to  call  the  several  Churches  in  that  Province,  to  meet  by  their  Pastors  and 
Messengers  in  a  Synod,  to  which  the  said  Council  and  House  of  Representa¬ 
tives  have  given  their  consent.  Their  Excies  have  commanded  me  to  signify 
their  directions,  that  you  inquire  into  this  matter,  and  report  whether  such 
pastors  and  messengers  have  any  power  to  meet  in  a  Synod  without  the 
King’s  Licence.  How  far  his  Majesty’s  Prerogative  may  be  concerned  in 
such  an  application,  not  to  the  Lieu1  Governor  as  representing  His  Majesty’s 
Person,  but  to  him  and  the  Council  and  House  of  Representatives  ?  Wheth¬ 
er  the  consent  of  the  Council  and  House  of  Representatives  be  a  sufficient 
authority  for  their  holding  such  Synod  ?  And  if  they  should  be  actually  sit¬ 
ting  when  the  Lords  Justices’  directions  in  this  matter  are  received  by  the 
Lieu1  Governor,  what  can  there  be  done  to  put  an  end  to  their  meeting  ? 
Their  Excellcles  would  also  have  you  inquire  what  authority  those  Ministers 


l7  25-] 


1 88 

have  to  meet  in  a  General  Convention,  and  being  so  assembled,  to  make  and 
present  Addresses  or  to  do  any  other  public  act.  No  account  of  this  trans¬ 
action  having  been  transmitted  to  the  Government,  Their  Excies  have  ordered 
me  to  write  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  that  he  will  please  to  give  you  what 
information  he  can  in  it,  and  you  will  accordingly  apply  to  his  Lordship  for 
that  purpose. 

I  am,  &c., 

CHARLES  DELAFAYE. 


A  Letter  from  CHAS  DELAFAYE ,  Esf,  to  Mr,  ATTOR¬ 
NEY  and  M\  SOLICITOR  GENERAL. 


Whitehall,  Septr  25th,  I725. 

Gentlemen, 

I  send  you  herewith  several  papers  I  have  received  from  my  Lord  Bishop 
of  London,  relating  to  the  proceedings  of  the  Independent  Ministry  at  New 
England,  which  are  referred  to  your  consideration. 


I  am,  &c., 

CH.  DELAFAYE. 


There  went  inclosed, 

1 —  Application  of  the  Independent  Ministers  of  New  England  for  a 
Synod. 

2 —  Application  against  the  Synod  by  Mr.  Myles  and  Dr.  Cutler,  two 
Church  of  England  Ministers  in  Boston. 

3 —  Mr.  Myles’s  letter  to  the  Bishop  of  London. 

4 —  Proceedings  of  the  assembly  against  the  application  of  Mr.  Myles  and 
Dr.  Cutler. 

5 —  Proceedings  of  the  assembly  upon  the  application  of  the  Independent 
Ministers  for  a  Synod. 


► 


189 


[i725- 


A  Letter  from  CHAS  DEL AF AYE,  Esrf,  to  the  Gov  of 
New  England ,  by  order  of  the  Lords  Justices. 


Whitehall,  Octr  7th,  1725. 

Sir, 

The  Lords  Justices  being  informed  from  such  good  hands  as  make  the 
truth  of  this  advice  not  to  be  doubted,  that  at  a  General  Convention  of  Min¬ 
isters  from  several  parts  of  His  Majesty’s  Province  of  the  Massachusets  Bay 
at  Boston  on  the  27th  May  last,  a  Memorial  and  address  was  framed,  directed 
to  you  as  Lieu1  Governor  and  Commander  in  Cheif  and  to  the  Council  and 
House  of  Representatives  then  sitting,  desiring  that  the  General  Assembly 
would  call  the  several  Churches  in  that  Province  to  meet  by  their  Pastors  and 
Messengers,  in  a  Synod,  which  memorial  and  address  being  accordingly  pre¬ 
sented  by  some  of  the  said  Ministers,  in  the  name  and  at  the  desire  of  the 
said  Convention,  was  considered  in  Council  the  3rd  of  June  following,  and 
there  approved ;  but  the  House  of  Representatives  put  off  the  consideration 
of  it  to  the  next  session  in  which  the  Council  afterwards  concurred.  Their 
Excies  were  extremely  surprised,  that  no  account  of  so  extraordinary  and  im¬ 
portant  a  transaction  should  have  been  transmitted  by  you  pursuant  to  an  Act 
in  your  Instructions  by  which  you  are  directed  upon  all  occasions  to  send  into 
His  Majesty,  and  to  the  Commisrs  for  Trade  and  Plantations,  a  particular 
account  of  all  your  proceedings  and  the  condition  of  affairs  within  your  Gov¬ 
ernment. 

As  this  matter  does  highly  concern  His  Majesty’s  Royal  Prerogative, 
Their  Excies  referred  it  to  Mr.  Attorney  and  Mr.  Solicitor  General,  who  after 
mature  Deliberation  and  making  all  the  proper  enquiries,  reported  that  from  the 
Charters  and  Laws  of  your  Colony,  they  cannot  collect  that  there  is  any  reg¬ 
ular  establishment  of  a  National  or  Provincial  Church  There,  so  as  to  warrant 
the  holding  of  Convocations  or  Synods  of  the  Clergy ;  but  if  such  Synods 
might  be  holden,  yet  they  take  it  to  be  clear  in  point  of  Law  that  his  Majes¬ 
ty’s  supremacy  in  Ecclasiastical  affairs  being  a  branch  of  his  prerogative  does 
take  place  in  the  Plantations,  and  that  Synods  cannot  be  held,  nor  is  it  lawful 
for  the  Clergy  to  assemble  as  in  a  Synod  without  authority  from  his  Majesty. 
They  conceive  the  above  mentioned  application  of  the  said  Ministers,  not  to 


I725-] 


190 

you  alone  as  representing  the  King’s  Persons ;  but  to  you  and  the  Council, 
and  the  House  of  Representatives,  to  be  a  contempt  of  his  Majesty’s  Prerog¬ 
ative,  as  it  is  a  public  acknowledgement,  that  the  power  of  granting  what 
they  desire,  resides  in  the  Legislative  body  of  the  Province,  which  by  Law  is 
vested  only  in  his  Majesty,  and  the  Lieu1  Govr,  Council  and  Assembly  inter- 
medling  therein  was  an  invasion  of  his  Majesty’s  royal  authority,  which  it 
was  your  particular  duty  as  Lieu1  Govr  to  have  withstood,  and  rejected,  and 
that  the  consent  of  the  Governor,  the  Council  and  House  of  Representatives 
will  not  be  a  sufficient  Authority  for  the  holding  of  such  Synod. 

Their  Excellcies,  upon  consideration  of  this  opinion  of  the  Attorney  and 
Solicitor  General,  which  they  have  been  pleased  to  approve,  have  commanded 
me  to  acquaint  you  therewith,  and  to  express  to  you  their  surprise,  that  no 
account  of  so  remarkable  a  transaction,  which  so  nearly  concerns  the  King’s 
Prerogative,  and  the  welfare  of  his  Majesty’s  Province  under  your  Govern¬ 
ment,  has  been  received  from  you  and  to  signify  to  you  their  directions  that 
you  do  put  an  effectual  stop  to  any  such  proceedings;  but  if  the  consent, 
desired  by  the  Ministers  above  mentioned  for  holding  of  a  Synod  should  have 
been  obtained,  and  this  pretended  Synod  should  be  actually  sitting  when  you 
receive  these,  their  Excies’  directions,  they  do,  in  that  case,  require  and  direct 
you  to  cause  such,  their  meeting,  to  cease,  acquainting  them  that  their  Assem¬ 
bly  is  against  Law,  and  a  contempt  of  his  Majesty’s  Prerogative,  and  that 
they  are  to  forbear  to  meet  any  more,  and  if,  notwithstanding  such  significa¬ 
tion,  they  shall  continue  to  hold  their  Assembly,  You  are  then  to  take  care 
that  the  principal  Actors  therein  be  prosecuted  for  a  misdemeanor ;  but  you 
are  to  avoid  doing  any  formal  act  to  dissolve  that,  lest  that  might  be  con¬ 
strued  to  imply  that  they  had  a  right  to  Assemble. 

This,  Sir,  is  what  I  have  in  command  from  their  Excies  to  signify  to  you,  and 
I  must  observe  to  you  that  the  Precedent  quoted  in  the  above-mentioned 
memorial  of  such  a  Synod  being  held  45  years  ago,  falls  in  with  the  year 
1680,  and  that  the  former  Charter  upon  which  the  Government  of  your  Pro¬ 
vince  depended  was  repealed,  by  scire  facias,  in  the  year  1 684,  and  the  new 
Charter  was  granted  in  the  year  1691,  from  whence  it  appears  that  if  such 
Synods  or  Assembly  was  holden  as  is  alledged,  it  happened  a  short  time  before 
the  repealing  of  the  old  Charter ;  but  none  has  been  held  since  the  granting 
of  the  New  One. 

I  am,  &c., 

CHARLES  DELAFAYE, 


To  the  King  s  Most  Excel T  Majesty  in  Council . 


The  humble  petition  of  the  Revd  Timothy  Cutler,  Samuel  Myles,  James 
Honyman,  James  McSparran,  Matthias  Plant,  George  Pigott,  and  Samuel 
Johnson,  all  Clergymen  of  the  Church  of  England,  as  by  law  established, 
on  behalf  of  themselves  and  several  congregations  of  the  Church  of 
England,  in  the  Province  of  the  Massachusets  Bay  in  New  England,  in 
America, 

Sheweth, 

That  4°  Caroli  primi ,  a  Charter  was  granted  to  the  said  Province  of  Mas¬ 
sachusets  Bay,  but  which  was  afterwards  (viz.)  in  1684  vacated  by  a  Judg¬ 
ment  in  Chancery  (and  as  your  petitioners  apprehend),  on  account  that  the 
said  Colony  had  then  a  little  before  taken  upon  them  to  attempt  to  set  up  an 
established  provincial  religion  by  attempting  to  call  Synods,  &c. 

That  upon  the  said  Charter  being  thus  vacated  (viz.)  October,  30  Will  and 
Mariae,  a  new  Charter  was  granted  by  their  late  Majesties  King  William  and 
Queen  Mary,  to  the  said  Province.  Whereby  their  said  Majesties  ( inter  al. ) 
for  the  greater  ease  and  encouragement  of  their  loving  subjects  inhabiting 
the  said  Province,  and  of  such  as  should  come  to  inhabit  there,  did  particu¬ 
larly  grant,  ordain,  and  establish  that  forever  thereafter  there  should  be  liberty 
of  conscience  allowed  in  the  Worship  of  God  to  all  Christians  (excepting 
Papists)  inhabiting,  or  which  should  inhabit  or  be  resident  within  the  said 
Province  or  Territorys.  And  the  said  Charter  empowered  the  Gen1  Court  to 
make  all  wholesome  and  reasonable  Laws  (not  repugnant  or  contrary  to  the 
Laws  of  England)  as  they  should  judge  for  the  good  and  welfare  of  the  Pro¬ 
vince  and  for  the  Government  and  ordering  thereof,  and  of  the  inhabitants 
and  for  the  necessary  support  and  defence  of  the  Government.  And  the  said 
General  Court  are  also  empowered  to  impose  any  levy  proportionable  and 
reasonable  Taxes  on  the  Estates  and  Persons  of  the  said  Inhabitants,  to  be 
issued  and  disposed  of  by  Warrant  under  the  hand  of  the  Govr,  with  the 
advice  of  the  Council  for  their  Majesties’  service  in  the  necessary  defence  and 
support  of  the  Government  and  the  protection  and  preservation  of  the  Inhab¬ 
itants  there.  And  to  dispose  of  matters  and  things  whereby  their  Majesties’ 


I725-] 


192 


subjects  might  be  religiously,  peaceably,  and  civilly  governed,  protected  and 
defended,  as  their  good  life  and  orderly  conversation  might  win  the  natives  to 
the  knowledge  and  obedience  of  the  only  true  God  and  Christian  Religion, 
which,  and  the  adventurer’s  free  profession,  the  Charter  declares  to  be  the 
principal  end  of  the  said  plantation.  And  for  the  better  maintaining  and 
securing  liberty  of  conscience,  the  Charter  directs  that  all  such  Laws,  made  by 
virtue  of  the  Charter,  should  be  published  under  the  seal  of  the  Province  and 
be  carefully  observed  and  put  in  execution,  according  to  the  true  meaning  of 
the  Charter  thereby  granted,  and  the  Charter  further  directs,  that  all  laws, 
statutes,  &c.,  so  passed  and  published,  shall  be  sent  or  transmitted  to  their 
said  Majesties,  their  heirs  and  successors,  under  the  public  seal  for  the  royal 
approbation,  or  disallowances,  and  in  Case  the  said  laws,  &c.,  within  three 
years  after  presented  to  their  Majesties,  their  heirs,  and  successors,  in  Privy 
Council  be  disallowed,  they  were  from  henceforth  to  be  of  no  effect. 

That  this  Charter  is  the  fundamental  constitution  of  the  said  Province,  and 
the  principal  foundation  of  the  said  Charter  is  a  liberty  of  conscience  to  all  Chris¬ 
tians  (except  Papists),  and  consequently  all  Protestants  are  entitled  by  a  like 
original  right  to  an  universal  freedom  and  liberty  of  conscience. 

That  the  Independants  being  more  numerous  than  the  people  of  the 
Church  of  England, 'to  whom  the  said  Charter  allows  at  least  equal  rights, 
they  became  masters  of  the  Laws  and  ministers  of  the  priviledges  of  the 
said  Charter,  and  having  forgot  the  liberty  of  conscience  thereby  granted 
to  all  Christian  Inhabitants  (except  Papists),  they  have  eluded  the  said  Char¬ 
ter  and  disappointed  the  rest  of  Your  Majesty’s  loyal  subjects  in  the  said 
Province  of  the  benefit  thereof,  and  having  absolutely  the  ascendant  of  the 
Assembly  there  have  usurped  and  assumed  to  themselves  the  authority  of  an 
established  Church  in  direct  opposition  to  their  said  Charter,  and  to  several 
acts  of  Parliament  passed  here,  and  to  the  Constitution  of  these  Kingdoms, 
and  have  taken  upon  themselves  to  pass  Laws  tending  to  the  very  great  pre¬ 
judice  and  oppression  of  the  members  of  the  Church  of  England  and  the  rest 
of  the  inhabitants  of  the  said  Colony.’ 

And  particularly  your  petnrs  humbly  inform  Your  Majesty,  that  they  have 
passed  a  law  in  the  said  Province,  Intituled  an  act  for  the  settle1  and  support 
of  the  Ministers  and  Schoolmasters,  whereby  it  is  [int.  al.)  enacted  that  the 
inhabitants  of  each  Town  within  the  said  Province  should  take  due  care  from 
time  to  time  to  be  constantly  provided  with  an  able,  learned  Orthodox  Minis- 


193 


[i725- 


ter  of  good  conversation,  to  dispense  the  word  of  God  to  them,  which  Minis¬ 
ter  or  Ministers  should  be  constantly  supported  and  maintained  by  the  inhabi¬ 
tants  of  such  Town,  and  all  contracts,  agreements,  and  orders  theretofore  made 
or  that  hereafter  should  be  made  by  the  inhabitants  of  any  Town  within  the 
said  Province  respecting  their  Ministers  or  Schoolmasters,  as  to  their  settle¬ 
ment  or  maintenance,  should  remain  good  and  valid  according  to  the  intent 
thereof.  And  where  there  was  no  contract  or  agreement  made  in  any  Town 
respecting  the  maintenance  and  support  of  the  Ministry,  or  Avhen  the  same 
expired  and  the  inhabitants  of  such  Town  should  neglect  to  make  suitable 
provision  therein,  on  complaint  thereof  made  to  the  Quarter  Sessions,  they 
are  empowered  to  order  a  competent  allowance  for  such  minister,  according 
to  the  estate  or  ability  of  the  Town,  to  be  raised  by  assessment  upon  the 
inhabitants,  and  by  the  said  Act  it  is  further  enacted  that  every  Minister  chosen 
by  the  major  part  of  the  inhabitants  of  any  Town  at  the  Town  meeting,  should 
be  the  Minister  of  such  Town,  and  the  whole  Town  be  obliged  to  pay  towards 
his  maintenance  and  settlem1,  each  man  his  several  proportion. 

That  this  act  was  only  preparatory  and  introductive  of  other  acts  to  follow. 
For  so  quickly  after  as  in  the  same  year,  they  passed  another  act,  Intituled 
an  act  for  the  explaining  and  altering  some  Clauses  and  Sentances  and  the 
repealing  of  some  others  contained  in  several  acts  made  and  passed  at  the 
second  session  of  this  Court  in  October  last,  1692,  whereby  ( int .  al.)  the  par¬ 
agraph  in  the  aforesaid  act,  directing  that  the  Minister  of  each  Town  should 
be  chosen  by  the  majority  of  the  Inhabitants  of  such  Town,  and  the  whole 
Town  obliged  to  pay  towards  his  settlement  and  maintenance,  is  repealed. 
And  by  the  said  act  it  is  ordained  that  each  respective  gathered  Church 
(whereby  your  petitioners  most  humbly  inform  Your  Majesty  are  meant  the 
Independant  meetings)  in  any  Town  or  place  within  that  Province,  that-  at  any 
time  should  be  in  want  of  a  Minister,  such  Church  should  have  power  accord¬ 
ing  to  the  directions  given  them  in  the  Word  of  God,  to  choose  their  own 
Minister,  and  the  major  part  of  such  Inhabitants  as  there  usually  attend  on 
the  public  worship  of  God  and  are  qualified  for  voting  in  Town  affairs,  con¬ 
curring  with  the  Church’s  act,  the  person  so  elected  and  approved  accepting 
thereof  and  settling  with  them,  shall  be  the  Minister,  towards  whose  settle¬ 
ment  and  maintenance  all  the  inhabitants  and  rateable  Estates  lying  within 
such  Town  shall  be  obliged  to  pay  in  proportion ;  and  the  said  act  further 
ordains  that  in  such  Towns  or  Places  where  there  is  no  gathered  Church,  the 


25 


1 725*] 


194 


rateable  inhabitants  of  such  town  or  place,  at  a  meeting  duly  warned  for  that 
purpose,  by  the  major  votes  of  such  assembly,  with  the  advice  of  three  neigh¬ 
bouring  ordained  Ministers,  shall  choose  and  call  an  orthodox,  learned,  and 
pious  person,  to  dispense  the  Word  of  God  unto  them.  To  the  settlement 
and  maintenance  of  which  Minister  all  rateable  Estates  and  inhabitants  within 
such  town  or  place  shall  be  assessed  and  pay  proportionably.  And  in  case 
any  town  shall  be  negligent  of  their  duty  respecting  the  maintenance  of  the 
Minister,  the  quarter  sessions  of  the  said  place  are  empowered  to  provide 
remedy  for  the  same,  and  these  clauses  are  by  the  said  act  ordained  to  be  an 
addition  to  the  remaining  part  of  the  said  act  relating  to  Ministers. 

That  the  said  Independents  in  further  addition  of  the  said  last  act,  and  in 
further  Prosecution  of  their  intention  of  setting  up  their  own  as  an  Estab¬ 
lished  or  Provincial  Church,  passed  an  act,  intituled  an  act  in  further  addition 
to  the  Act  for  the  settlement  and  support  of  Ministers,  whereby  it  is  enacted 
that  when  at  any  time  a  Church  should  choose  a  Minister  and  present  the 
choice  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  Town  or  Precinct  in  a  public  meeting  duly 
warned  and  assembled  for  that  purpose,  to  have  their  concurrence  therein, 
and  the  Inhabitants  so  assembled  should  by  a  major  vote  deny  their  approba¬ 
tion  of  the  Church’s  choice,  the  Church  might  call  in  the  help  of  Council  con¬ 
sisting  of  the  Elders  and  Messengers  of  three  or  five  neighbouring  Churches. 
Which  Council  were  by  the  said  Act  empowered  to  hear,  examine  and  con¬ 
sider  the  exceptions  and  allegations  made  against  the  Church’s  election.  And 
in  case  the  Council  should,  notwithstanding,  approve  of  the  said  election,  such 
Minister  accepting  of  the  choice  and  settling  with  them,  should  be  the  Minis¬ 
ter  of  the  Town  or  Precinct,  who  should  be  in  all  respects  supported  and 
maintained  as  by  the  said  Act  is  provided.  But  if  otherwise,  the  Church  was 
to  proceed  to  elect  another  Minister. 

Your  petitioners  further  inform  Your  Majesty  that  the  said  Independents, 
in  further  prosecution  of  their  said  designs,  passed  another  Act,  Intitled  an 
Act  more  effectually  providing  for  the  support  of  Ministers,  reciting  that 
whereas  in  some  few  towns  within  that  province  divers  of  the  Inhabitants  were 
Quakers,  &c.,  other  religious  persons  averse  and  opposite  to  the  public  Wor¬ 
ship  of  God  and  to  a  learned  and  orthodox  ministry,  and  found  out  ways  to 
evade  the  Laws  provided  for  the  support  of  such,  and  perverted  the  good 
intentions  thereof  to  the  encouragement  of  Irreligion  and  profaneness.  For 
remedy  whereof  and  in  further  addition  to  the  former  Act,  It  is  hereby  enacted 


195 


HI725- 


that  when  and  so  often  from  time  to  time  as  Information  or  Complaint  should 
be  made  to  the  Court  and  General  Sessions  of  the  Peace  in  any  County,  that 
the  Minister  of  any  Town  or  District  within  such  County  was  not  suitably 
encouraged,  supported,  and  maintained,  according  to  his  Contract  or  Agree1 
made  with  the  Inhabitants,  or  according  to  the  allowance  or  maintenance 
ordered  him  by  the  O  of  Gen1  Sessions  of  the  Peace,  as  the  Law  directs, 
where  there  is  no  such  Contract  or  that  the  same  happened  to  be  expired,  by 
reason  that  the  Selectmen,  or  other  Assessors  of  such  Town  or  District 
refused  or  neglected  to  assess  and  raise  such  Maintenance  and  cause  the  same 
to  be  levyed  on  the  Inhabitants,  or  that  payment  thereof  was  withheld  from  the 
Minister,  in  every  such  case  the  said  Court  is  directed  and  further  empowered, 
over  and  above  imposing  a  fine  on  such  Selectmen  and  Assessors,  to  appoint 
three  or  more  sufficient  freeholders  to  assess  and  apportion  the  sum  agreed 
on  or  set  for  the  yearly  support  and  maintenance  of  such  minister,  either  by 
Contract  or  Court  Order  on  the  Inhabitants  of  such  Town  or  District,  in  man¬ 
ner  as  is  directed  for  raising  other  public  Charges.  And  two  Justices  are  em¬ 
powered  to  make  out  a  Warrant  for  levying,  collecting  and  paying  the  same 
unto  the  Minister,  or  such  Person  as  shall  be  appointed  by  the  Sessions  to 
receive  the  same  for  his  use. 

That  another  Act  was  passed  in  the  said  Province  in  the  2nd  year  of  Your 
Majesty’s  reign,  intitled  an  Act  for  maintaining  and  propagat’g  Religion,  in 
which  after  a  Gen1  recital  of  the  said  Laws  for  rendering  the  same  more 
effectual  and  to  prevent  the  growth  of  Atheism,  Irreligion  and  Profaneness,  is 
suggested  as  one  great  reason  of  its  being,  and  thereby  the  Justices  in  Quar¬ 
ter  Sessions  are  directed  at  the  opening  of  their  Court  from  time  to  time  to 
give  in  Special  Charge  to  the  Grand  Jury  to  make  diligent  enquiry  and  Pre¬ 
sentment  of  all  Towns  and  Districts  that  are  destitute  of  a  Minister  qualified 
as  by  the  said  laws  is  directed,  or  that  do  not  make  a  suitable  provision  for  his 
support  and  maintenance,  And  upon  such  Presentment,  Complaint  or  Infor¬ 
mation  in  any  other  manner,  the  Court  of  Gen1  Sessions  are  directed  and 
required  vigorously  to  put  the  laws  in  execution  for  redressing  of  all  defects 
and  neglects  of  that  kind  and  forthwith  to  make  the  necessary  Orders  for  that 
end,  as  by  law  they  are  empowered.  And  in  case  their  orders  so  made  be 
not  duly  observed  or  by  combination  and  practises  of  ill  men  be  eluded  and 
rendered  ineffectual  for  the  speedy  remedying  and  reforming  of  so  great  an 
evil,  the  Justices  of  such  Court  are  to  represent  and  make  report  of  their  pro- 


1725.] 


196 


ceedings  unto  the  next  Session  of  the  Great  or  General  Court  or  Assembly, 
who,  upon  such  report,  are  to  take  effectual  care  to  provide  and  send  an  able, 
learned,  Orthodox  Minister  of  good  conversation,  being  first  recommended  by 
three  or  more  of  the  settled  ordained  Ministers,  to  every  such  Town  or  Dis¬ 
trict  that  are  destitute,  and  also  provide  for  his  honble  support  and  maintenance 
by  adding  so  much  to  the  proportion  of  such  Town  or  District  to  the  Public 
Taxes  from  time  to  time  as  they  shall  Judge  sufficient  for  that  end.  And  so 
in  like  manner  for  the  support  and  maintenance  of  ministers  in  such  Towns 
or  Districts  that  neglect  to  fulfil  and  perform  the  contracts  and  agreements 
made  with  their  ministers.  And  shall  also  proceed  after  the  same  manner  to 
supply  and  support  a  minister  in  places  that  are  destitute,  where  the  Justices 
neglect  their  duty  to  take  care  thereof.  And  such  additional  sums  so  laid  as 
aforesaid  are  to  be  assessed,  collected  and  paid  into  the  Public  Treasury  with 
the  other  public  taxes,  and  drawn  out  thence  and  duly  paid  to  the  minister  and 
ministers  respectively,  for  whom  it  should  be  layd. 

That  by  another  Act  passed  in  the  4th  year  of  your  Majesty’s  reign,  Intitled 
an  Act  in  addition  to  an  Act  passed  in  the  Ist  Year  of  Queen  Anne,  Intitled  an 
Act  for  more  effectually  providing  for  the  support  of  the  Ministry,  reciting  the 
powers  provided  by  the  sd  Act  for  assessing  the  Inhabitants  for  support  of  the 
Ministers ;  but  that  no  like  power  was  provided  with  reference  to  the  Charge 
of  Building  and  repairing  of  the  public  meeting  houses,  for  the  worship  of 
God.  It  is  enacted  that  when  and  so  often  as  the  major  part  of  the  Inhabi¬ 
tants  of  any  Precinct  or  District  have  or  should,  at  a  Meeting  legally  warned, 
agree  on  the  building,  finishing  or  repairing  of  any  Public  Meeting  House,  or 
defraying  any  other  necessary  charge  for  the  support  of  the  Worship  of  God, 
and  agree  on  any  sum  for  that  purpose,  the  assessors  of  such  Precinct  or  Dis¬ 
trict  are  impowered  to  assess  and  raise  the  same  on  the  respective  inhabi¬ 
tants,  and  in  like  manner  as  is  directed  by  the  said  Act.  And  all  regular  or 
legal  Precincts  or  Districts  are  impowered  to  choose  a  Comtee  or  other  Offi¬ 
cers  for  the  better  managem1  of  the  affairs  of  their  respective  Precincts  or  Dis¬ 
tricts  as  aforesd.  And  a  new  District  is  made  by  this  Act,  and  the  Inhabitants 
thereof  to  have  full  power  to  choose  a  Comtee  for  the  regulation  and  manage¬ 
ment  of  all  affairs  relating  to  the  support  of  the  public  worship  of  God. 

That  the  said  Independents,  having  passed  the  aforesaid  Laws  in  direct 
opposition  to  their  said  Charter  and 'to  the  Laws  and  Constitution  of  this 
Kingdom,  in  order  to  oppress  the  Church  of  England  people  and  other 


i97 


[T725- 


Christian  Inhabitants  conscientiously  differing  from  the  said  Inhabitants,  and 
having,  by  the  said  Act  of  1715,  vested  an  illegal  power  in  themselves  of  de¬ 
termining  who  should  be  ministers  under  the  Qualifications  aforesaid,  and  of 
appointing  Ministers  of  their  own  perswasion  and  imposing  them  and  their 
maintenances  on  all  your  Majesty’s  subjects,  even  those  of  their  Mother 
Church.  To  compleat  their  designs,  under  the  said  Laws  they  set  up  them¬ 
selves  for,  and  acted  as,  an  established  Church,  and  very  lately  took  upon 
them,  as  such,  to  erect  a  Synod,  but  which  was  taken  notice  and  condemned 
and  disallow’d  of  by  your  Majesty. 

That  your  petitioners  (who  are  ministers  of  the  Church  of  England)  have 
been  sent  over  as  Missionaries  to  New  England  by  the  Honble  Society  for  the 
Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts,  and  your  petitioners  have  laid  a 
very  fair  Foundation  of  instructing  great  numbers  of  the  Inhabitants  there 
in  the  Doctrines  and  Principles  of  the  Church  of  England,  who  are  of  them¬ 
selves  very  desirous  of  embracing  the  Church  of  England  Worship  as  estab¬ 
lished  by  Law ;  and  wherein  they  should  have  made  a  much  greater  progress, 
but  for  the  oppressions  and  hardships  which  they  continually  received  from  the 
Independants,  in  the  said  Province,  which  they  continue  daily  to  exercise 
towards  your  petitioners  and  all  that  become  members  of  their  congregations, 
by  unwarrantably  rating  and  assessing  them  for  the  support  and  maintenance 
of  the  Independant  Teachers,  and  for  the  repairing  and  building  the  Inde¬ 
pendant  Meeting  Houses,  and  in  default  of  payment,  by  distraining  their 
goods  and  laying  their  persons  in  actual  imprisonment,  and  using  all  methods 
possible  to  discourage  the  Inhabitants  from  embracing  our  government,  doc¬ 
trine  and  liturgy,  whereby  the  members  of  our  Churches  are  miserably  dis¬ 
tressed  by  the  force  and  violence  that  is  used  upon  their  Persons  and  Estates 
in  case  of  the  least  refusal  or  delay  to  contribute  to  the  support  of  the  dissent¬ 
ing  Teachers  and  their  meeting  houses ;  and  on  which  account,  at  least  30 
of  the  members  of  the  Church  of  England  have  been  imprisoned  at  one  time 
in  one  Town ;  and  which  your  Petitioners  humbly  represent  to  your  Majesty 
as  the  greatest  obstacle  to  the  encreasing  of  the  Members  of  the  Church  of 
England  in  that  Province,  it  not  being  to  be  expected  that  tho’  in  their  hearts 
the  Inhabitants  are  entirely  disposed  to  the  Doctrine  of  the  Church  of  Eng¬ 
land,  that  they  should  openly  come  into  that  profession,  under  which,  as  mat¬ 
ters  now  stand,  they  cannot  have  protection,  but  are  liable  to  imprisonment 
and  all  the  distresses  of  the  persecuting  resentmts  of  the  Governing  Power 


198 


1 725-] 

there,  which  is  vested  in  the  Independants,  with  whom  the  Church  of  England 
Professors  are  not  at  present  even  upon  a  level.  Such  is  the  unhappy  circum¬ 
stances  of  the  Established  Church  of  England  in  this  Province.  Whereas, 
were  such  of  the  Inhabitants  who,  according  to  their  own  desires,  should  be¬ 
come  members  to  the  Church  of  England,  exempted  and  protected  from  rates 
to  the  Independant  Teachers,  there  is  great  reason  to  believe  many  would  be 
added  to  the  Church,  and  by  that  means  the  Church  enlarged,  and  your  Maj¬ 
esty’s  supremacy  in  ecclesiastical  affairs  be  acknowledged,  which  at  present  is 
but  too  much  neglected  in  that  province. 

That  therefore,  and  as  the  said  Acts,  in  the  rigid  manner  in  which  they  are 
put  in  execution,  may  affect  the  lives,  as  well  as  the  consciences,  Religion, 
Libertys  and  Propertys  of  your  petitioners  and  their  Congregations,  and  your 
petitioners  being  still  apprehensive  of  greater  sufferings,  they  most  humbly 
beg  leave  to  lay  the  said  Acts  before  your  Majesty  in  Council,  for  your  royal 
consideration  thereof,  pursuant  to  the  directions  of  the  said  Charter,  and  hum¬ 
bly  submit  to  your  Majesty’s  consideration  whether  the  same  are  warranted 
by  their  Charter,  and  humbly  hope  Your  Majesty  will  be  pleased  to  repeal  the 
same,  amongst  several  others,  for  the  following  reasons,  viz. : 

First  in  regard,  no  national  or  provincial  church  is,  by  the  said  Charter, 
established  in  the  said  Province,  but  an  extensive  and  universal  Liberty  of 
conscience  is  thereby  given  and  preserved  to  all  Sects  and  denominations  of 
Christians  inhabiting  the  said  Province  (Papists  only  excepted),  and  no  one 
sect  preferred  above  the  other  by  the  said  Charter,  in  respect  to  Church 
Power  and  Government — a  free  liberty  of  conscience  being  the  principal 
foundation  of  the  said  Charter. 

Secondly  in  regard,  the  said  Acts  tend,  in  the  strictest  manner,  to  the  sup¬ 
pression  of  a  Free  Liberty  of  conscience,  expressly  granted  by  the  said  Char¬ 
ter,  and  in  direct  opposition  thereto,  sets  up  Independancy  above  your  Maj¬ 
esty’s  other  Protestant  subjects  in  general,  and  of  their  Mother  Church  in  par¬ 
ticular,  to  which  your  Petitioners  belong.  And  instead  of  disposing  matters 
so  as  that  all  your  Majesty’s  subjects  there  may  be  peaceably  and  religiously 
governed  and  protected,  and  preserving  to  them  their  free  profession,  and 
securing  and  maintaining  Liberty  of  Conscience  to  all  your  Majesty’s  Protes¬ 
tant  subjects,  the  said  Acts,  in  the  execution  and  consequences  of  them,  entirely 
take  away  all  liberty  of  conscience,  the  Security  of  Religion,  and  invade  the 
civil  Libertys  and  Propertys,  and  the  rights  and  privileges  granted  to  all  your 
Majesty’s  Protestant  subjects  by  the  said  Charter. 


i99 


[T  725* 


Thirdly  in  regard,  the  General  Court  have  not,  by  the  said  Charter,  as 
your  Petitioners  humbly  apprehend,  any  power  to  make  any  laws  imposing 
anything  relating  to  any  particular  form  of  Divine  worship,  especially  to  as¬ 
sess  the  Protestants  of  one  denomination  in  support  of  those  of  another ; 
they  being  only  empowered  by  the  Charter,  as  your  Petitioners  humbly  appre¬ 
hend,  to  make  assessments  for  your  Majesty’s  service  in  the  necessary  De¬ 
fence  and  support  of  the  Government,  and  not  for  the  support  of  a  Teacher 
of  any  particular  opinion  whatever,  which  is  conceived  to  be  directly  contrary 
to  the  end  the  Charter  had  in  view.  And  if  the  Charter  had  given  any  fur¬ 
ther  power,  your  petitioners  humbly  apprehend  it  is  not  to  be  supposed  the 
Charter  would  have  preferred  Independant  Teachers  (which  are  all  along 
meant  by  learned  and  orthodox  ministers  in  the  said  Acts)  before  the  Church 
of  England  ministers.  And,  therefore,  should  these  Acts  enure,  they  will 
effectually  deprive  your  Majesty’s  subjects  there  of  the  liberty  of  conscience 
granted  them  by  the  said  Charter.  In  regard  the  said  Legislature  will  con¬ 
strue  none  Orthodox  but  their  own  Independant  Teachers. 

Fourthly,  by  these  Laws  and  the  rigid  manner  of  carrying  them  into  exe¬ 
cution,  great  distresses  and  discouragements  are  brought  upon  our  Mother 
Church.  And  the  Inhabitants  of  the  said  Province,  who  would  otherwise  freely 
embrace  the  public  worship  of  the  Church  of  England,  hereby  greatly  dis¬ 
couraged  from  openly  professing  themselves  Members  thereof,  whereas,  if 
these  Acts  were  repealed  and  any  acts  of  the  like  nature  prevented  from  being 
pass’d  for  the  future,  it  is  very  reasonable  to  believe  the  Members  of  the 
Church  of  England  would  receive  a  daily  increase,  and  that  by  this  means 
many  flourishing  Churches  would  be  very  soon  effectually  established  among 
us. 

Wherefore,  and  for  several  other  reasons,  and  as  the  said  Laws  are  appre¬ 
hended  to  be  contrary  and  repugnant  to  the  laws  of  England  and  should 
these  acts  enure  they  would  be  of  the  most  dangerous  consequence,  not  only 
to  the  members  of  the  Church  of  England  in  the  said  province,  but  also  to 
your  Majesty’s  other  Colonys  and  Plantations  abroad,  and  that  your  petition¬ 
ers  and  all  the  Members  of  the  Established  Church  of  England,  in  this  prov¬ 
ince,  may  be  free  from  the  payment  of  all  rates  for  the  maintenance  of  Teach¬ 
ers  of  any  other  perswasion. 

Your  Petitioners,  for  themselves  and  their  suffering  Brethren,  most  humbly 
pray  your  Majesty’s  royal  consideration,  and  that  your  Majesty  will  thereupon 


I725-] 


200 


be  pleased  to  pronounce  Your  royal  Negative  and  repeal  the  same,  and  each 
of  them,  and  that  the  proper  and  necessary  directions  may  be  given  to  pre¬ 
vent  any  Acts  of  the  like  oppressive  nature  from  being  pass’d  for  the  future. 
And  that  your  Majesty  will  be  pleased  to  make  such  further  and  other  order 
in  the  Premises  as  your  Majesty,  in  your  great  Wisdom  and  Goodness  shall 
see  fitting  to  provide. 

And  your  Petitioners 

shall  ever  pray,  &c. 


Rev.  M“"‘  HARRIS  m  MOSSOMto  the  LORD  BISHOP 

of  LONDON. 


Boston,  Decr  7,  1725. 


May  it  please  your  Lordship, 

*  *  *  Six  of  the  Clergy  of  this  &  the  neighbouring  prov¬ 

inces  having  met  at  Rhode  Island,  whence  they  addressed  your  Lordship  as  we 
since  heard,  lest  therefore  your  Lordship  might  Judge  us  wanting  in  our 
duty,  we  hold  ourselves  indispensably  obliged  both  to  address  you  as  well  as 
to  give  the  reasons  why  we  went  not  to  Rhode  Island.  We  are  as  ready  as 
any  of  our  brethren  in  the  expressions  of  our  duty  to  your  Lordship  in  every 
instance  &  confessions  of  our  unhappiness  at  the  great  distance  between  this 
appendage  in  which  the  Divine  Providence  has  placed  us  &  the  see  of  Lon¬ 
don  itself.  We  are  thoro’ly  sensible  that  many  of  the  difficulties  &  troubles 
we  are  now  exposed  to,  the  nearer  influences  of  a  Bishop  might  skreen  us 
from  ;  but  these  we  bear  with  as  little  complaint  as  may  be,  no  ways  doubting 
but  that  when  it  shall  be  found  for  the  interest  of  the  Church  in  the  British 
Plantations  &  for  the  honour  of  the  See  of  London  some  expedient  will  be 
provided;  &  in  a  particular  manner  are  we  affected  at  Dr.  Welton’s  flagrant 
usurpation,  but  ’tis  what  we  can  only  lament,  not  remedy ;  &  therefore  pre¬ 
sume  not  to  offer  a  positive  method  of  cure,  but  wholly  commit  it  to  the 
watchful  eye  of  your  Lordship,  which  extends  its  views  even  to  us  ;  &  we  do 
very  sincerely  assure  your  Lordship  that  it  arises  from  a  sense  of  humble 
duty  &  modesty  that  we  do  not  expressly  pray  a  Bishop  may  be  fixt  among 


V 


201  [i  725- 

us,  because  you  &  not  we  are  the  most  competent  judge  of  what  will  make 
most  for  the  service  of  the  Church  in  general,  our  being  at  once  cut  off  or  still 
continued  a  branch  of  the  See  of  London.  Some  expedient  will  be  provided 
&  we  decline  setting  our-particular  grievances  as  a  ballance  in  your  judgment. 
This  only  we  have  to  declare,  that  whatever  your  Lordship,  directed  by  the 
Divine  Wisdom,  shall  order  for  us,  we  will  with  duty  &  reverence  receive. 

Why  we  went  not  to  Rhode  Island  we  can  assign  several  reasons  to  your 
Lordship,  such  as  the  impropriety  of  going  out  of  this  into  a  Quaker  Gov- 
ernm1,  when  especially  in  this  were  the  greater  body  of  clergy ;  &  not  only 
that,  but  even  to  the  town  the  minister  of  which  but  a  small  time  before  had 
refused  the  oaths  when  tendered  to  him  by  the  Governm1,  as  a  test  of  his 
allegiance.  This  we  were  assured  of  from  Col1  Cranston  the  Govr  of  Rhode 
Island,  Mr.  Honyman  has  done,  after  which  had  we  gone  we  feared  incurring 
a  suspicion  of  disaffection  also. 

Moreover,  Mr.  Checkley  we  heard  was  to  be  there,  &  the  event  proved  us 
rightly  informed,  for  he  went  hence  in  company  with  Mr.  Plant,  .&  Pigot  con¬ 
tinued  there  till  they  returned,  as  your  Lordship  has  been  pleased  to  observe 
that  you  account  him  a  downright  Jacobite,  we  shall  not  insist  how  open 
to  censure  we  had  laid  ourselves  by  accompanying  with  him,  but  abstracting 
even  from  this,  for  our  own  Peace  &  Quietness  sake,  could  we  not  rank  or 
have  anything  to  do  with  him.  In  what  manner  &  to  what  degree  he  has 
broke  that  only  we  who  sadly  feel  it  can  _  declare ;  &  were  it  not  for  the 
kindly  supports  &  encouragemts  which,  upon  every  occasion  of  applying 
(&  frequent  ones  we  have)  his  honor  our  Lieutenant  Govr  vouchsafes  us,  we 
should  be  borne  down  by  the  outrages  of  the  party  which  he  had  made. 
Upon  the  whole  we  beg  leave  to  observe  to  your  Lordship  that  we  have 
experienced  enough  from  his  first  attempts  &  practices  to  get  into  holy 
orders,  &  therefore  were  not  willing  to  shew  anything  that  had  the  least  face 
of  encourageing  those  or  his  publicly  associating  with  the  clergy. 

We  have  hitherto  maintained  &  preserved  our  characters  &  reputations 
sound  &  entire  thro’out  the  whole  country,  &  by  our  moderation  have 
wrought  the  doctrines  &  discipline  of  our  Church  into  the  good  opinion  of 
many  of  these  people,  &  we  can  declare  as  the  strictest  truth  that  the  Church 
flourished  &  encreased  under  our  care  before  these  impracticable  doctrines  of 
the  nullity  and  invalidity  of  their  administrations  were  advanced ;  &  the 
ground  we  hold,  next  to  the  blessing  of  God,  is  owing  to  the  mild  &  gentle 

26 


202 


1 725-] 

methods  we  pursue.  These,  may  it  please  your  Lordship,  were  some  of  the 
reasons,  for  we  pass  by  &  forgive  personal  injuries  &  contempts,  why  we 
preferred  addressing  you  by  ourselves,  &  hope  they  may  meet  with  your 
Lordship’s  approbation  &  we  have  only  at  present  to  entreat  your  Lordship’s 
Blessing  upon  us  &  our  Labours,  &  leave  to  subscribe  ourselves  your  most 

Dutiful  sons  &  obliged, 

humble  servants, 

H.  Harris, 

David  Mossom. 

- « - 


An  account  of  the  steps  which  were  taken  on  the  Petition  of 


the  Revd  TIMOTHY  CUTLER ,  and  others . 


1726,  Mar.  20th 

1727,  May  13th 


July  14' 


th 


Nov 


r  1 4th. 


The  said  Petition  was  lodged  in  the  Council  Office. 

By  order  in  Council  it  was  referred  to  the  consideration  of 
a  Comtee  of  the  Privy  Council. 

By  order  of  the  Comtee  of  Privy  Council,  the  said  petition 
was  referred  to  the  consideration  of  the  Lords  Comrs 
for  trade  and  Plantations. 

The  Lords  Commissioners  for  trade  wrote  a  letter  to  the 
King’s  then  Attorney,  and  Solicitor  General,  for  their 
opinion,  relating  to  three  Acts  of  Assembly,  of  the 
Massachusetts  Bay,  which  had  been  confirmed  by  the 
Crown,  and  of  which  Acts  the  Clergy  of  the  Church 
of  England  complained,  as  being  passed  contrary  to 
the  New  England  Charter. 

Upon  search  it  does  not  appear  that  the  Attorney, 
and  Solicitor  General,  ever  made  any  report,  or  that 
any  further  proceedings,  were  had  on  the  foremen- 
tioned  petition. 

Note. — Search  is  now  making  for  the  order,  made  about  1725,  by  the 
Regency,  declaring  that  the  Independants  in  New  England 
were  not  to  be  considered  as  the  National  Church. 


203 


[1726. 


Mr.  PLANT  to  the  Secretary . 

Newbury,  Septr  7,  1726. 

May  it  please  your  Honors, 

It  would  be  too  tedious  to  enumerate  all  the  difficulties  my  Church 
labored  under  at  my  first  settling  among  them  occasioned  by  the  ill  conduct 
of  my  predecessor,  many  of  them  by  length  of  time  are  forgot ;  others  I  have 
conquered  by  example  and  diligence.  I  hope  your  Honors  do  not  esteem  me 
as  a  lazy  sheppard,  the  increase  of  my  congregation,  the  considerable  charges 
in  repairing  my  Church  and  the  preparation  made  for  erecting  Galleries  are 
my  best  witness.  To  have  seen  about  thirty  auditors  seven  months  before 
my  arrival  attending  Divine  Service  in  my  Church,  and  to  be  present  now  in 
the  same  Assembly  with  such  a  body  of  hearers  crowding  and  thronging  in 
their  seats  will  I  presume  bear  testimony  that  I  endeavour  to  answer  the  good 
and  pious  end  of  the  Honorable  Society.  I  can’t  here  pass  by  an  expression 
of  one  of  my  Churchwardens,  the  last  Lord’s  Day  immediately  after  the  cele¬ 
bration  of  the  Holy  Sacrament:  “Sir,  do  you  not  see  how  your  Church  is 
thronged,  the  people  sit  one  upon  another’s  Backs,  the  Alleys  is  crowded 
that  we  can’t  pass  to  our  Pews  without  difficulty.  Pray,  Sir,  let  not  the  ap¬ 
proaching  Winter  hinder  us  from  building  the  Galleries  untill  the  Spring. 
Moreover  several  people  have  told  me  that  they  would  constantly  come  to 
hear  you,  but  when  they  come  have  no  seats,  and  crowded  that  they  can’t 
bear  it.”  The  number  of  my  Communicants  is  41,  besides  some  that  are  dead 
and  others  removed  to  Boston.  I  may  say  with  S‘  Paul,  that  I  will  not  glory 
in  my  infirmities,  yet  I  have  whereof  to  glory. 

The  Honorable  Lieutenant  Governor  of  Portsmouth,  after  a  free  and 
pious  conversation  in  visits  paid  to  him  for  about  a  Year  and  a  half  after  my 
first  coming  over  hath  ever  since  not  only  declared  but  joined  himself  to  my 
Church,  being  one  of  my  Communicants,  and  the  last  time  I  waited  upon  his 
Honor,  his  Lady  told  me  she  designed  to  attend  the  Holy  Sacrament  with  his 
Honor  the  first  Sunday  in  October  next,  expressing  herself  thus,  that  there 
could  not  be  better  words  to  stir  me  up  to  true  Christian  devotion,  and  an 
humble  acknowledgement  and  thankfulness  for  the  inestimate  benefit  they 
partook  of  in  that  Holy  Sacrament,  than  what  was  used  in  the  delivery  of  the 
Bread  and  Wine  pronounced  then  by  the  Minister,  she  had  something 


1 726.] 


204 


scrupled  at  Kneeling,  but  now  by  the  many  arguments  I  had  used,  shewing 
her  the  compliance  of  our  Saviour,  with  the  power  of  the  Church  in  His  days 
to  alter  indifferent  things,  she  was  very  reconciled  to  the  alteration  made 
from  a  sitting  posture  to  Kneeling,  saying  she  could  not  come  too  humble. 
His  Honor  is  the  best  contributor  both  to  me  and  to  my  Church.  I  have  been 
several  times  with  Complaints  to  the  Honorable  Lieutenant  Governor  of  this 
Province,  my  people  being  harrassed  by  seizures  of  goods  for  non  payment 
of  rates  to  Dissenting  teachers.  His  honor  is  pleased  to  put  me  off  with 
considering  my  affair,  but  no  relief,  and  the  last  time  I  waited  upon  his 
honor  pressing  it  hard  upon  him,  that  it  was  chargeable  to  come  40  miles  to 
attend  upon  his  Honor  so  often  as  I  had,  that  I  could  receive  no  other 
answer  but  only,  Sir,  I’ll  consider  of  it  that  I  wanted  to  represent  the  true 
state  of  my  Church  home  to  the  Honorable  members  of  the  Society,  that 
I  most  humbly  desired  of  his  Honor  that  he  would  send  an  order  to  the 
Magistrates  of  Newbury  to  desist  from  such  violent  proceedings.  And 
his  Honor  is  pleased  to  refer  me  to  the  general  Court  where  I  must  attend 
and  receive  their  resolve  to  my  affairs,  which  I  shall  endeavor  to  relate  to 
your  Honors  before  the  Anniversary  meeting  of  your  Honors  in  Feby  next. 
This  (I  do  assure  your  honors)  is  the  state  of  affairs  with  me  and  my  Church, 
and  altho’  I  am  unworthy  of  the  dignity  of  a  Minister  of  Christ  Jesus,  yet 
hath  the  work  of  the  Ministry  been  advanced  by  my  hands ;  The  Lord  giving 
a  blessing  to  the  pious  endeavors  and  intentions  of  your  honors  (the  care  of 
immortal  souls  being  near  your  hearts),  that  your  labors  shall  not  be  in  vain 
in  the  Lord,  May  the  increase  of  my  Auditors,  give  me  favor  in  your  sight. 
May  your  Honors’  prayers  for  me,  your  unworthy  Missionary,  make  me  per¬ 
severe  in  the  good  work  I  have  already  begun,  that  I  may  with  joy  deliver  up 
my  account  to  your  honors  here  upon  earth,  and  be  eternally  rewarded  for  it 
in  the  Glorious  Mansions  of  Christ  Jesus. 

With  utmost  submission  I  presume  to  subscribe  myself  your  Honors’  most 
Obd1  and  dutiful  Servf, 


MATTHIAS  PLANT,  Missionary  at  Newbury. 


205 


[i  726. 


Docter  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Boston,  New  England,  Novr  28,  1726. 

Sir, 

Since  the  4th  of  April  last  I  have  baptized  22  Infants  and  three  Adults, 
and  my  Communicants  who  live  in  and  out  of  this  Town  are  94,  besides 
several  who  belong  to  the  other  parish  in  this  place,  and  communicate  in  both. 
My  congregation  daily  increases,  considerable  numbers  of  Dissenters,  and 
sundry  of  them  upon  principle,  add  themselves  to  it,  and  a  perfect  harmony  is 
among  us.  The  Churches  in  this  place  would  soon  be  too  small  for  the 
Parishioners,  were  we  blessed  with  a  resident  Bishop,  and  several  from  the 
pressure  of  the  Dissenters  Lyons,  who  are  very  industrious  to  blacken  our 
Characters,  and  to  burthen  us  with  taxes,  the  only  ways  to  check  the  advances 
of  our  excellent  Church.  The  latter  is  the  particular  portion  of  our  Country 
Towns,  especially  where  there  are  but  a  few  Churchmen,  and  no  Episcopal 
Minister,  but  the  sufferings  of  a  part  do  affect  the  whole. 

My  people  do  constantly  and  reverently  attend  the  public  worship,  making 
some  small  deduction  for  common  sailors,  whereof  I  have  great  numbers  and 
who  are  too  much  of  the  unthinking  kind.  I  rejoice  in  the  religious  and  vir¬ 
tuous  lives  of  many  that  belong  to  me,  and  hope  there  is  rather  an  abatement 
than  increase  of  what  is  reproachful. 


Papers  inclosed  in  M".  PLMNT'  S  Letter  of  the  20th  Decr , 
1726,  Relating  to  the  Members  of  the  Church  of  Eng¬ 
land  being  rated  or  taxed  to  pay  Dissenting  Teachers. 

Boston,  12th  Decr,  1726. 

Sir, 

You’ll  see  by  the  enclosed  votes  the  endeavors  I  have  used  for  the  ease  of 
your  People  and  others  of  the  Church  of  England  in  this  province,  and  where 


1726.] 


206 


the  affair  is  rested ;  though  my  Intentions  in  appointing  the  Committee  was 
that  they  might  report  what  was  proper  in  order  to  be  passed  the  whole 
Court,  it  seems  they  took  it  otherwise ;  however,  inasmuch  as  the  affair 
requires  the  authority  of  the  Legislature,  I  would  advise  you  accordingly  to 
prefer  a  Memorial  to  the  whole  Court.  My  proposal  was  to  have  a  Law  made 
that  the  taxes  of  those  belonging  to  those  of  the  Church  of  England  be  paid 
by  the  collectors  to  the  Ministers  of  the  Church  of  England  to  whom  they 
severally  do  belong,  which  will  not  only  put  you  upon  an  equal,  just  foot,  but 
save  you  much  trouble.  Wherefore,  if  you  think  it  proper  to  make  such  a 
proposal  in  your  Memorial,  It  may  do  well,  but  I  must  advise  you  when  you 
mention  the  ministers  in  the  Towns  that  you  give  them  the  character  the  Law 
of  this  province  vest  them  with,  viz1,  Ministers,  and  not  Dissenting  Teachers, 
for  that  gives  offence  to  the  Court. 

I  am,  Sir, 

Your  most  faithful,  humble  Serv1, 

WILLIAM  DUMMER,  Jr. 


In  Council,  Novr  30th,  1726. 

His  Honor,  the  Lieutenant  Governor,  having  communicated  to  the  Board  a 
Memorial  of  the  Reverend  Mr.  Matthias  Plant,  the  Episcopal  Minister  at  New¬ 
bury,  referring  to  the  taxing  of  his  hearers  within  the  Town  of  Amesbury, 
towards  the  support  of  the  minister  in  the  said  Town,  as  also  a  memorial  of 
John  Vessey  and  four  others  of  the  Town  of  Braintree,  sheweth  that  they 
have  erected  a  church  for  the  worship  of  God,  after  the  manner  of  the  Church 
of  England,  and  praying  that  they  may  be  exempt  from  any  charges  towards 
the  support  of  the  present  Minister  of  the  said  Town — 

Ordered,  that  the  Honorable  William  Tailor,  Esq.,  Nathaniel  Byfield,  John 
Cushing,  Benjamin  Lynde,  Edmund  Quincy,  Elisha  Cook,  Samuel  Thaxter, 
and  Spencer  Phips,  Esqrs,  be  a  Committee  to  consider  what  is  proper  to  be 
done  thereon. 

Exd  by  J.  Willard,  Secretary. 

The  Committee  of  Council  on  the  Memorials  of  the  Reverend  Mr. 
Matthias  Plant  of  Newbury,  and  Mr.  John  Vessey,  with  four  others  of  Brain¬ 
tree,  addressed  to  his  Honor,  the  Lieutenant  Governor,  referring  to  the 
exemption  of  Sundry  persons  from  any  tax,  assessment  for  the  support  of 
any  Minister,  excepting  of  the  Church  of  England,  having  considered  the 
same  are  humbly  of  the  opinion, 


207  [1726. 

That  the  application  of  the  Memorialists  in  the  premises  ought  to  be  made 
unto  the  General  Court. 

In  the  name  and  by  the  order  of  the  Committee, 

WILLIAM  TAILOR. 

J.  Willard,  Secretary. 


Mr.  PLANT  to  the  Secretary . 

Newbury,  Decr  20th,  1726. 

Sir, 

I  presume  by  your  care  to  put  these  papers  into  the  hands  of  the  Society  to 
gain  the  compassionate  assistance  to  us  and  interest  for  us,  without  which  the 
cause  of  the  Church  will  either  sink  or  be  much  suppressed  in  these  parts. 
His  Honor,  the  Lieutenant  Governor,  having  for  some  time  before,  upon  my 
application  to  him,  promised  me  his  interest  to  secure  the  People  of  my 
Church  from  taxes,  did  accordingly  write  to  the  Selectmen  of  the  Town  of 
Amesbury,  where  are  Sundry  People  belonging  to  my  Church,  to  perswade 
them  to  forbear  any  molestation  of  the  Church  People,  till  he  could  know  the 
pleasure  of  the  General  Court  of  the  province  upon  the  affair,  notwithstand¬ 
ing  which,  one  of  my  people  hath  for  refusing  a  Dissenting  Teacher’s  rate, 
which  comes  to  £1  i6v,  had  taken  from  him  the  value  of  ^3  ioj-,  and  no  part 
of  it  restored. 

Having  received  the  enclosed  Letter  from  his  honor,  I  have  immediately 
taken  this  troublesome  journey,  that  I  might  fully  satisfy  myself  upon  what  I 
might  depend  from  the  Government  here,  and  I  waited  upon  his  honor  the 
very  day,  and  besides  other  discourse  relating  to  the  affair  of  my  Church,  I 
told  him  it  was  said  among  the  people  of  Amesbury,  that  his  honor  had  sent 
no  prohibition  against  the  molesting  of  Churchmen,  but  only  a  request  that 
they  would  be  favorable  to  them.  This  he  acknowledged  and  said  he  could 
not  pretend  to  send  them  such  an  order,  for  that  the  Law  of  the  Province 
would  bear  out  the  people  in  every  Town  in  obliging  the  Churchmen  to  pay 
rates  to  the  Ministers  of  the  Province,  and  so  it  would  do  by  virtue  of  that 
Law  whilst  it  remained.  I  desired  of  his  Honor  a  copy  of  that  Letter  he  sent 
to  the  selectmen  of  Amesbury,  but  he  waived  taking  notice  of  my  request,  and 


1726.] 


208 


told  me  the  substance  was  as  I  have  above  related.  He  further  added  that 
though  Governor  Shute  sent  a  positive  order  to  the  Authority  in  Bristol  to 
forbear  rating  the  Church  People  to  the  Ministers  of  this  Province,  yet  he 
could  not  justify  himself  to  act  against  a  positive  Law  which  would  defend 
them  in  their  actings  against  his  order.  I  then  told  his  honor  that  I  believed 
the  Bishop  of  London,  my  Diocesan,  and  the  Society  expected  that  my  peo¬ 
ple  should  be  protected  from  rates  only  by  his  Honor’s  orders,  to  which  he 
replied,  by  this  time  he  believed  his  Lordship,  the  Bishop  of  London,  and  the 
Society  were  better  informed,  viz1,  that  he  could  not  do  it.  His  Honor  told 
me  that  he  supposed  a  memorial  in  the  affair  put  into  the  General  Court 
might  obtain  relief  for  me,  and  that  he  would  back  it,  to  which  I  replied  that  if 
his  Honor  pleased  to  offer  it  to  the  General  Court,  it  might  be  as  proper  as 
myself,  since  he  had  been  pleased  to  refer  it  to  the  Council,  but  for  my  own 
part  should  not  act  any  farther  till  orders  from  the  Society,  because  I  was 
only  to  make  application  to  his  honor  for  the  relief  of  my  people,  besides  I 
supposed  my  memorial  would  meet  with  the  same  bad  success  in  the  General 
Court  as  Braintree  had  before  done,  viz1,  immediately  to  be  thrown  out,  for 
which  reasons  I  do  now  forbear  any  further  application  to  the  Authority  here, 
and  earnestly  entreat  the  interest  of  the  Honorable  Society  for  our  relief  and 
their  directions  for  his  Conduct  in  this  difficult  affair,  and  with  all  that  speed  which 
a  thing  of  this  nature  will  allow  of,  the  sooner  to  give  ease  to  my  burthened, 
oppressed  people,  and  to  put  a  stop  to  what  farther  sufferings  are  now  before 
us. 

I  am,  Reverend  Sir, 

Your  most  humble  Serv1, 

MATTHIAS  PLANT. 


Some  Members  of  the  Church  of  England  at  Braintree  in 
New  England ,  to  General  NICHOLSON. 

Decr  28th,  1726. 

May  it  please  your  Excellency, 

The  hardship  we  have  met  with  from  our  Independant  Neighbors,  and 
from  the  Government  here,  obliged  us  to  make  application  to  your  Excellency, 


209 


[1726. 


hoping  that  we  shall  have  your  favor  and  Friendship,  and  that  you  will  use 
your  interest  with  his  Lordship  the  Bishop  of  London,  and  the  Honorable 
Society,  that  the  Reverend  Mr.  Ebenezer  Miller  may  be  sent  over  to  us  as 
soon  as  possible,  ’till  which  time  we  have  no  prospect  of  being  relieved  from 
our  sufferings. 

We  beg  of  your  Excellency  to  use  your  endeavors  that  what  the  Indepen¬ 
dants  here  call  Laws  by  which  they  tax  the  Churchmen  and  force  them  to  pay 
towards  the  support  of  the  Congregational  Teachers,  may  be  explained. 
And  if  they  be  explained  according  to  the  Laws  of  England,  we  shall  be  free 
from  their  impositions. 

Your  Excellency  hath  always  been  a  Friend  to  the  Infant  Churches  in  this 
Country,  and  all  of  them  have  been  in  some  measure  nourished  by  your 
Bounty,  but  none  of  them  ever  stood  in  more  need  of  your  Excellency’s 
favors  than  our  poor  Church  at  Braintree.  Tho’  We  are  but  few,  yet  we  are 
resolved  (by  the  Grace  of  God)  to  stand  steadfast  in  the  truth,  and  when  it 
shall  please  God  to  send  Mr.  Miller  to  us,  we  have  a  prospect  of  having  a 
very  numerous  Congregation,  for  he  is  very  well  beloved  in  these  parts. 
There  is  nothing  that  hinders  the  growth  of  the  Church  so  much  as  the  Inde¬ 
pendants  here  being  suffered  to  tax  the  Churchmen,  especially  after  the 
manner  that  they  do  it,  for  they  generally,  if  we  refuse  to  pay  the  Dissenting 
Minister’s  rate,  take  away  three  or  four  pounds  for  30s  and  we  being  poor 
Men  are  not  able  to  bear  it,  having  large  familyes,  and  being  willing  to  pay 
towards  the  support  of  an  Episcopal  Minister  to  the  utmost  of  our  power, 
but  it  is  against  our  conscience  to  support  them.  We  have  done  making  ap¬ 
plication  to  the  Authority  here,  and  are  quite  tired,  as  you  may  see  by  the 
papers  we  have  sent  to  Mr.  Miller  to  be  laid  before  his  Lordship  and  the 
Honorable  Society.  Your  favor  in  the  premises  will  be  an  act  of  Charity  to  a 
very  great  obligation  upon  (may  it  please  your  Excellency), 

Your  Excellency’s  very  much  devoted  and 
very  humble  Servts, 

John  Vesey,  George  Cheeseman, 

Peter  Marquand,  Benjamin  Vesey, 

37  Henry  Turner. 


I727-] 


210 


Dr.  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary . 


Boston,  New  England,  Feby  3d,  172^ 

Sir, 

I  have  formerly  given  you  some  hints  of  an  Interest  of  the  Church  of 
England  depending  with  this  Government,  the  matter  has  now  been  con¬ 
sidered  by  our  General  Court  &  the  Church  suffers  by  the  determination. 

Upon  the  present  establishment  of  the  college,  the  Governor,  the  Magis¬ 
trates  of  the  colony  with  the  Teaching  Elders  of  the  Six  Neighbouring  Towns 
(whereof  Boston  is  one)  are  overseers  of  it,  with  whom  it  is  to  receive  all 
Appeals  from  the  Corporation  &  to  ratify  or  disannul  whatever  Acts  or  Elec¬ 
tions  are  made  by  them.  For  a  long  time  the  Ministers  of  the  Church  of 
England  here  have  been  owned  as  Teaching  Elders,  and  as  such  cited  to  the 
Meetings  of  Overseers,  and  Mr.  Harris  has  frequently  sat  at  their  Board  upon 
an  equal  right  with  the  Teachers  of  this  Town,  the  Anabaptist  Teacher  not 
excepted.  But  for  a  few  years,  since  the  Episcopal  Church  has  very  sensibly 
encreased  here,  they  have  refused  citing  of  us,  and  Mr.  Myles  &  I  have  pros¬ 
ecuted  that  matter  till  we  have  received  from  our  General  Court  the  Deter¬ 
mination  inclosed. 

On  the  Overseers’  side  there  are  unhandsome  &  untrue  suggestions  which 
we  are  not  allowed  time  to  make  a  full  reply  to.  It  is  there  said  that  the 
clerk  not  only  notified  the  Ministers  of  the  Church  of  England,  whereas  he 
notified  them  in  the  form  common  to  all,  and  Mr.  Harris  has  often  sat  upon 
such  notifications  &  was  acknowledged  as  one  of  that  Body.  It  is  also  sug¬ 
gested  that  we  design  to  serve  a  turn  &  break  in  upon  their  ancient  constitu¬ 
tion,  whereas  we  only  aimed  at  a  quiet  admission  among  them;  Tho’  indeed 
we  humbly  presume  it  is  much  more  for  the  public  interest  of  Religion  that 
there  should  be  no  Charter  for  the  College  or  a  new  one  derived  immediately 
from  the  crown,  than  that  the  Ministers  of  the  Church  of  England  should  be 
debarr’d  of  their  present  claims,  since  now  all  possible  art  consistent  with 
safety  &  secrecy  is  used  at  that  college  to  suppress  any  good  inclinations  in 
the  Students  towards  our  Excellent  Church,  wherefore  we  have  sent  over  the 
first  charter  of  our  college,  which  it  subsisted  upon  till  the  first  charter  of  our 
Colony  was  taken  away,  also  the  two  others  given  out  by  this  Government  & 


21  I 


[1727. 


without  any  power  in  the  Reign  of  King  William,  now  after  some  use  of  the 
last  charter  they  returned  to  the  first,  which  themselves  had  rejected  &  had 
no  power  to  reassume. 

And  having  thus  presented  the  case  to  the  Hon’ble  Society,  I  do  with 
every  true  Son  of  the  Church  in  New  England,  humbly  rely  on  their  good 
interests,  that  Justice  may  be  done  us,  or  the  college  be  settled  on  a  better 
foundation  than  it  is  at  present.  For  now  it  is  only  a  Battery  planted  against 
the  grand  designs  of  that  worthy  Body  in  Erecting  Missions  81  sending  Mis¬ 
sionaries  into  these  parts;  and  when  I  tell  the  Society  that  I  suppose  there 
are  about  150  Students  there,  I  presume  they  will  think  such  a  number,  &  that 
growing,  also  not  unworthy  of  their  care. 

I  am  not  able  to  suggest  any  expedient  to  the  Society  in  favor  of  so  good 
a  cause  and  I  think  with  us  the  articulus  stantis  vel  cadentis  ecclesice,  but  I  trust 
we  shall  reap  that  benefit  from  the  Society’s  concerns  for  which  the  Genera¬ 
tions  yet  to  come  shall  call  ’em  blessed. 

Some  Laws  are  made  in  the  present  Sessions  of  our  General  Court, 
which  manifest  the  same  disaffection  to  our  Church  as  the  cause  which  I  have 
now  represented ;  but  they  not  being  yet  printed  I  am  unable  to  get  copies  to 
send  over. 

Sir,  I  humbly  beg  a  good  interpretation  of  this  well  meant  zeal,  and  liberty 
to  subscribe  myself  the  Society’s  and 

Your  most  humble  Servant, 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


1727.] 


21  2 


D\  CUTLER'S  &  M\  MYLES'S  MEMORIAL ,  and 


Overseers 


others ,  relating  to  their 


YARD  COLLEGE  inclosed  in  D\  CUTLERS 


Letter  of  fd  February ,  1727. 


To  the  Honorable  William  Dummer,  Esquire,  Lieutenant  Governor,  &c.,  and 
to  the  Honorable  the  Council  and  House  of  Representatives  in  General 
Court  Assembled: 

Most  Humbly  Sheweth, 

That  at  a  Session  of  the  Great  and  General  Court  the  8th  day  of  the  7th 
Month,  1642,  it  was  Ordered  in  these  words:  “That  the  Governor  and 
“Deputy  for  the  time  being,  and  all  the  Magistrates  of  this  Jurisdiction,  to¬ 
gether  with  the  Teaching  Elders  of  the  six  next  adjoining  Towns,  that  is, 
“Cambridge,  Watertown,  Charlestown,  Boston,  Roxbury,  &  Dorchester; 
“and  the  President  of  the  College  for  the  time  being,  shall  have  from  time  to 
“time  full  power  &  authority  to  make  &  establish  all  such  Orders,  Statutes  & 
“Constitutions  as  they  shall  see  necessary  for  the  instructing,  giving  &  fur¬ 
thering  of  the  said  College,  and  the  several  Members  thereof,  from  time  to 
“time  in  Piety,  Morality  and  Learning,  &c.  Provided  also  that  if  any  Consti¬ 
tution,  Order  or  Orders  shall  be  made,  that  is  found  hurtful  to  the  said  Col¬ 
lege  or  Members  thereof,  or  the  weal  publick,  that  then  upon  the  appeal  of 
“  the  party  or  parties  aggrieved  to  the  said  Overseers,  that  they  shall  repeal  the 
“said  order  or  orders  at  the  next  Meeting,  or  stand  accountable  thereof  to  the 
“next  General  Court.”  As  by  the  said  Act  or  Order  reference  thereunto  had, 
more  will  appear,  that  in  observance  of  said  act,  Your  Memorialists  Cutler  & 
Myles,  likewise  the  Revd  Mr.  Henry  Harris  as  Teaching  Elders  of  this  Town 
of  Boston,  have  been  notified  to  be  present  at  sundry  Meetings  of  the  said 
Overseers,  and  the  sd  Mr.  Harris  was  actually  present  at  several;  but  so  it 
was  that  an  Overseers’  Meeting  at  the  Council  Chamber,  in  Boston,  the  18th 
of  May,  1727,  his  Honor  the  Lieu1  Governor  informing  the  Board  that  ap¬ 
plication  had  been  made  to  him  by  your  Memorialist  Cutler,  that  he  might 
be  notified  to  be  present  at  the  Meetings  of  the  Overseers,  after  a  Debate 


213 


[1727. 


had  thereon,  the  Question  was  put,  whether  he  the  sd  Dr.  Cutler  be  notified 
accordingly,  and  it  passed  in  the  Negative,  the  Board  apprehending  that  he  is 
not  entituled  thereunto;  thereupon  your  Memorialist  Cutler,  the  15th  of  June 
last,  by  writing,  directed  to  the  Overseers,  desired  to  be  Resolved  if  he  was 
not  entitled  to  be  present  at  the  Meetings  of  the  Overseers  when  notified  by 
their  clerk  so  to  be,  or  at  time  since  his  being  an  Episcopal  Minister  in  the 
Town  of  Boston,  or  if  he  had  forfeited  that  title  since,  &  by  what  means;  and  the 
said  Overseers  taking  the  same  into  consideration,  as  also  their  constitution, 
were  of  Opinion  that  the  sd  Memorialist  has  not  nor  ever  had  by  said  Consti¬ 
tution  a  right  to  sit  as  an  Overseer  of  Harvard  College. 

Also  on  the  sd  15th  of  June  yr  Memorialist  Myles  by  writing  directed  to  the 
Overseers  complained  that  he  was  not  notified  by  their  clerk  as  formerly  to 
sit  among  the  Overseers  &  desired  this  affair  might  be  redressed  and  if  not 
that  he  might  know  for  what  reasons.  The  Board  made  answer  that  he  has 
not  nor  ever  had  by  the  said  Constitution  a  right  to  sit  as  an  Overseer  of 
Harvard  College. 

For  as  much  therefore  as  the  said  Act  of  the  General  Court  that  constitu¬ 
ted  the  said  Overseers  direct  any  member  grieved  with  any  orders  made  by 
said  Overseers  to  appeal  to  them,  directing  at  the  same  time  said  Overseers 
to  repeal  said  Order  or  Orders,  in  failure  whereof  obliging  them  to  be 
accountable  thereof  to  the  next  General  Court,  and  that  your  Memorialists 
think  themselves  grieved  by  the  said  Order  or  Vote  of  said  Overseers  of  the 
18th  of  May  last,  which  induced  your  Memorialist  Cutler  to  appeal  to  said 
Board  for  the  Repeal  of  the  same  as  aforesaid  at  their  next  Meeting  in  June 
aforesaid,  and  the  said  Overseers  at  their  said  last  Meeting,  instead  of  repeal¬ 
ing  the  said  order  enforced  and  passed  another  of  the  like  import,  to  exclude 
your  said  Memorialist  Myles  from  the  Board  of  Overseers,  your  Memori¬ 
alists  therefore  pursuant  to  the  sd  Act,  Anno  1642,  apply  to  your  Honors  for 
redress  in  the  premises,  not  doubting  but  that  your  Honors  will  be  of  opinion 
that  the  Great  and  General  Court  by  their  aforesaid  act  did  in  their  great 
wisdom  and  justice  design  no  exclusion  of  the  Ministers  of  the  Church  of 
England  from  the  inspecting  and  ordering  of  Harvard  College,  since  the 
Orthodoxy  of  the  Church  of  England  is  question’d  by  no  sound  Protestants 
&  the  Members  of  that  Church  in  this  Government  bear  an  equal  propor¬ 
tion  in  all  public  charges  to  the  support  of  said  College,  &  the  Ministers  of  that 
Church  are  equally  with  any  others  qualified  &  disposed  to  promote  the 


214 


T727-] 

Interests  of  Religion,  good  Literature  and  good  manners,  the  worthy  ends 
propounded  in  the  Founding  of  it,  and  that  your  Memorialists  by  their  Ordi¬ 
nation  &  canonical  Induction  into  their  respective  Churches  of  the  Town  of 
Boston  are  fairly  included  in  the  denomination  of  Teaching  Elders  accord¬ 
ing  to  its  natural  and  genuine  sense  &  import,  and  such  Teachers  who  accord¬ 
ing  to  said  act  have  a  right  to  sit  as  Overseers  of  Harvard  College,  And 
thereupon  your  Memorialists  humbly  beg  an  order  of  this  Great  and  General 
Court,  that  according  to  the  Constitution  of  the  Body  of  Overseers,  they  may 
be  restored  to  the  right  of  Overseers,  &  may  agreeable  to  custom,  equity  & 
Justice,  be  again  notified  &  have  seats  at  the  Meetings  of  the  Overseers  of 
Harvard  College. 

And  your  Memorialists  shall  ever  pray. 

Timothy  Cutler, 
Samel  Myles. 


To  the  Honorable  WM  DUMMER ,  Esq.,  Lieutenant  Gov¬ 
ernor,  the  Hon  ble  Council,  &fc. 


The  Memorial  of  sundry  the  Ministers  and 
others  of  the  Church  of  England  in 
New  England, 

Humbly  Sheweth: 

That  whereas,  by  the  ancient  establishment  of  the  General  Court,  held  in 
Boston  the  8th  of  September,  1 642,  the  Governor  and  Deputy  for  the  time 
being,  and  all  the  Magistrates  of  this  Jurisdiction,  together  with  the  Teaching 
Elders  of  Six  next  adjoining  Towns,  that  is,  Cambridge,  Watertown,  Charles¬ 
town,  Boston,  Roxbury,  &  Dorchester;  &  the  President  of  the  College  for  the 
time  being,  are  made  and  appointed  Overseers  of  the  College  at  Cambridge, 
for  the  ends  and  purposes  in  the  same  Act  expressed,  &  by  force  &  virtue  of 
that  Act  all  those  persons,  and  amongst  the  rest  the  Ministers  of  the  Church 
of  England  in  Boston,  lately  have  been  deemed  &  taken  to  be  Overseers  of 
the  said  College,  &  from  time  to  time  ever  since,  have  assembled  &  met  to- 


2I5  [1 727- 

gether,  &  ordered  &  disposed  of  the  affairs  of  the  said  College  as  the  Over¬ 
seers. 

But  so  it  is  (May  it  please  this  Great  &  Hon’ble  Court),  these  last  three 
years  the  Ministers  of  the  Church  of  England  in  Boston  have  been  neglected 
and  not  called  to  the  Meeting  of  the  Overseers  aforesaid,  and  upon  applica¬ 
tion  made  unto  them  by  the  Reverend  Dr.  Timothy  Cutler  &  Mr.  Sam1  Myles, 
two  of  the  Ministers  of  the  Church  of  England,  on  the  15th  of  June  last,  the 
Hon’ble  the  Overseers,  upon  consideration  of  the  Constitution  aforesaid, 
voted,  declared,  and  recorded  their  opinion  that  the  sd  Dr.  Cutler  &  Mr.  Myles 
have  not,  nor  ever  had,  by  the  sd  Constitution,  a  right  to  sit  as  Overseers  of 
Harvard  College. 

We  consider  that  College  as  the  common  Nursery  of  Piety  &  Learning  to 
New  England  in  general,  as  well  as  to  them  that  are  of  the  order  of  the 
Church  of  England,  as  to  them  that  are  of  the  Order  of  New  England,  the 
common  Interest  of  both  to  support  it,  &  a  Blessing  to  both  when  it  flourish- 
eth,  &  therefore  apprehend  that  it  is  a  pity  these  different  orders  should  be 
made  differing  parties,  not  only  in  the  Churches  where  they  are  different,  but 
in  the  College  where  they  are  entirely  one,  &  will  tend  to  discourage  those 
of  the  order  of  the  Church  of  England  from  doing  those  services  to  the  Col¬ 
lege  or  receiving  those  benefits  from  it,  as  otherwise  they  might.  We  are  not 
so  imprudent  as  to  imagine  that  the  admission  of  those  two  Gentlemen  can 
make  us  a  party  in  the  ordering  of  that  College,  &  serve  any  secret  designs 
or  separate  interests  (which  is,  in  the  nature  of  this  case,  impossible),  but  only 
seek  that  all  especial  notes  of  groundless  distinction  &  disesteem  towards  us 
may  be  abated,  &  an  universal  good  understanding  among  us  all  promoted  & 
established.  It  seems  by  the  Note  of  the  Hon’ble  the  Overseers  above  men¬ 
tioned,  as  tho’  they  did  not  look  upon  the  Ministers  of  the  Church  of  Eng¬ 
land  to  be  Teaching  Elders.  But  we  would  humbly  hope  there  is  no  ground 
sufficient,  upon  a  calm  thought,  to  maintain  such  an  Opinion.  For  they  have 
been  both  ordained  Teaching  Elders  by  the  Bishop  of  London,  &  have  their 
several  credentials  for  that  purpose,  &  have  both  been  orderly  sent  to  execute 
that  their  Function  in  Boston,  which  they  are  able  also  to  prove ;  &  as  for  a 
Minister  of  the  Church  of  England,  his  being  a  Teaching  Elder,  it  has  never 
been  questioned  &  disputed  by  those  of  the  Orders  of  the  Churches  of  New 
England,  that  we  have  heard  of.  Indeed,  there  have  been  disputes  raised  & 
maintained  about  Ruling  Elders,  &  each  several  Order  have  claimed  to  them- 


1 727-] 


216 


selves  the  Right  of  Ruling  Elders,  but  neither  Order  has  ever  questioned  but 
that  the  Elders  of  our  Church  were  Teaching  Elders  before  now,  if  it  now  be 
questioned. 

Wherefore,  forasmuch  as  this  Great  &  Hon’ble  Court  has  the  superintend¬ 
ancy  &  government  of  all  affairs  within  this  Province,  for  the  common  good 
&  general  happiness  of  all  His  Majesty’s  good  Subjects  here,  &  the  Revd 
Dr.  Cutler  &  Mr.  Myles  have  made  this  Hon’ble  Court  their  last  resort  here, 
both  as  the  common  and  impartial  patrons  of  all  good  men,  &  the  best  expos¬ 
itors  of  our  own  Acts, 

We  therefore,  in  concurrence  with  them,  humbly  pray  this  Hon’ble  Court, 
that  according  to  the  original  fundamental  constitution  of  the  said  Overseers, 
these  worthy  Gentlemen  may  be  deemed  reputed  and  declared  by  this  Hon’ble 
Court  to  be  two  of  the  said  Overseers  of  the  said  College  at  Cambridge. 
And  your  Honours’  most  humble  Orators  shall  ever  pray  for  the  prosperity 
&  happiness  of  this  Government,  &  that  the  College  at  Cambridge,  &  every 
interest  of  New  England,  both  civil  &  sacred. 


♦ 


Orders  of  the  General  Court  at  Boston  in  New  England \  re¬ 
lating  to  Harvard  College ,  8th  September,  1648,  &?  2  2d 
May ,  1650,  inclosed  in  Dr.  Cutler  s  Letter  of  the  f  of 
February ,  1727. 

At  a  General  Court  held  at  Boston,  the  8th  of  the  7th  Month,  1642. 

Whereas,  by  Order  of  Court  in  the  7th  mo.,  1636,  there  was  appointed  & 
named  6  Magistrates  and  Six  Elders  to  order  the  College  at  Cambridge,  of 
which  twelve  some  are  removed  out  of  this  jurisdiction — 

It  is  therefore  Ordered,  that  the  Governor  and  Deputy  for  the  time 
being,  &  all  the  Magistrates  of  this  Jurisdiction,  together  with  the  Teaching 
Elders  of  the  Six  next  adjoining  Towns,  that  is,  Cambridge,  Watertown, 
Charlestown,  Boston,  Roxbury,  &  Dorchester,  &  the  President  of  the  College 
for  the  time  being,  shall  have,  from  time  to  time,  full  power  &  authority  to 


217 


[1727- 


make  &  establish  all  such  Orders,  Statutes  &  Constitutions  as  they  shall  see 
necessary  for  the  instituting,  giving,  and  furthering  of  the  said  College,  &  the 
sev1  Members  thereof,  from  time  to  time,  in  Piety,  Morality  and  Learning,  as 
also  that  they  shall  have  full  power  to  dispose,  order  &  manage,  to  the  use  & 
behoof  of  the  said  College  &  Members  thereof,  all  Gifts,  Legacies,  Bequeath- 
alls,  Revenues,  Lands  &  Donations,  as  either  have  been  or  shall  be  conferred, 
bestowed,  or  any  ways  shall  fall  to  the  said  College.  And  whereas  it  may 
come  to  pass  that  many  of  the  said  Magistrates  &  Elders  may  be  absent,  or 
otherways  employed  in  weighty  affairs  when  the  said  College  needs  their  pres¬ 
ent  help,  council,  and  authority, 

Therefore  It  is  Ordered,  that  the  greater  number  of  the  said  Magis¬ 
trates,  Elders  &  President  shall  have  the  power  of  the  whole.  Provided  also, 
that  if  any  Constitution  Order  or  Orders  shall  be  made  that  is  found  hurtful 
to  the  said  College  or  the  Members  thereof,  or  to  the  Weal  Publick,  that  then, 
upon  the  Appeal  of  the  party  or  parties  aggrieved  to  the  said  Overseers,  that 
they  shall  repeal  the  said  Order  or  Orders  at  the  next  Meeting,  or  stand  ac¬ 
countable  thereof  to  the  next  General  Court. 


MASSACHUSETTS  BAY. 

At  a  General  Court  of  Elections,  held  at  Boston,  22d  of  May,  1650. 

In  Answer  to  the  Petition  of  Henry  Dunstar,  President  of  Harvard  Col¬ 
lege,  The  Court  doth  grant  and  appoint  Mr.  Danforth,  the  Surveyor  of  Cam¬ 
bridge,  shall  have  power  with  one  as  the  Executors  of  Mr.  Israel  Stoughton 
shall  nominate,  &  with  such  another  as  they  shall  agree  upon  as  a  third  per¬ 
son,  to  lay  out  to  Harvard  College  the  Land  given  by  the  sd  Mr.  Stoughton  to 
the  said  Harvard  College  as  a  Legacy.  And  the  Court  doth  readily  grant  the 
College  exemption  from  all  customs  in  their  Petition  mentioned,  and  that  the 
Hundred  Pounds  the  Country  oweth  the  College  should  be  paid  into  them  as 
was  formerly  appointed,  and  that  they  cannot  find  a  way  to  alter  the  agree¬ 
ments  with  the  Ferrymen  without  their  consent. 

And  in  answer  to  his  desires  for  a  Corporation,  The  Court  doth  grant  his 
request  in  these  terms : 

Whereas,  thro’  the  good  hand  of  God  many  well  devoted  persons  have 

28 


1727.] 


2l8 


been,  &  daily  are,  moved  and  stirred  up  to  give  and  bestow  sundry  Gifts,  Leg¬ 
acies,  Lands  &  Revenues  for  the  Advancement  of  all  good  Literature,  Arts 
and  Sciences  in  Harvard  College  in  Cambridge,  in  the  County  of  Middlesex, 
&  to  the  Maintenance  of  the  President  &  Fellows,  &  for  all  accommodations 
of  Buildings,  &  all  other  necessary  provisions  that  may  conduce  to  the  Educa¬ 
tion  of  the  English  &  Indian  Youth  of  this  Country  in  knowledge  &  Godliness. 

It  is  therefore  Ordered  and  Enacted  by  this  Court  &  the  authority 
thereof,  That  for  the  furthering  so  good  a  work,  &  for  the  purposes  aforesaid, 
From  henceforth  the  said  College  in  Cambridge,  in  Middlesex  in  New  Eng¬ 
land,  shall  be  a  corporation,  consisting  of  seven  Persons,  Viz1,  a  President, 
Five  Fellows,  &  a  Treasurer  or  Purser,  and  that  Henry  Dunstar  shall  be  the 
first  Presid1,  Samuel  Mather,  Samuel  Danforth,  Masters  of  Arts,  Jonathan 
Mitchel,  Comfort  Star,  &  Samuel  Eaton  shall  be  the  five  Fellows,  &  Thomas 
Danforth  to  be  the  present  Treasurer,  all  of  them  being  Inhabitants  in  the 
Bay,  &  shall  be  the  first  seven  persons  of  which  the  said  Corporation  shall 
consist.  And  that  the  said  Seven  persons,  or  the  greater  number  of  them 
procuring  the  presence  of  the  Overseers  of  the  College,  &  by  their  counsel 
and  consent  shall  have  power,  &  are  hereby  authorized,  at  any  time  or  times, 
to  elect  a  New  President,  Fellows  or  Treasurer  so  oft,  and  from  time  to  time, 
as  any  of  the  said  persons  shall  die  or  be  removed.  Which  said  President  & 
Fellows  for  the  time  being,  shall  forever  after,  in  name  &  Fact,  be  one  Body 
politick  and  Corporated  in  Law  to  all  intents  &  purposes,  &  shall  have  per¬ 
petual  succession,  &  shall  be  called  by  the  Name  of  President  &  Fellows  of 
Harvard  College,  and  shall  be,  from  time  to  time,  eligible  as  aforesaid,  and  by 
that  Name  they  &  their  successors  shall  &  may  acquire  to  themselves,  or  take 
and  receive  upon  free  gift  or  donations,  any  Lands,  Tenements  or  Heredits 
within  this  Jurisdiction  of  the  Massachusetts,  not  exceeding  ^500  per  Annm, 
or  any  Goods  or  Sums  of  Money  whatsoever,  to  the  use  &  behoof  of  the  said 
President,  Fellows  and  Scholars  of  the  said  College,  &  also  may  sue  and 
plead,  or  be  sued  &  impleaded,  by  the  name  aforesaid,  in  all  Courts  and  places 
of  Jurisdicture  within  the  Jurisdiction  aforesaid.  And  that  the  sd  President, 
with  any  three  of  the  Fellows,  shall  have  power,  &  are  hereby  authorized, 
when  they  shall  think  fit,  to  make  &  appoint  a  Common  Seale  for  the  use  of 
the  said  Corporation.  And  the  President  &  Fellows,  or  the  major  part  of 
them,  from  time  to  time  may  meet  &  chuse  such  Officers  and  Servants  for  the 
College,  &  make  such  allowance  to  them,  &  them  also  to  remove,  &  after 


219 


C1 727- 


death  or  removal  to  chuse  such  others,  &  to  make,  from  time  to  time,  such 
Orders  and  By  Laws  for  the  better  ordering  and  carrying  on  the  work  of  the 
College  as  they  shall  think  fit;  Provided ,  the  said  Orders  be  allowed  by  the 
Overseers.  And  also  that  the  President  &  Fellows,  or  major  part  of  them, 
with  the  Treasurer,  shall  have  power  to  make  conclusive  Bargains  for  Lands 
&  Tenements  to  be  purchased  by  the  sd  Corporation  for  valuable  considera¬ 
tion,  and  for  the  better  ordering  of  the  Government  of  the  said  College 
and  Corporation, 

Be  it  Enacted  by  the  authority  aforesd,  That  the  President  &  three  more 
of  the  Fellows  shall  and  may,  from  time  to  time,  upon  due  warning  &  notice 
given  by  the  said  President  to  the  rest,  Hold  a  Meeting  for  the  debating  & 
concluding  affairs  concerning  the  profits  and  Revenues  of  any  Lands,  &  dis¬ 
posing  of  their  Goods ;  Provided ,  that  all  the  said  disposings  be  according  to 
the  will  of  the  Donors,  and  for  direction  in  all  emergent  occasions,  execution 
of  all  Orders  &  By  Laws,  &  for  the  procuring  of  a  General  Meeting  of  all 
the  Overseers  &  Society  in  great  &  difficult  cases.  And  in  case  of  non-agree¬ 
ment  in  all  which  cases  aforesaid,  the  conclusion  shall  be  made  by  the  major 
part,  the  said  President  having  a  casting  Voice,  the  Overseers  consenting 
thereunto,  and  that  all  the  aforesaid  transactions  shall  tend  to  &  for  the  use 
&  behoof  of  the  President,  Fellows,  Scholars  &  Officers  of  the  said  College, 
&  for  all  accommodations  of  Buildings,  Books,  &  all  other  necessary  pro¬ 
visions  and  Furnitures  as  may  be  for  the  advancement  and  Education  of 
Youth  in  all  manner  of  good  Literature,  Arts  &  Sciences. 

And  Further  be  it  Ordered  by  this  Court  &  the  Authority  thereof, 
That  all  the  Lands,  Tenements  &  Heredits,  Houses  or  other  Revenues  within 
this  jurisdiction  to  the  aforesaid  President  or  College  appertaining,  not  ex¬ 
ceeding  the  value  of  ^500  per  Annm,  shall  from  henceforth  be  freed  from  all 
impositions,  taxes  &  rates ;  &  all  Goods  to  the  said  Corporation  or  to  any 
Scholars  thereof  appertaining,  shall  be  exempt  from  all  manner  of  Toll,  Cus¬ 
tom,  Excise  whatsoever.  And  that  the  President,  Fellows  &  Scholars,  to¬ 
gether  with  the  Servants  &  other  necessary  Officers  to  the  sd  President  or 
College  appertaining,  not  exceeding  Ten,  Viz1,  Three  to  the  President  & 
Seven  to  the  College  belonging,  shall  be  exempted  from  all  personal  Civil 
Offices,  Military  Exercises  or  Services,  Watchings  and  Wardings,  and  such  of 
their  Estates  not  exceeding  ^100  a  Man,  shall  be  freed  from  all  County 
Rates  and  Taxes  whatsoever,  and  no  other. 


1727.] 


2  20 


To  the  Right  Honorable  and  Right  Reverend  Father  in  God \ 
HENRY  Ford  Bishop  of  London. 


(Mr.  MILLER’S  PAPERS.) 


The  Humble  Address  of  the  Subscribers,  the  Churchwardens  &  the  Vestry¬ 
men  of  the  Church  of  England,  of  Braintree,  in  New  England. 


May  it  please  Your  Lordship, 

We  of  this  Congregation  do  most  humbly  pray  the  continuance  of  Your 
Lordship’s  Favour  and  kindness  unto  the  Revd  Sam1  Myles,  Minister  of  the 
Church  of  England  in  Boston,  and  that  according  to  Your  Lordship’s  wisdom 
he  may  receive  all  encouragement  &  countenance,  he  having  been  zealous  & 
constant  to  the  Church  in  the  worst  of  times,  his  conversation  is  blameless  so 
as  that  the  Enemies  of  the  Church  cannot  reproach  him,  he  hath  demeaned 
himself  worthy  of  his  sacred  Function  and  hath  been  very  serviceable  and 
industrious  in  the  work  he  hath  been  called  to. 

And  my  Lord  we  beseech  you  to  remember  us  in  our  poor  &  distressed 
state  which  we  have  presented  before  Your  Lordship  by  the  hand  of  our 
Reverend  Minister,  Mr.  Wm  Barclay,  and  beseech  you  to  do  for  us  as  in  your 
great  goodness  and  wisdom  you  shall  see  meet  that  our  Minister  aforesaid 
may  return  to  us  as  soon  as  may  be,  whose  coming  we  earnestly  long  for. 
My  Lord,  we  are  your  dutiful  children  and  servants  and  earnestly  beg  your 
Fatherly  Benediction  and  Prayers. 


William  Vesey, 
John  Cleverly, 

Jonathan  Hayden, 

Samuel  Tompson, 

John  Sanders, 

John  Daniel, 

Benjamin  White, 

Braintree  in  N.  Engd,  April  2  2d,  1704. 


|  Churchwardens. 


Moses  Denniman, 
John  Veasey, 
Solomon  Vesey, 
John  Bass, 

Josiah  Belcher, 

Vestrymen. 


221 


[1727. 


Braintree,  May  27,  1727. 


Reverend  Sir, 

We  are  much  obliged  to  you  for  your  kind  Letter  of  the  9th  of  February 
last,  &  you  may  rest  assured  that  we  shall  do  everything  that  is  in  our  power 
to  have  our  Church  so  far  finished  as  that  we  may  perform  our  Worship  to 
Almighty  God  in  it  with  comfort  at  your  arrival  here. 

We  hope  the  Report  of  the  Attorney  and  Solicitor  General  will  be  in 
favour  of  the  Church,  and  we  are  well  assured  if  the  Hon’ble  Society,  as  also 
the  Attorney  and  Solr  General,  knew  how  we  of  the  Church  are  treated  by 
the  Dissenters,  they  would  do  what  they  could  to  give  us  dispatch  in  our 
affair,  for  one  of  our  Church,  Dr.  Turner,  has  been  lately  presented  by  the 
Grand  Jury  for  totally  absenting  himself  from  the  Worship  of  God,  &  altho’ 
he  proved  himself  utterly  innocent,  yet  he  was  obliged  to  pay  the  cost  of 
Court,  &  many  such  ways  have  they  to  persecute  us. 

Mr.  Mossom  has  promised  us  he  will  leave  our  Books  at  Marblehead  to  be 
ready  for  us  when  we  receive  the  Society’s  Orders,  but  we  cannot  tell  if  he 
hath  been  so  good,  for  he  is  gone  to  Virginia,  but  we  shall  know  when  the 
order  comes. 

We  do  not  doubt  that  you  have  many  &  great  inducements  to  stay  in 
England,  but  when  we  consider  you  are  fully  sensible  of  the  folly  &  vanity  of 
this  world,  as  also  that  it  is  no  great  matter  where  a  man  leads  his  life,  pro¬ 
vided  that  by  his  leading  of  it  here  so  as  that  he  may  secure  to  himself  a 
much  better  hope  hereafter,  we  say  when  you  seriously  consider  these  things 
we  doubt  not  but  you  will  come  to  us  &  help  a  poor,  persecuted  part  of  the 
Church  of  England,  as  you  have  resolved  you  will  (if  God  willing)  we  hope 
that  nothing  will  hinder,  which  is  the  hearty  desires  and  constant  prayers  to 
God  of, 


Reverend  Sir, 


Your  most  humble  &  obedient  faithful  servants, 


Benjamin  Vessey, 
Saml  Pain, 

Saml  Hadden. 


John  Vesey, 
George  Chesman, 
Henry  Turner. 


1727.] 


222 


Dr.  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary . 


Boston,  New  England,  May  24,  1727. 

Sir, 

I  have  lately  received  your  Letter  of  March  4th,  and  a  duplicate  of  it  of 
March  14th,  bringing  the  good  news  of  the  attempts  the  Society  are  making 
to  gain  relief  from  his  Sacred  Majesty  for  the  oppressed  Churches  of  New 
England,  which  News  I  shall  declare  to  my  Brethren  of  the  Church  to  support 
us  till  deliverance  comes,  which  we  pray  God  to  bring  about  by  the  Society’s 
endeavours,  as  well  as  reward  them  for  them.  My  Church  pretends  not  to 
the  greatest  share  of  those  difficulties,  but  we  find  that  singularity  even  in  a 
good  cause  is  enough  to  bear,  an  instance  whereof  relating  to  the  Episcopal 
clergy  in  this  Town  &  very  much  affecting  the  New  England  Churches  in 
general,  I  fear  I  must  shortly  tender  to  the  Society’s  consideration,  humbly 
begging  their  pardon  to  him  who  never  troubles  them  but  from  absolute 
necessity. 

The  Bearer  of  this  Letter  is  Mr.  Caner,  who  waits  upon  the  Society  for  a 
mission  to  Fairfield,  the  conditions  of  which  place  I  suppose  the  Revd  Mr. 
Johnson  hath  fully  as  well  as  truly  related,  and  which  being  in  the  neighbour¬ 
hood  to  Stratford  will  if  encouraged  give  great  support  to  it,  as  well  as  receive 
much  from  it.  I  have  had  a  considerable  share  in  Mr.  Caner’s  Education  and 
retained  a  personal  acquaintance  with  him  ever  since,  &  been  much  advan¬ 
taged  otherways  to  speak  of  him  &  am  sure  I  do  him  but  justice  when  I  rep¬ 
resent  him  not  only  as  a  person  of  good  natural  endowment,  but  of  good 
improvements  in  learning,  of  unshaken  Loyalty  to  his  present  majesty  and 
his  Illustrious  House,  of  true  zeal  and  courage  in  the  cause  of  Religion  &  the 
Church,  of  an  unblemished  Life,  who  has  done  very  considerable  service  to 
the  Church  already,  &  we  assure  ourselves  will  do  much  more  if  his  present 
applications  may  be  but  prospered,  for  which  he  hath  the  united  prayers  & 
good  wishes  of  the  whole  Church  here. 

Within  the  last  half  year  I  have  baptized  two  adult  persons  &  16  infants, 
and  have  received  1 1  persons  to  my  communion  &  have  the  satisfaction  to  let 
the  Society  know  that  I  have  constantly  a  full  audience,  rarely  without  some 
Dissenters  whom  our  worship  gradually  gains  upon  &  a  great  number  of  peo- 


223 


[1727. 


pie  devout  in  their  worship  &  conscientious  in  their  Lives.  I  humbly  hope 
the  Society  will  not  think  their  favours  ill  bestowed  on  my  Church  and  on 
myself,  which  will  be  a  constant  motive  to  my  gratitude  and  fidelity.  I  am, 
Sir,  their  and 

Your  most  humble  Servant, 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


M' .  PIGOT  to  the  Secretary . 


Boston,  July  12,  1727. 

Reverend  Sir, 

Not  having  written  this  last  half  year  I  thought  it  my  duty  to  escape  no 
opportunity  wch  might  happen  from  the  time  I  first  come  to  this  Town  of  noti¬ 
fying  you  of  the  posture  of  my  affairs.  I  suppose  the  Hon’ble  Society  will 
be  satisfied  by  the  inclosed  that  I  have  not  been  indiligent  in  my  ministry  con¬ 
sidering  I  am  placed  at  so  great  a  distance  from  the  spot  where  my  Church  is 
built.  I  have  long  been  sensible  of  the  inconvenience  of  my  abode,  &  there¬ 
fore  at  the  request  of  the  People  of  Marblehead  I  write  this  humbly  to  intreat 
the  Hon’ble  Society  that  they  would  be  pleased  once  more  to  grant  me  the 
liberty  of  removing  to  that  Town  &  to  supply  my  departure  with  some  other 
missionary  to  Providence.  I  have  several  reasons  which  induce  me  to  desire 
this  ;  such  as  my  distance  from  Providence,  wch  incommodes  my  Family  & 
exposes  me  to  the  weekly  exercise  of  riding  30  miles,  the  great  difficulty  of 
procuring  such,  help  of  Servants  as  may  enable  me  to  prosecute  my  studies 
with  application,  but  above  all  the  impossibility  of  my  subsisting  an  increasing 
Family  in  any  comfortable  manner  with  the  Hon’ble  Society’s  sole  allowance, 
if  tied  to  a  residence  at  Providence  from  whence  I  have  never  received  Five 
shillings  by  way  of  Gratuity.  These  are  sufficient  motives  to  stir  me  to 
request  it  of  the  Hon’ble  Society  to  comply  with  the  desire  of  the  Gentlemen 
at  Marblehead  in  order  to  my  lasting  Establishment  among  them,  upon  their 
promise  to  promote  my  better  welfare  which  has  never  been  attempted  before 
at  Stratford  or  Providence.  I  need  not  boast  of  my  services  from  my  acqui¬ 
sitions  ;  but  yet  my  industry  has  not  been  the  less  notwithstanding  the  peo- 


1 727-] 


224 


pie’s  backwardness.  I  have  nothing  to  add  but  that  I  was  sent  for  by  an 
unanimous  Vote  without  my  own  seeking  tho’  not  without  my  glad  consent 
if  approved  by  the  Hon.  Society. 

I  am,  &c., 


GEORGE  PIGOT. 


Clergy  of  New  England  to  the  Secretary . 

Boston,  July  20,  1727. 

Sir, 

We  humbly  conceive  that  many  and  just  are  the  reasons  of  our  meeting 
together,  &  among  others  to  concert  such  measures  as  may  best  enable  us  to 
answer  the  Hon’ble  Society’s  expectation  from  us,  to  shew  united  zeal  in  car¬ 
rying  on  the  common  design  of  our  mission,  whereby  life  &  vigour  is  added 
to  our  applications,  our  people  encouraged  &  our  adversaries  put  to  a  stand 
&  to  make  a  joint  representation  of  the  state  of  Religion  in  the  places  under 
our  care.  For  tho’  every  one  of  us  do  for  ourselves  affirm  that  all  the  accounts 
we  have  transmitted  be  exactly  true  to  the  best  of  our  knowledge,  yet  inas¬ 
much  as  the  truth  of  a  narrative  we  all  concur,  and  wherein,  consequently,  we 
are  all  concerned,  will  be  less  liable  to  suspicion,  we  beg  leave  now  to  lay 
before  the  H.on’ble  Society  the  present  state  of  our  Churches,  what  gives  the 
most  sensible  check  to  their  growth  &  what  in  all  human  foresight  will  increase 
their  glory  &  strength. 

As  to  Religion  in  general  &  the  state  of  our  respective  Churches,  it  is  cer¬ 
tain  that  in  many  places  thro’  the  prevailing  of  the  Gospel  there  is  a  great 
reformation  in  life  &  manners,  &  vice  and  immorality,  rampant  heretofore,  do 
now  begin  to  disappear,  the  Lord’s  Day  free  from  former  profanations  is  now 
observed  with  commendable  strictness,  and  Swearing,  Drinking  and  Debauch¬ 
ery  are  put  under  proper  restraints,  more  from  the  awe  of  Religion  than  the 
Laws  of  Government,  and  that  these  things  are  owing  to  the  settlement  of 
the  Church  in  these  parts,  is  not  only  with  joy  acknowledged  by  her  friends 
but  is  plainly  allowed  by  her  Enemies  both  in  principles  and  morals  in  their 
grief,  envy  and  united  opposition  to  it.  But  this  brings  us  to  the  cause  of  it, 


225 


[J7  27- 


still  indeed  too  slow  advances,  &  these  are  the  insults  and  ill  treatment,  the 
frowns  &  the  resentments  of  the  respective  angry  and  oppressing  Charter 
Governments  whereof  we  durst  not  under  higher  penalties  than  they  are  able 
to  inflict,  to  speak  any  evil  but  such  as  their  distressing  laws  &  powers  extort 
our  just  complaints  of  the  Laws  of  the  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut  that 
bear  an  aspect  on  the  Church  or  its  members  while  they  stand  unrepealed, 
will  ever  be  rigorously  executed  in  demands  upon  our  people  to  support  Dis¬ 
senting  Teachers  &  the  dreadful  schism  it  is  our  business  to  disclaim  them 
from  disable  our  flocks  from  sustaining  those  of  us  who  bear  a  relation  to 
them,  according  to  the  Hon’ble  Society’s  desires  &  their  own  engagements  & 
discourage  others  from  joining  our  communion,  since  they  must  suffer  if  they 
do  both  in  honor  &  estate,  powerful  arguments  in  a  world  guided  by  sense. 
As  for  Rhode  Island,  that  fertile  soil  of  Heresy  &  Schism,  tho’  in  the  main  the 
Church  doth  triumph  over  those  prostrate  Enemies,  yet  still  they  endeavour  to 
recover  fresh  strength  &  again  finding  encouragement  from  the  commander 
in  chief,  an  Anabaptist,  &  his  Deputy,  a  Quaker,  who,  howfarsoever  they  dis¬ 
agree  in  principle,  yet  strenuously  endeavour  to  promote  what  they  have 
peculiarly  espoused  &  if  in  nothing  else  concur  in  this  to  treat  the  Church 
with  united  indignities,  one  late  instance  whereof  we  think  fit  just  to  mention  to 
the  Society,  being  what  peculiarly  affects  us  at  this  time.  It  is  the  vehement 
heat  raised  against  the  endeavours  &  hopes  of  some  of  us  to  bring  over 
Charles  Augustus  Ninaagret  with  the  Narragansett  Indians,  of  whom  he  is 
Sachem,  to  embrace  the  Christian  Religion.  He  hath  related  his  case  in  his 
Letter  to  yourself,  &  we  humbly  beg  that  credit  &  countenance  may  be  given 
to  it,  the  view  of  bringing  him  into  the  Church  of  England  when  he  is  Chris¬ 
tianized,  have  already  raised  many  fierce  &  unnatural  resentments  agst  some 
of  us  who  are  instrumental  in  the  affair  &  we  fear  all  possible  oppositions  to 
us  here  &  the  worst  representations  of  the  case  before  the  Society  and 
wherever  else  any  possible  assistance  may  be  expected;  but  as  we  hope  for 
fairer  &  juster  treatment  with  our  superiors  in  Britain  than  here,  we  humbly 
pray  this  Catholique  design  may  be  encouraged  &  that  nothing  may  have 
weight  against  us  with  the  Society  but  what  we  can’t  well  account  for  after 
opportunity  given  us. 

The  same  spirit  which  discovers  itself  in  Rhode  Island  Government  pre¬ 
vails  in  this  Goverm1  wherein  we  now  are,  &  shews  itself  in  all  cases  oppor¬ 
tune  to  their  displeasure  against  us,  one  proof  whereof  &  now  before  us  we 

29 


1 72  7*] 


226 


can’t  avoid  the  hinting  to  you,  that  is  the  watchful  eye  over  Harvard  College 
to  keep  all  good  Ecclesiastical  principles  forever  banished  from  it.  A  funda¬ 
mental  Law  of  that  College  constitutes  the  Governor  and  Deputy  &  Magis¬ 
trates  of  this  Jurisdiction  &  Teaching  Elders  of  six  neighboring  Towns,  speci¬ 
fied  whereof  Boston  is  one,  as  Overseers  of  that  College  and  accordingly  the 
ministers  at  Boston  have  been  notified  to  sit  among  the  Overseers,  by  virtue 
whereof  the  Revd  Mr.  Harris  hath  sat  &  voted  several  times  among  them. 
But  now  when  they  see  that  the  Church  encreases  &  will  so  unless  farther 
measures  are  taken  to  suppress  its  growth,  they  resolutely  refused  to  cite 
them  to  appear  among  them  and  upon  their  complaint  of  it  have  voted  them 
to  have  no  right  to  sit  there.  We  presume  this  affair  will  be  offered  to  the 
consideration  of  the  General  Court,  but  this  will  be  only  in  compliance  with 
the  stated  methods  of  application  separated  from  any  great  hopes  of  a  Re¬ 
dress  of  this  grievance.  On  this  presumption  the  next  application,  if  any, 
must  be  to  the  Authority  at  home,  of  which  we  do  with  all  humility  now 
acquaint  the  Hon’ble  Society,  earnestly  begging  if  need  be  their  joint  &  par¬ 
ticular  interests  to  bring  this  important  affair  to  an  happy  conclusion,  which, 
if  it  fails  of,  this  Seminary  of  Learning  will  forever  stand  in  the  way  of  our 
Church’s  growth ;  until  these  remoras  are  removed  we  shall  not  be  able  to 
get  ground  enough  for  its  farther  extent  and  propagation.  For  a  remedy  & 
relief  of  these  grievances  we  beg  leave  to  represent  that  nothing  appears  to 
us  so  probable  to  put  our  Church  in  a  flourishing  condition  as  the  repeal  of 
those  Laws  that  affect  them  in  their  respective  provinces,  with  the  Royal 
Injunctions  upon  the  several  Governments  to  protect  &  encourage  them,  as 
well  as  by  Law  to  give  a  sanction  to  what  can  be  with  the  greatest  justice  & 
reason  offered  for  their  protection  and  encouragement. 

And  it  moreover  appearing  to  us  by  the  frame  of  our  Constitution  impos¬ 
sible  in  the  nature  of  the  thing  to  observe  our  Rubrick  or  obey  our  Canons 
without  a  Bishop  to  whom  we  may  have  immediate  recourse  &  whose  fre¬ 
quent  visitations  of  us  is  by  them  supposed,  we  pray  to  be  heard,  when  we  beg 
that  without  which  our  ministerial  functions  cannot  be  regularly  discharged, 
namely,  ye  presence  of  a  Bishop  amongst  us,  for  tho’  no  person  can  be  more  if 
so  vigilant  over  us  at  the  vast  distance  we  have  the  unhappiness  to  be  from  him, 
than  our  Rl  Revd  &  extremely  beloved  Diocesan,  yet  it  being  without  the  power 
&  bounds  of  any  mortal  to  make  us  capable  of  discharging  our  dutys  accord¬ 
ing  to  our  Offices,  our  Orders  &  our  Oaths,  whilst  he  is  so  inaccessible  to  us, 


227  [1727. 

we  would  humbly  represent  the  absolute  necessity  of  being  blessed  with  the 
favor  we  so  earnestly  pray  for. 

We  are,  &c., 

Timothy  Cutler,  James  McSparran, 

James  Honyman,  George  Pigot, 

Samuel  Johnson. 


D\  CUTLER  to  GENL  NICHOLSON. 


Boston,  Aug1  10,  1727. 

Sir, 

Since  I  believe  Your  Excellency  will  wonder  at  the  thinness  of  our  late 
meeting,  encouraged  &  assisted  by  your  generosity  &  further’d  by  the  hearty 
concern  of  the  Hon’ble  Col1  Tailer,  especially  since  we  wanted  the  presence 
of  some  who  were  not  at  the  greatest  distance,  I  think  it  necessary  to  let  your 
Excellency  into  the  reasons  of  it. 

As  for  Mr.  Usher,  he  has  a  long  time  sided  with  Mr.  Harris  against  us, 
&  has  been  unfriendly  to  us  in  whatever  interest  of  the  Church  we  have 
espous’d.  When  we  met  at  Rhode  Island,  from  whence  we  addressed  the 
King  &  wrote  to  Your  Excellency,  he  treated  all  his  Brethren  of  the  Clergy 
there  with  very  ill  manners  &  shewed  a  stubborn,  refractory  temper,  uncon¬ 
querable  by  all  the  lenity  &  condescension  we  could  possibly  use  him  with,  & 
was  so  open  in  it  that  he  hath  lost  his  reputation  with  all  the  Gentn  of  the 
Church  on  that  Island,  nor  has  he  taken  any  methods  since  to  return  into 
charity  &  friendship  with  us.  And  since  Your  Excellency  excused  us  the 
trouble  of  Mr.  Mossom’s  company  if  he  remained  confederate  with  Mr.  Har¬ 
ris,  we  have  presumed  Your  Excell’y  will  excuse  our  not  calling  Mr.  Usher  for 
that  reason. 

As  for  Mr.  Plant  of  Newbury,  he  was  notifyed  &  came  to  our  meeting,  but 
without  any  provocation  from  us,  or  any  displeasure  expressed  against  any 
one  of  us  or  any  leave  taken  of  us,  he  left  us  and  went  home,  and  tho’  we 
sent  an  express  to  Newbury  to  recall  him  to  join  with  us,  he  could  not  be  per¬ 
suaded  to  return. 


1727.] 


228 


It  is  with  grief  of  heart  that  I  observe  this  to  Your  Excellency,  nor  should 
I  do  it  if  I  thought  justice  did  not  require  us  to  make  an  apology  to  you. 

Such  troubles  bear  harder  upon  us  than  one  would  think.  The  enemies  of 
the  Church  are  active  enough  against  us.  My  thoughts  have  been  for  a  long 
time  exercised  on  one  instance,  of  which,  in  all  probability,  we  must  complain  at 
home,  when,  if  God  shall  spare  Your  Excellency’s  life,  all  the  friends  of  the 
Church  hope  for  justice  from  Your  Excellency’s  kind  endeavors.  This  relates 
to  the  right  which  Ministers  of  Boston  &  several  other  Towns  (Episcopal  as 
well  as  others)  have  to  be  acknowledged  as  Overseers  of  Harvard  College. 
The  Overseers,  at  their  meeting,  have  denyed  us  the  right  to  sit  among  them, 
excepting  Col1  Tailer,  who  dissented  from  their  Vote  &  has  generally  borne  their 
displeasure  for  appearing  in  our  just  cause.  A  Memorial  from  Mr.  Myles  is 
now  prepared  to  be  offered  to  the  General  Court  which  sits  by  adjournment 
the  next  week,  and  this  will  be  backed  by  a  Memorial  of  the  Ministers  and 
Vestrys  of  Rhode  Island,  Providence,  Narraganset,  the  Minister  of  Stratford, 
the  Vestries  of  Boston  &  Marblehead.  We  expect  a  repulse  &  then  the 
affair  must  be  carried  to  England,  unless  we  will  give  up  the  most  valuable 
interest  the  Church  has  here.  The  only  reason  why  Your  Excellency  may 
have  the  trouble  of  this  case  is  because  you  have  been  always  a  friend  to  the 
Church  &  a  Father  to  the  needy  &  oppressed  ;  and  this  encourages  me  to 
hope  for  Your  Excellency’s  Pardon  at  this  time,  since  I  am,  may  it  please  Your 
Excellency,  Your  Excellency’s  most  thankful  &  most  obedient  Servant, 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


Dr.  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary. 


Boston,  New  England,  Octr  10,  1727. 

Sir, 

On  September  the  3d,  I  received  two  Letters  from  you,  one  bearing  date 
May  23d,  the  other  June  6,  1727. 

One  great  comfort  under  the  pressures  wch  the  Church  sustains,  is  the 
tender  concern  of  the  Society  for  us  which  we  thankfully  acknowledge,  and 
earnestly  pray  God  to  prosper.  I  also  add  my  particular  acknowledgments 


229 


[1727. 


for  those  Bibles  &  good  Books  which  the  Society  has  ordered  me,  and  shall 
faithfully  use  my  best  prudence  in  the  distribution  of  them  when  they  come 
to  hand.  I  have  taken  a  great  deal  of  pains  to  satisfy  the  Interrogatories  of 
the  last  Letter  in  the  following  account  which  may  be  depended  on : 

The  Revd  Mr.  Myles,  Minister  of  His  Majesty’s  Chapel  in  this  Town,  with 
the  whole  Body  of  his  Parishioners,  finding  their  Church  after  a  considerable 
enlargement  too  small  for  his  Congregation,  which  was  daily  growing,  by  the 
accession  of  Strangers  from  Foreign  Parts,  &  the  Church’s  daily  victories 
over  the  prejudices  of  our  Native  Dissenters,  and  observing  many  to  keep 
from  the  church  purely  from  want  of  good  accommodations  in  it,  did  think  it 
proper  to  build  a  new  church  at  a  convenient  distance  from  the  other,  &  have 
prosecuted  that  design  with  heart,  hand,  and  purse  &  that  mutual  peace 
&  love,  wherein  they  have  been  very  exemplary  to  the  Dissenters,  whose 
intestine  quarrels  give  life  to  a  great  number  of  their  new  conventicles.  My 
church  was  begun  in  the  beginning  of  ye  year  1723,  &  was  first  preach’d  in 
the  Sunday  after  Christmas  following:  but  our  Building  being  very  chargea¬ 
ble,  we  are  the  more  retarded  in  our  work,  which  continues  to  this  time,  & 
after  all  we  are  considerably  in  debt,  &  need  some  hundred  pounds  to  com¬ 
plete  our  church,  and  to  furnish  it  with  an  Organ,  Bells,  Communion  Plate,  &c., 
and  we  are  kept  back  the  more  by  the  assistance  which  other  Church’s  thought 
receive  from  us,  &  if  we  were  emerged  out  of  these  difficulties,  it  is  generally 
thought  there  would  soon  be  a  third  church  set  up  in  the  Town.  The  Contributors 
&  Contributions  to  the  Building  are  set  down  in  a  paper  accompanying  this. 
This  church  is  70  feet  long,  50  wide,  35  high,  the  walls  2  feet  &  £  thick,  the 
Steeple’s  Area  is  29  feet  square,  80  feet  high,  the  walls  of  it  3  feet  &  £  thick. 
The  old  Building  is  of  Brick,  saving  that  the  Spire  (not  yet  begun  for  want  of 
money)  will  be  of  wood.  The  Church  is  not  endowed  at  all,  the  Minister  is 
paid  out  of  the  Weekly  Contributions,  £3  per  week  of  our  currency,  which  is 
£1  Sterling,  to  which  my  People  have  lately  added  10s.  'p  Week  of  our  cur¬ 
rency  more,  my  former  Salary  being  found  insufficient  for  my  numerous 
Family  of  7  children,  in  whose  maintenance  I  have  been  brought  a  great  deal 
in  arrears;  &  tho’  my  People  do  for  me  cheerfully  what  they  are  able,  I  find 
it  very  difficult  to  live  decently  in  this  expensive  Town. 

At  the  first  opening  of  my  Church  I  had  generally  an  audience  of  about 
400  persons,  wch  is  now  encreased  to  about  700  or  800.  The  Trade  and  Busi¬ 
ness  of  this  Town  is  better  represented  than  I  can  in  a  prospect  of  it,  which 


I727-] 


230 


(with  an  plan  of  it)  Mr.  Wm  Price,  a  worthy  Member  of  my  Church,  presents 
to  the  Society  by  my  hands.  In  this  Town  are  Presbyterians,  Independants, 
Anabaptists  and  Quakers,  &  I  fear  the  principles  of  Deism,  Arianism  & 
Popery  are  privately  instilled  into  some,  &  we  also  feel  the  sad  effects  of  such 
Books  as  the  Rights  of  the  Christian  Church  &  the  Independant  Whig.  My 
Church  has  no  parochial  bounds,  &  my  Congregation  is  scattered  all  over  this 
large  Town,  and  in  &  beyond  Charlestown,  parted  from  this  Town  by  a  consider¬ 
able  River,  where  there  are  1 5  Families,  and  in  some  other  places  separated 
from  us  by  Water  or  at  the  distance  of  many  miles  from  us,  besides  the 
Parish  of  Bantry,  which  I  have  reason  to  call  mine  till  they  are  blest  with  the 
arrival  of  a  Minister.  Strangers  in  the  Town,  &  new  Converts  to  the  Church 
could  accommodate  themselves  with  Seats  in  my  Church  &  could  not  in  the 
other,  so  that  many  who  live  equally  near  or  nearer  to  that,  resort  to  mine. 
Storms,  Ice  &  Snow,  which  are  considerable  in  this  Country,  make  Winter 
travelling  by  Water  or  Land  very  difficult,  &  my  Visits  of  my  People  have  a 
proportionable  difficulty  from  all  these  considerations.  The  Inhabitants  of 
this  Town  are  now  thought  to  be  20,000,  by  some  24,000,  &  the  Town  is  con¬ 
tinually  growing  in  Business  and  Riches. 

There  are  ten  Meeting  Houses  in  this  Town;  the  Anabaptist,  French  & 
Quaker  Meeting  Houses  are  not  very  large ;  besides  there  is  a  Meeting 
House  at  Rumney  March,  a  place  at  some  distance  from  the  Body  of  this 
Town  but  included  in  the  Township ;  the  Church  of  England  is  about  the 
sixth  or  seventh  part  of  it.  The  Dissenters  in  this  place  have  13  Teachers 
who  have  3,  4  or  5^  of  our  Currency  a  Week,  besides  the  Allowance  of  a 
Dwelling  House,  Fire  Wood,  benefits  considerable  which  the  Episcopal 
Ministers  have  not,  and  in  consideration  of  their  scanty  Salaries  or  Extraor¬ 
dinary  charges  there  have  been  many  Collections  made  of  £200  or  £$00  for 
them. 

There  are  no  Schools  belonging  to  my  Parish,  but  at  each  end  of  the 
Town  there  is  a  public  Grammar  School,  at  the  South  End  of  the  Town  the 
School  Master  has  ^150  per  Annm  and  his  House  Rent  free,  his  usher  has 
^50  pr  annm,  the  Scholars  are  about  120;  at  the  North  end,  the  School  Master 
has  ^100  pr  annm,  the  Scholars  about  90.  There  are  also  three  public  Schools 
for  writing  &  cyphering.  The  Masters  have  each  ^"ioo  per  annm,  &  one  an 
House  Rent  free ;  one  has  about  90  Scholars,  another  about  80,  the  other 
about  50.  None  of  these  are  Churchmen,  saving  one  Writing  School  master, 


231 


[x727- 


Mr.  Miles,  a  worthy  person  &  very  forward  to  serve  the  Church  as  the 
Society’s  School  master,  which  capacity  he  also  sustains.  All  these  persons 
are  chosen  &  paid  by  the  Inhabitants  of  this  Town.  There  is  also  one  Mr. 
Grainger,  a  Churchman,  who  is  a  private  writing  School  Master,  has  about  ioo 
Scholars,  &  recommends  himself  by  his  distinguishing  capacity  for  that  busi¬ 
ness. 

My  People  in  consideration  of  my  great  Family  &  charges,  &  from  that 
good  Agreement  to  which  subsists  between  us,  did  last  year  give  me  gjioo  to 
ease  me  of  my  arrears,  &  will  help  me  what  they  can,  this  besides  their  kind¬ 
ness  in  small  presents,  &  acknowledgments  now  and  then,  which  I  suppose 
the  Society  expects  no  account  of.  Benefactions  to  School  Masters  are  I 
believe  in  some  inferior  proportion  to  what  Ministers  have.  There  is  no 
Library  peculiar  to  my  Parish.  I  have  inclosed  a  Catalogue  of  Books  given 
to  my  Church,  which  we  are  at  liberty  to  sell  and  convert  into  money  when 
we  please.  The  Society  knows  what  Books  I  have  received  from  it  &  am  ac¬ 
countable  for. 

Negro  &  Indian  Slaves  belonging  to  my  Parish  are  about  32,  their  Edu¬ 
cation  &  Instruction  is  according  to  the  Houses  they  belong  to.  I  have 
baptized  but  2.  But  I  know  of  the  Masters  of  some  others,  who  are  disposed 
to  this  important  good  of  their  Slaves,  &  are  preparing  them  for  it;  however 
here  is  too  great  a  remissness  upon  this  article. 

Here,  Sir,  is  the  best  intelligence  I  can  give  the  Society,  upon  the  heads 
proposed,  and  in  whatever  business  they  do  or  shall  assign  me,  I  think  myself 
obliged  to  be  their  (as  well  as  your)  most  humble  Servant, 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


In  addition  to  the  Article  of  Schools, 

I  would  humbly  observe  that  they  are  entirely  at  the  disposal  of  the  people, 
the  majority  whereof  are  Dissenters,  so  the  College  here,  the  oversight 
whereof  according  to  our  Laws  about  it  has  formerly  been  in  part  committed 
to  the  Episcopal  Ministers  of  this  Town,  is  now  utterly  denyed  them  by  a 
Vote  of  the  Overseers,  whereby  all  the  Education  of  this  Country  is  begun  & 
completed  in  prejudice  to  our  Excellent  Church,  nemine  contradicente ,  the  sad 
effects  whereof  are  too  visible  in  that  College  and  in  the  Country.  We  have 
applied  to  our  General  Court  for  redress,  which,  if  not  granted,  we  humbly 


1 727*] 


232 


hope  the  Society  in  their  great  affection  to  the  Interests  of  Religion  growing 
among  us  will  indulge  our  complaints  farther. 


T.  C. 


♦ 


Mr.  PLANT  to  the  Secretary . 


Newbury,  N.  England,  Octr  25,  1727. 

Sir, 

I  have  returned  you  Answers  to  several  particulars  relating  to  the  affairs 
of  my  Church. 

1.  The  History  of  Building  the  Church,  &c.  It  was  erected  for  a  Meeting 
House  in  i7ii,bythe  Inhabitants,  about  45  Families  in  number,  but  being 
opposed  by  a  greater  Body  of  people  within  the  same  Division  or  Parish  who 
had  erected  another  Meeting  House,  they  complained  of  ’em  to  the  Justices 
of  the  Peace  (who  committed  some  of  them  to  Prison,  &  others  were  com¬ 
pelled  for  their  safety  to  Appeal  to  the  Governor  &  Council,  where  they  met 
with  no  better  treatment),  for  erecting  a  Meeting  House  contrary  to  Law  (for 
according  to  the  Laws  of  the  Province  the  major  part  appoints  the  place 
where  the  Meeting  House  shall  be  built).  Mr.  Bridges  at  Portsmouth,  in  N. 
E.,  having  information  of  the  severity  used  towards  these  people,  came  to 
Newbury  &  told  the  Inhabitants  that  if  they  would  convert  their  intended 
Meeting  House  into  a  Church,  he  would  engage  ’em  protection  from  the 
Governor.  They  complying  with  his  motion  (after  the  persual  of  several 
Church  Books),  he  obtained  their  easement.  The  Salary  is  Weekly  Con¬ 
tributions  by  the  Auditors,  about  £20  p  annm.  The  material  with  which  the 
Church  is  built  is  wood.  The  dimensions  of  it,  50  P  long  &  30  wide,  but  ac¬ 
commodated  with  no  House  or  Glebe. 

2.  The  number  of  hearers  were  about  100,  who  at  first  frequented  the 
Church  (for  many  who  contributed  towards  building  the  Church,  never  con¬ 
sented  to  convert  it  to  that  use).  Their  condition  of  Fortunes,  is  like  unto 
our  ordinary  Farmers  who  rent  7)30  or  £/\.o  pr  annm.  They  commonly  add 
some  Trade  to  their  Farming.  In  matters  of  Religion,  Dissenters.  Their 
Settlements  dispersed,  after  the  manner  of  our  Cottages  upon  commons,  some 


233 


[1727. 


perhaps  having  30  to  60  acres  of  Land,  some  of  my  Hearers  live  in  the 
adjacent  Towns  from  2  to  6  miles’  distance.  Marblehead  is  the  nearest 
Church  32  miles  remote.  My  constant  Auditors  are  from  150  to  200  or  there¬ 
abouts,  &  daily  increase  as  doth  my  Salary.  Their  Fortunes  are  no  other¬ 
wise  improved  than  by  their  Lands  becoming  more  valuable,  which  is 
occasioned  by  peoples  becoming  more  numerous  in  the  Country. 

3.  There  are  three  Meeting  Houses  about  3  miles  distant  in  the  same 
Town,  each  frequented  by  500  Auditors,  at  least  to  each  Meeting  House  one 
Dissenting  Teacher.  They  are  supported  by  a  settled  Salary,  thus  when  the 
major  part  of  a  Town  or  a  Precinct  in  that  Town  call  a  Teacher  then  they 
agree  with  him  for  an  Annual  settled  Salary,  which  remains  so  during  his  life, 
which  is  assessed  by  the  Selectmen  in  each  Town,  according  to  every  Man’s 
Estate  in  that  Town  or  Precinct,  &  collected  by  the  Constable,  &  so  paid  by 
him  to  their  several  Teachers.  I  think  there  are  about  6  Families  of  Quakers 
in  the  Town,  tho’  more  numerous  than  in  the  neighbouring  Towns. 

4.  The  School  Masters  in  every  Town  are  annually  chosen  by  the  Inhab¬ 
itants  of  the  said  Town.  Their  Salaries  are  then  voted  &  settled  for  the  year 
ensuing. 

5.  Nil. 

6.  Negroe  Slaves,  one  of  them  is  desirous  of  Baptism,  but  denied  by  her 
Master,  a  woman  of  wonderful  sense  &  prudent  in  matters  of  equal  knowl¬ 
edge  in  Religion  with  most  of  her  sex,  far  exceeding  any  of  her  own  nation 
that  ever  yet  I  heard  of. 

Sir,  I  have  been  very  particular  in  returning  a  true  &  exact  Account  to 
each  particular,  &  have  transmitted  a  Letter  to  you  of  the  same  the  very  first 
opportunity  which  offered,  and  depend  upon  your  laying  the  same  before  their 
Honors.  I  am,  Sir, 

Your  most  humble  Servant, 

MATTHIAS  PLANT. 


30 


1 727*] 


234 


jy.  CUTLER  to  Gen1  NICHOLSON . 


Boston,  Aug1  10,  1727. 

Sir, 

Since  I  believe  your  Excellency  will  wonder  at  the  thinness  of  our  late 
meeting,  encouraged  &  assisted  by  your  generosity  &  further’d  by  the  hearty 
concern  of  the  Hon’ble  Col1  Tailor,  especially  since  we  wanted  the  presence 
of  some  who  were  not  at  the  greatest  distance,  I  think  it  necessary  to  let 
your  Excellency  into  the  reasons  of  it. 

As  for  Mr.  Usher  he  has  a  long  time  sided  with  Mr.  Harris  against  us  & 
has  been  unfriendly  to  us  in  whatever  interest  of  the  Church  we  have  espous’d. 
When  we  met  at  Rhode  Island,  from  whence  we  addressed  the  King  &  wrote 
to  your  Excellency,  he  treated  all  his  Brethren  of  the  Clergy  there  with  very 
ill  manners  &  shewed  a  stubborn  refractory  temper,  unconquerable  by  all  the 
lenity  &  condescension  we  could  possibly  use  him  with,  &  was  so  open  in  it 
that  he  hath  lost  his  reputation  with  all  the  Gentn  of  the  Church  on  that 
Island,  nor  has  he  taken  any  methods  since  to  return  into  charity  &  friendship 
with  us.  And  since  your  Excellency  excused  us  the  trouble  of  Mr.  Mossom’s 
company  if  he  remained  confederate  with  Mr.  Harris,  we  have  presumed  your 
Excelly  will  excuse  our  not  calling  Mr.  Usher  for  that  reason. 

As  for  Mr.  Plant  of  Newbury,  he  was  notifyed  &  came  to  our  meeting,  but 
without  any  provocation  from  us,  or  any  displeasure  expressed  against  any 
one  of  us,  or  any  leave  taken  of  us,  he  left  us  and  went  home  &  tho’  we  sent 
an  express  to  Newbury  to  recall  him  to  join  with  us,  he  could  not  be  per¬ 
suaded  to  return. 

It  is  with  grief  of  heart  that  I  observe  this  to  your  Excellency,  nor  should 
I  do  it  if  I  thought  justice  did  not  require  us  to  make  an  apology  to  you. 

Such  troubles  bear  harder  upon  us  than  one  would  think,  the  enemies  of 
the  Church  are  active  enough  against  us,  my  thoughts  have  been  for  a  long 
time  exercised  on  one  instance  of  which  in  all  probability  we  must  complain 
at  home,  when  if  God  shall  spare  your  Excellency’s  life  all  the  friends  of  the 
Church  hope  for  Justice  from  your  Excellency’s  kind  endeavours,  this  relates 
to  the  right  which  the  Ministers  of  Boston  &  several  other  Towns  (Episcopal 
as  well  as  others)  have  to  be  acknowledged  as  Overseers  of  Harvard  College. 


235 


[1727. 


The  Overseers  at  their  Meeting  have  denyed  us  the  right  to  sit  among  them, 
excepting  Col1  Tailor  who  dissented  from  their  Vote  &  has  generally  borne 
their  displeasure  for  appearing  in  our  just  cause,  a  memorial  from  Mr.  Myles 
&  myself  is  now  prepared  to  be  offered  to  the  General  Court,  which  sits  by 
adjournment  the  next  week,  and  this  will  be  backed  by  a  memorial  of  the 
Ministers  &  Vestries  of  Rhode  Island,  Providence,  Narraganset,  the  Minister 
of  Stratford,  the  Vestries  of  Boston,  &  Marblehead.  We  expect  a  repulse  & 
then  the  affair  must  be  carried  to  England,  unless  we  will  give  up  the  most 
valuable  Interest  the  Church  has  here.  The  only  reason  why  your  Excellency 
may  have  the  trouble  of  this  case,  is  because  you  have  been  always  a  friend 
to  the  Church  &  a  Father  to  the  needy  &  oppressed  ;  and  this  encourages  me 
to  hope  for  your  Excellency’s  pardon  at  this  time,  since  I  am,  May  it  please 
your  Excellency,  Your  Excellency’s  most  thankful,  & 

Ivfost  Obedient  Servant, 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


The  Answer  of  the  Overseers  of  Harvard  College  to  Dr. 
CUTLER!  S  &  M\  MY  LETS  and  Sundry  Others 
Memorial and  their  Reply ,  and  Proceedings  of  the  Gov¬ 
ernor,  Council  &f  Assembly  thereupon. 


To  the  Honble  Wm  Dummer,  Esq.,  Lieu1  Governor,  &c.,  and  to  the  Honble  the 
Council  &  Representatives  in  General  Court  Assembled  at  Boston,  Novr 
22d,  A.D.  1727, 

Humbly  Sheweth, 

That  the  said  Overseers  do  freely  allow  that  at  a  Session  of  the  Great  and 
General  Court  the  8th  of  September,  1642,  The  Governor  and  Deputy  Gov¬ 
ernor,  &  all  the  Magistrates  of  this  Jurisdiction,  with  the  Teaching  Elders  of 
Cambridge,  Watertown,  Charlestown,  Boston,  Roxbury  &  Dorchester,  and 
the  President  of  the  College  for  the  time  being,  were  made  &  appointed  the 
Overseers  of  the  said  College.  That  agreeable  to  this,  upon  his  Honor  the 


1 727-] 


236 


Lieu1  Governor’s  informing  the  Board  of  Overseers,  on  the  18th  of  May  last, 
that  application  had  been  made  to  him  by  the  Revd  Dr.  Cutler,  that  he  might 
be  notified  to  be  present  at  the  Overseers’  Meetings,  The  said  Overseers  did 
vote  That  he  be  not  notified,  the  Board  apprehending  that  he  is  not  entitled 
thereto.  As  also  that  about  the  15th  of  June,  upon  the  said  Revd  Dr.  Cutler 
&  Mr.  Myles’s  complaining  of  their  not  being  notified  to  a  very  full  Board  of 
the  Overseers,  the  said  Board  taking  the  same  into  their  serious  consideration 
&  examining  the  sd  Memorialists’  pretended  right  by  the  Act  or  Constitution 
aforesaid,  did,  by  a  very  great  majority,  Vote,  That  they  have  not,  nor  ever 
had,  by  the  sd  Constitution,  a  Right  to  sit  as  Overseers  of  Harvard  College. 
And  they  found  their  judgment  on  the  following  reasons : 

1.  It  is  a  most  clear  &  undeniable  &  universal  Rule  that  the  Signification  of 
Terms  must  be  decided  in  every  Country  according  to  the  known  and  general 
acceptation  of  them  in  the  several  Countries  where  they  are  used,  and  Laws 
must  needs  be  explained  according  to  the  general  use  of  the  terms  in  the 
places  where  they  are  made,  in  the  times  when  they  are  enacted,  &  agreeable 
to  the  known  principles  of  the  Legislators. 

Thus  a  Deacon  in  England,  both  in  general  use  &  in  all  their  public  Acts, 
signifies  a  Person  ordained  to  preach  the  Gospel ;  but  a  Deacon  in  this  Coun¬ 
try  always  signified  a  Person  chosen  to  take  care  only  of  the  Church’s  tem¬ 
poral  matters.  And  thus  the  signification  of  the  term  Magistrate  in  England, 
&  even  now  in  New  England,  extends  to  every  one  of  His  Majesty’s  Justices 
of  the  Peace ;  but  in  the  times  when  the  Act  above  said  was  made,  wherein 
the  said  Term  is  used,  the  known  signification  extended  only  to  those  who 
were  Assistants  to  the  Governor  in  Council,  &  therefore  must  be  still  so  ex¬ 
plained. 

2.  Agreeable  to  this  undeniable  Ride,  the  phrase  expressed  in  the  above 
said  Act  of  a  Teaching  Elder  must  for  the  same  reason  be  construed. 

Now  the  known  construction  of  these  Terms  in  this  Country  from  the  be¬ 
ginning  is  this,  Viz1,  The  Pastors  and  Teachers  of  a  compleat  and  Congrega¬ 
tional  Church,  the  same  which  the  Scriptures  call  by  the  Name  of  Bishops, 
who  have  the  full  power  both  of  Teaching,  administering  the  Sacraments,  &c., 
and  of  Ruling  in  the  said  Church,  &  are  called  Teaching  Elders  to  distinguish 
them  from  another  sort  of  Elders  which  have  the  power  of  Ruling  only,  & 
which  latter  are  therefore  called  for  distinction  sake,  Ruling  Elders. 

This  is  the  known  signification  of  the  Term  Teaching  Elder  among  us. 


2  37 


1 727- 


In  this  sense  it  hath  been  used  from  the  beginning.  It  indeed  la>iin  the  Foun¬ 
dation  of  this  Ancient  Colony,  is  agreeable  to  all  the  public  writings  in  defence 
of  these  Churches  to  their  Judgment  declared  in  their  Synod,  approved  by  the 
general  Courts  and  the  Laws  of  the  said  Jurisdiction,  and  this  is  the  known  & 
general  meaning  of  these  terms  to  this  very  day. 

For  the  proof  of  this  we  would  observe, 

1.  There  was  not  one  Assembly,  nor  so  much  as  one  Minister,  Magistrate, 
or  Representative  in  the  General  Court  professed  of  the  Church  of  England 
for  above  50  years  after  the  settlement  of  the  said  Colony,  &  for  above  40 
years  after  the  Act  above  said,  there  being  no  other  but  Teaching  Elders  of 
Congregational  Churches  then  in  being  in  this  Country,  &  ’tis  such  Elders 
only  that  it  can  refer  to. 

2.  To  make  this  evident  we  shall  cite  some  of  the  Laws  of  the  said  Juris¬ 
diction,  in  those  times  wherein  the  United  Body,  both  of  Magistrates  and 
people,  declared  that  by  Churches  they  meant  Congregational  Churches ,  &  by 
elders  the  Elders  of  those  Churches.  Among  the  laws  of  the  said  Jurisdiction 
of  the  Massachusetts  Title  Ecclesiastical  are  the  following  passages  : 

Sec.  1.  All  the  People  of  God  within  this  Jurisdiction  who  are  not  in  a 
Church  way,  and  be  Orthodox  in  judgment  &  not  scandalous  in  life,  shall 
have  full  liberty  to  gather  themselves  into  a  Church  State,  provided  they  do 
it  in  a  Christian  way,  with  the  observation  of  the  Rules  of  Christ  revealed  in 
His  word. 

Sec.  4.  Every  Church  hath  free  liberty  of  election  &  ordination  of  all  her 
Officers,  from  time  to  time,  provided  they  be  able,  pious  and  Orthodox. 

Sec.  5.  Every  Church  hath  free  liberty  of  admission,  recommendation,  dis¬ 
mission  and  expulsion,  or  disposal  of  their  Officers  &  Members  upon  due 
cause,  with  free  exercise  of  the  discipline  and  censures  of  Christ,  according  to 
the  Rules  of  the  Word. 

Sec.  13.  Considering  the  rich  blessing  of  God  flowing  from  the  good 
agreement  of  the  Civil  and  Church  State,  It  is  therefore  Ordered  that  hence¬ 
forth  no  person  shall  be  ordained  to  the  office  of  a  Teaching  Elder,  where  any 
two  organic  Churches,  Council  of  State  or  General  Court  shall  declare  thereat 
their  disaffection.  And  in  case  of  Ordination  of  any  Teaching  Elders,  timely 
notice  thereof  shall  be  given  to  three  or  four  of  ye  neighboring  Organick 
Churches  for  their  approbation. 

See  also  Sec.  3,  6,  13,  14  &  last. 


r727-] 


238 


But  to  put  this  matter  beyond  all  possibility  of  evasion,  we  shall  here  pro¬ 
duce  the  most  approved  and  publick  declaration  of  the  Judgment,  both  of 
Magistrates  &  Ministers,  Churches,  Courts  &  People  in  those  days,  &  this  is 
in  their  well-known  platform  of  Church  discipline. 

As  previous  to  which  we  shall 

1.  Observe,  That  the  General  Court  of  the  15th  of  May,  1646,  made  an 
Order  for  the  Calling  of  a  Synod  from  all  the  Churches  of  this  Country,  in 
the  following  words :  “  To  agree  on  a  form  of  Government  &  discipline  for 
the  main  and  substantial  parts  thereof,  as  that  which  they  judge  agreeable  to 
the  Holy  Scriptures,  that  it  may  receive  from  the  said  General  Court  such  appro¬ 
bation  as  is  meet.  And  our  posterity  may  not  so  easily  decline  from  the  good 
way  when  they  shall  receive  the  same  thus  publickly  and  solemnly  commended 
to  them. 

2.  The  said  Synod  accordingly  met,  agreed  on  the  said  platform  and  pre¬ 
sented  it  to  the  General  Court,  who  sent  it  to  all  the  Churches  in  the  Govern¬ 
ment,  desiring  them  to  signify  how  far  it  was  suitable  to  their  judgment  and 
approbation.  Upon  the  return  of  the  same  by  the  representatives  of  the 
several  Towns  the  General  Court  took  further  care  to  remove  all  objections, 
as  appears  from  their  Records,  and  then  in  their  Sessions  of  October  14, 
1651,  declare  their  approbation,  concluding  with  the  following  words:  Ac¬ 
counting  themselves  called  of  God,  especially  at  this  time  when  the  Truth  of 
Christ  is  so  much  opposed  in  the  world,  To  give  their  testimony  to  the  said 
Book  of  Discipline,  that  for  the  substance  thereof  it  is  what  we  have  prac¬ 
tised  and  do  believe. 

Agreeable  to  this  most  Public  Declaration  of  their  preceding  practice  and 
continued  belief  we  shall  now  shew  to  Your  Honours  what  their  said  practice 
and  belief  were  in  the  said  Book, 

In  Cap.  11,  Sec.  5.  They  declare  their  judgment  that  the  state  of  the  mem¬ 
bers  of  the  Visible  Church  walking  in  order  since  the  coming  of  Christ  is 
only  congregational  (the  term  Independent  we  approve  not),  therefore  neither 
National,  Provincial,  nor  Classical.  Cap.  4,  Sec.  3.  That  the  form  of  a  Chh. 
is  a  Visible  Covenant.  In  Cap.  17,  Sec.  3.  That  the  officers  of  a  Church  were 
either  extraordinary,  such  as  the  Apostles,  Prophets,  Evangelists;  or  ordinary, 
as  Elders  &  Deacons.  Sec.  4.  That  the  Elders  are  also  in  Scriptures  called 
Bishops ,  &  of  these  some  attend  chiefly  to  the  Ministry  of  the  Word,  as  the 
Pastors  &  Teachers,  others  attend  especially  to  Rule ,  who  are  therefore  called 


239 


[i  727- 


Ruling  Elders.  Cap.  7,  Sec.  1.  That  Ruling  Elders  are  not  so  called  to 
exclude  the  Pastors  and  Teachers  from  Ruling,  Because  Rule  and  Government 
are  common  to  these  with  the  other.  Cap.  10,  Sec.  5.  They  assert  the  power 
of  the  Church  and  Brotherhood, 

1.  To  choose  their  own  Officers,  whether  Elders  or  Deacons. 

2.  To  admit  their  own  members  &  both  to  excommunicate  &  otherwise 
censure  them  for  Offences,  and  to  restore  the  Penitent.  Sec.  8.  That  the 
power  which  Christ  has  committed  to  the  Elders  is  to  Feed  &  Ride  the  Church, 
and  Sec.  1 1 .  That  the  ordinary  power  of  Government  belongs  only  to  the 
Elders ,  the  power  of  privilege  remains  with  the  Brotherhood,  and  that  in  an 
Organic  Church  &  right  administration  no  Church  Act  can  be  perfected  with¬ 
out  the  consent  of  both. 

This  the  substance  of  the  said  Platform,  whereby  it  essentially  differs 
from  most  other  schemes  of  Church  Order  and  Discipline,  &  which  the  said 
General  Court  has  borne  their  testimony  to  have  been  their  practice  and  what 
they  believed.  And  by  these  things  it  appears  as  clear  as  the  Light  That  by 
Churches  were  meant  the  framers  of  those  Ancient  Laws,  no  other  than  Con¬ 
gregational  Churches,  by  Elders  no  others  than  Elders  of  these  particular 
Churches ,  which  Elders  they  also  accounted  to  be  such  as  are  chosen  by  the 
said  Churches  and  have  full  power  both  to  teach,  to  feed  &  to  Rule  them ; 
and  therefore  no  other  but  such  Elders  as  these  were  by  them  intended  and 
appointed  to  be  the  Overseers  of  the  College  by  the  Act  aforesaid,  and  hence 
the  said  Overseers  draw  the  undeniable  conclusion,  That  the  said  Revd 
Memorialists  neither  have  nor  ever  had  by  the  said  Act  a  Right  to  sit  among 
us  as  Overseers  of  Harvard  College. 

That  all  the  Insinuations  of  the  said  Memorialists  about  their  being  Teach¬ 
ing  Elders  and  of  groundless  hates,  distinction,  Cfc.,  are  entirely  vain  ;  not 
only  because  the  said  Denominations  can  never  be  found  attributed  to  them 
in  any  public  acts  whatsoever,  either  abroad  or  here,  but  is  only  now  assumed 
to  serve  their  present  turn  &  break  in  upon  our  ancient  constitution,  &  even 
they  themselves  in  the  Title  of  their  own  memorial  carefully  avoid  the  Stile 
where  one  would,  especially  upon  such  an  occasion,  expect  it,  instead  of  call¬ 
ing  themselves  the  Teaching  Elders  of  Christ  Church  &  his  Majesty  s  Chapel 
in  Boston  they  chose  to  intitle  themselves  the  Incumbents  of  the  said  Church 
&  Chapel,  a  Stile  that  is  unknown  among  us  &  can’t  be  found  in  any  of  our 
Public  instruments.  But  especially  all  the  Memorialists  say  on  this  head  is 


1727.] 


240 


wholly  beside  the  question  inasmuch  as  the  sd  Reverend  Memorialists  never 
pretended,  nor  may  they  pretend  to  be  such  sort  of  Elders  as  the  Framers  of 
the  Act  above  said  have  so  fully  declared  to  be  their  Intention,  which  would 
be  for  the  Revd  Memorialists  to  assert  themselves  to  be  the  same  with  Bish¬ 
ops  in  Scripture ,  and  have  the  full  and  unsubordinate  power  both  to  Teach , 
Feed ,  &  Govern  their  particular  Churches  ;  nor  is  their  discourse  about  their 
notification  any  more  to  their  purpose,  for  it  is  well  known  that  for  many 
years  after  there  were  Ministers  of  the  Order  of  the  Church  of  England  in 
the  Town  of  Boston,  they  were  never  deemed  to  be  Overseers,  never  notified, 
never  complained  of  their  not  being  notified,  and  when  they  were  notified 
some  few  years  since,  it  was  done  without  the  Direction  of  the  Overseers,  and 
tho’  the  error  was  not  so  well  considered  in  the  time  of  it,  it  has  been  since 
noticed  &  corrected  &  for  some  years  past  has  ceased  accordingly,  and  it  can¬ 
not  be  supposed  that  a  notification  gives  Right  to  any  to  be  Overseers,  who 
have  no  previous  right  by  the  plain  intention  of  the  Act  aforesaid,  For  then 
the  Overseers  or  their  Clerks  may  convey  a  right  to  whom  they  please  in  defi¬ 
ance  of  the  said  Act,  &  so  alter  the  Constitution  at  their  pleasure.  And  as 
for  the  Revd  Memorialists,  they  neither  of  them  ever  met  or  acted,  ordered  or 
disposed  of  the  affairs  of  the  College,  as  is  wrongfully  insinuated  in  some  of 
the  memorials.  And  as  for  their  argument  from  the  College  being  a  Nursery 
of  Piety  and  Learning  to  New  England  in  general,  not  only  to  those  of  the 
Order  of  the  Churches  of  N.  England,  as  the  sd  Memorialists  term  it,  but  also 
to  them  of  the  Church  of  England,  the  Common  Interest  and  Charge  of  both 
to  support  it,  it  is  easily  answered  that  we  account  it  a  distinguishing  Honor 
to  our  College  that  the  Education  there  is  free  without  Oaths  or  Subscriptions 
to  any  particular  sort  of  Church,  Order,  or  Discipline.  And  that  tho’  the 
Governors  of  the  College  be  of  the  Congregational  Order,  yet  agreeable  to 
their  known  principles  of  Liberty,  the  Sons  of  the  Church  of  England  are  as 
welcome  to  the  Learning  and  Academical  Honors  there  as  any  of  our  own 
children,  and  this  is  as  much  as  the  Memorialists  can  in  Honor  or  Justice  desire 
of  those  who  are  intrusted  with  a  Constitution  settled  above  four  score  years 
before  the  sd  Revd  Memorialists  or  any  of  their  Order  pretended  to  a  right 
to  come  among  us ;  and  even  above  40  years  before  there  were  any  of  the 
said  Reverend  Order  settled  in  this  country. 

But  the  Overseers  Account  the  sd  Act  &  Constitut11  as  a  sacred  depositum 
put  into  their  hands  to  keep  inviolate  by  the  excellent  and  ancient  Fathers  of 


241 


1*727- 


this  Country  in  General  Court  assembled,  which  they  cannot  either  in  Law  or 
Conscience  in  the  least  vary  from,  &  for  the  same  reason  that  the  Memorial¬ 
ists  have  made  this  Hon’ble  Court  their  last  resort  as  the  best  expositors  of 
their  own  acts.  The  said  Overseers  cannot  doubt  but  Your  Honors  will 
adhere  to  the  said  Ancient  Constitut"  and  not  adjudge  the  Revd  Memorialists 
to  be  such  Teaching  Elders  as  the  above  said  Act  intends,  nor  even  declare 
them  to  be  of  the  number  of  the  Overseers  of  Harvard  College. 

All  which  is  humbly  submitted  to  the  great  wisdom  &  justice  of  this 
Hon’ble  Court,  By  the  Overseers  of  the  said  College. 

In  the  Name  and  by  the  Order  of  the  Overseers  of  the  Harvard  College. 

HENRY  FLYNT, 

Cl.  Curator. 


Read  and  Ordered  to  be  sent  down. 


In  Council,  Decr  18,  1727. 

SAMUEL  TYLEY, 

Cler.  Cone. 


In  the  Great  and  General  Court,  Novr  22,  1727.  The  reply  of  Dr.  Cutler  and 
others  to  the  Overseers  of  Harvard  College.  Their  answer. 

May  it  please  your  Honors, 

The  said  Dr.  Cutler  &  Mr.  Samuel  Myles,  present  Incumbents  of  Christ 
Church  &  the  King’s  Chappel,  are  (as  we  humbly  conceive  by  the  Act  of  the 
General  Court  of  the  8th  of  September,  1642)  made  two  of  the  Overseers  of 
Harvard  College;  For 

1.  They  have  been  duly  Ordained,  Instituted,  and  Inducted  into  their 
respective  Churches,  and  are  in  fact  proper  Teaching  Elders  of  these  Churches 
as  we  have  alleged  &  are  ready  to  prove,  and  this  has  not  been  denyed  by 
the  Answer  aforesaid,  and  therefore  they  are  by  that  Act  made  Overseers  and 
have  a  Right  to  sit  as  such. 

2.  The  Presbyters  or  Ministers  of  the  Church  of  England  were  meant  & 
intended  by  the  Terms  of  Teaching  Elders  in  the  Act  aforesaid.  For  the 
plain  face  of  the  term  includes  them  to  every  man’s  understanding,  &  there¬ 
fore  we  cannot  imagine  the  Legislature  intended  by  them  terms  to  exclude  them. 

The  Gentlemen  that  made  that  Law  Hond  these  Ministers  as  the  Lord’s  Min- 
31 


» 


T  727*1 


242 


isters,  &  that  Church  as  their  Dear  Mother,  as  by  their  Letter  but  twelve 
years  before  this  Act,  dated  April  7,  1630,  subscribed  John  Winthrop,  Gov¬ 
ernor,  George  Phillips,  Richard  Salstonstall,  Charles  Fines,  Isaac  Johnson, 
Thomas  Dudley,  William  Codrington.  When  this  Act  was  made  the  Gentle¬ 
men  that  made  it  had  no  power  to  hinder  any  of  the  Church  of  England  from 
coming  into  this  place,  nor  any  assurance  they  would  not  be  here  the  next 
year ;  and  if  they  had,  it  is  not  possible  these  Gentlemen  should  say  to  them, 
Your  Ministers  are  not  Teaching  Elders,  nor  have  no  right  to  sit  as  Over¬ 
seers. 

These  things  laid  in  the  foundations. 

3.  We  are  humbly  of  Opinion,  That  the  Memorialists  have  as  good  Right 
to  sit  now  as  they  would  have  had  if  they  had  came  Forty  years  ago.  For  in 
that  they  are  but  in  the  common  case  of  all  the  rest  in  reality,  and  therefore 
’tis  no  argument  against  them  that  they  came  here  but  lately. 

4.  Tho’  the  Ecclesiastical  Laws  gave  good  men  a  Liberty  to  gather  into  a 
Church  and  that  Church  Liberty  to  Elect  and  Order  their  Officers,  admit, 
expel  &  dispose  of  their  Officers  and  others.  But  when  they  did  ordain  any 
they  should  have  the  approbation  of  the  Neighboring  Churches,  yet  they 
never  say  that  if  any  number  of  these  good  men  be  of  the  Church  of  Eng¬ 
land  they  may  not  give  up  these  Liberties  we  here  give  them.  If  they  do,  & 
send  to  a  Teaching  Elder,  he  shall  not  exercise  his  Function  here. 

But  it  is  plain  those  Laws,  according  to  the  Opinion  of  those  worthy  men, 
in  those  disputed  points  gave  liberty  to  the  people  to  erect  such  a  Church 
among  them,  and  at  the  same  time  never  thought  the  Church  of  England  no 
Church,  her  Ministers  no  Teaching  Elders,  nor  had  a  thought  of  depriving 
them  of  liberty  of  Conscience  here. 

5.  The  Platform  indeed  doth  seem  to  give  us  a  pretty  clear  description  of 
Teaching  Elders.  That  they  are  such  as  are  also  called  Bishops  and  have 
power  both  to  Teach  and  Rule  the  Churches,  and  yet  we  are  humbly  of  opin¬ 
ion  that  don’t  prove  the  Memorialists  have  no  right  to  sit  as  Overseers  of  Har¬ 
vard  College.  For  those  Reverend  and  Worthy  Gentlemen  that  compiled 
the  Platform,  tho’  they  therein  gave  their  opinion  in  a  disputed  point,  yet  they 
never  meant  this  opinion  was  such  a  Fundamental  article  of  the  Christian 
Faith.  That  he  that  being  ordained  a  Teaching  Elder  could  not  think  himself 
therefore  a  Bishop  and  to  have  all  the  powers  of  Ruling  the  Church  committed 
to  him,  was  therefore  degraded,  in  fact  was  no  Minister  at  all,  and  that  the 


243 


[1727- 


inferior  Clergy  of  the  Church  of  England  were  not  to  be  acknowledged  as 
Ministers  and  Teaching  Elders.  Such  austere  sentences  are  no  consequence 
from  private  opinions  differing  in  point  of  mode  and  form.  Besides,  if  there 
be  anything  in  these  Declarations  of  the  Platform  compared  with  the  Ecclesi¬ 
astical  Laws  aforesaid,  it  seems  to  be  entirely  in  the  Memorialists’  favor.  For 
the  said  Laws  seem  to  give  all  the  Power  and  Rule  to  the  Fraternity  to  Ordain, 
Expel,  and  Dispose  of  the  Pastors  and  others ;  and  leave  nothing  but  the 
Faculty  of  Teaching  and  Feeding  to  the  Teaching  Elders.  These  Laws  were 
made  1641  and  then  in  1642  the  Act  is  made  to  make  Teaching  Elders 
Overseers  of  the  College. 

Wherefore  it  seems  plain  that  the  Memorialists  who  claim  but  to  be  Teach¬ 
ing  Elders,  not  to  be  Bishops,  nor  to  have  the  full  and  subordinate  power 
both  to  Teach  and  Govern  their  particular  Churches,  thereby  keep  themselves 
duly  within  the  primary  sense  of  the  Legislature,  in  those  Terms  of  Teaching 
Elders,  while  the  Gentlemen  that  follow  the  Platform,  plainly  depart  from  the 
Law,  deny  the  entire  power  of  the  Fraternity  and  claim  a  full,  unsubordinate 
power  to  rule  their  particular  Churches  and  to  be  the  same  with  Bishops,  and 
that  by  the  Platform  made  some  years  after  the  said  Laws  and  the  Act  ap¬ 
pointing  the  Overseers  by  this  departure  from  the  Laws  to  the  Platform,  seem 
to  put  themselves  out  of  the  intention  of  these  Terms  of  Teaching  Elders  in 
the  Act  aforesaid. 

So  that  upon  the  whole,  we  account  the  College  a  common  interest,  and 
beg  leave,  with  the  Answerers,  to  call  it  Our  College,  and  the  said  Act  our 
Depositum.  They  will  have  never  the  less  benefit  of  it,  and  we  shall  have  the 
more  the  Charity  and  the  better  title  to  a  Blessing  on  it,  which  is,  and  shall  be 
the  constant  Prayer  of  Your  Orators’  most  Humble  Orators. 

We  flatter  ourselves  that  Your  Honors  will  candidly  attribute  all  the  im¬ 
perfections  of  this  Replication  to  the  contractedness  of  the  time  we  had  to  put 
in  the  same,  which  was  only  from  Eight  last  Night  till  this  Morning. 

JOHN  READ. 


I727*] 


244 


The  following  Votes  were  passed  on  the  Memorial  of  Dr. 
Timothy  Cutler  and  Mr.  Samuel  Myles,  referring  to 
their  claim  of  Sitting  as  Members  of  the  Board  of 
Overseers  of  Harvard  College  in  Cambridge,  and  two 
other  Memorials  preferred  in  their  behalf,  viz1 : 

In  the  House  of  Representatives,  Aug1  25,  1727. 

Read  and  Ordered 

That  these  petitions  be  referred  to  the  next  Fall  Sessions  of  this  Court  for 
further  consideration,  and  that  in  the  meantime  Mr.  Secretary  be  directed 
to  serve  the  Clerk  of  the  Overseers  of  Harvard  College  with  a  copy  of  the 
said  Petitions  that  the  Overseers  may  make  answer  thereto  at  the  said  Session. 

Sent  up  for  Concurrence.  WM  DUDLEY,  Speaker. 

In  Council,  August  26th,  172 7. 

Read  and  Concurred.  J.  WILLARD,  Secretary. 

Consented.  WM  DUMMER. 

In  the  House  of  Representatives,  Decr  27th,  1727. 

Read  again  together  with  the  Answer  of  the  Overseers  of  the  College  to 
the  said  Petitions,  and  the  House  debated  thereon ;  Also  a  Reply  of  the  Peti¬ 
tioners  to  the  Answer  aforesaid  was  read,  and  the  same  being  duly  considered, 

The  Question  was  put  whether  it  is  within  the  intent  of  and  meaning  of 
the  Charter  granted  to  the  said  College  That  the  Revd  Memorialists,  the  said 
Doctor  Timothy  Cutler  &  Mr.  Sam1  Myles,  ought  to  be  deemed  as  members 
of  the  Board  of  Overseers  thereof?  It  passed  in  the  Negative. 

Sent  up  for  concurrence.  WM  DUDLEY,  Speaker. 

In  Council,  Decr  28th,  1727. 

Read  and  Concurred.  J.  WILLARD,  Secretary. 

Consented  to.  WM  DUMMER. 

In  the  House  of  Representatives,  January  11th,  1727. 

Upon  a  Motion  made  and  Seconded  the  House  entered  further  into  the 
consideration  of  the  subject  matter  of  these  Petitions,  and  the  following  Ques¬ 
tion  was  thereupon  put,  Viz1,  Whether  it’s  within  the  intent  &  meaning  of  the 
Act  of  the  General  Court,  Anno  1642,  and  referred  to  in  said  Memorialists 


245 


[1728. 


constituting  the  Board  of  Overseers  of  Harvard  College :  That  the  Reverend 
Memorialists,  the  sd  Dr.  Timothy  Cutler  and  Mr.  Sam1  Myles,  ought  to  be 
deemed  Members  of  the  Board  of  Overseers?  It  passed  in  the  Negative. 
Sent  up  for  Concurrence.  WM  DUDLEY,  Speaker. 

In  Council,  Jany  11th,  1727. 

Read  &  Concurred.  J.  WILLARD,  Secy. 

Consented.  WM  DUMMER. 


M\  HARRIS  to  the  LORD  BISHOP  of  LONDON. 


Boston,  N.  England,  Jany  26,  172I. 

My  most  honored  Lord, 

As  I  have  paid  an  entire  obedience  to  your  Lordship’s  command  in  en¬ 
deavouring  to  restore  the  peace  &  tranquillity  of  the  Church,  the  true  interest 
whereof  I  shall  ever  have  at  heart,  I  now  humbly  hope  that  your  Lordship 
will  grant  me  that  favor  &  protection  wch  yr  Lordship  was  pleased  to  promise 
to  the  friends  of  the  Governm1  in  a  letter  writ  to  Mr.  Mossom  &  myself  for 
our  particular  encouragement.  I  am  sensible  that  your  Lordship’s  jurisdiction 
is  not  established  in  the  Plantations,  &  consequently  that  your  Lordship  has 
not  that  extent  of  power  which  is  to  be  wished  for,  but  still  I  conceive  that  it 
is  the  undoubted  prerogative  of  your  Lordship,  as  it  has  been  of  your  prede¬ 
cessors  in  the  See  of  London,  to  authorize  &  license  minrs  to  serve  the 
churches  in  the  plantations,  which  consideration  emboldens  me  to  address 
your  L’dship  on  the  present  occasion.  Mr.  Myles  being  confined  to  his  house 
by  sickness,  he  is  continually  besieged  by  that  turbulent  person  Checkley  &  his 
adherents,  who,  tho’  they  don’t  exceed  ten  in  number,  yet  have  the  confidence 
to  attempt,  in  a  clandestine  way,  the  supplying  Mr.  Myles’s  place  before  his 
decease.  The  greatest  part  of  the  congregation  are  not  concerned  in  this 
irregular  proceeding,  but  on  the  contrary  are  very  much  alarmed  at  the  infor¬ 
mation  they  have  received,  that  Mr.  Checkley  has  wrote  to  one  Mr.  Black  in 
order  to  persuade  him  to  solicit  for  this  Church  who,  as  Mr.  Checkley  himself 
acknowledges,  was  educated  in  a  Romish  Seminary  atDoway:  Your  Lord- 


1728.] 


246 


ship’s  great  wisdom  will  easily  perceive  that  such  a  recommendation  can  be  of 
no  advantage  to  any  man  in  this  country,  I  am  therefore  desired  by  the  best 
of  the  people  to  beg  of  your  Lordship  not  to  give  credit  to  the  insinuations 
of  Mr.  Checkley’s  correspondents,  nor  to  any  letters  extorted  from  Mr.  Myles 
by  the  importunity  of  a  few  contentious  men.  It  must  be  an  additional 
obligation  upon  the  Church  if  your  Lordship  would  be  pleased  not  to  deter¬ 
mine  anything  in  this  affair  till  Govr  Burnet’s  arrival,  who  is  expected  here 
very  soon  from  New  York,  for  I  doubt  not  but  his  Excellcy  will,  agreeably  to 
his  own  illustrious  character  &  the  high  trust  reposed  in  him,  protect  &  defend 
our  holy  religion,  &  join  with  the  congregation  in  representing  the  state  of  the 
Church  in  a  most  just  &  impartial  manner;  I  shall  willingly  abide  by  his  and 
their  representation  whatever  it  may  be,  &  in  the  meantime  perform  the 
whole  service,  tho’  I  should  receive  no  gratuity  for  it  &  tho’  my  pension  is 
lessened  by  taxes  &  bad  payments. 

I  humbly  intreat  your  Lordship’s  blessing  upon  my  labour,  &  beg  leave  to 
subscribe  myself,  &c.,  &c., 

H.  HARRIS. 

- - ■» 


AT.  HARRIS  to  the  LORD  BISHOP  of  LONDON. 


Boston,  N.  England,  Feby  16th,  172^. 

My  most  honoured  Lord, 

In  my  last  I  did  myself  the  honour  to  acquaint  your  Lordship  with  Mr. 
Myles’s  ill  state  of  health,  &  with  the  designs  that  Mr.  Checkley  &  his  adher¬ 
ents  were  forming  against  the  peace  of  the  Church,  since  which  time  they 
have  endeavoured  to  put  in  execution  an  unreasonable  scheme  truly  set  forth 
in  a  remonstrance,  humbly  presented  to  your  Lordship  by  the  most  con¬ 
siderable  Gentlemen  belonging  to  the  King’s  Chappel  here.  I  am  sorry  that 
Dr.  Cutler  has  given  me  fresh  occasion  to  complain  of  injurious  treatment,  he 
being  not  only  active  in  prejudicing  the  minds  of  my  constant  hearers,  but 
also  encouraging  many  of  the  members  of  his  church  to  vote  in  the  King’s 
Chapel  which  they  had  no  manner  of  right  to  do ;  however,  notwithstanding 
all  the  efforts  that  he  &  his  friend  Checkley  could  make  the  best  part  of  the 


247 


[1728. 


congregation  which  is  committed  to  my  care  jointly  with  Mr.  Myles  strenu¬ 
ously  opposed  their  unjust  designs  &  were  superior  not  only  in  interest  but 
in  number,  if  the  members  of  Dr.  Cutler’s  Church  be  excepted  together  with 
several  seamen  &  officers’  servants  belonging  to  the  man-of-war  which  is  the 
station-ship  for  this  province :  there  has  not  been  any  outrage  of  this  kind 
committed  here  since  Bishop  Compton,  of  blessed  memory,  reprimanded 
Capt.  Stukely  for  meddling  in  the  differences  betwixt  Mr.  Myles  &  Mr.  Bridge 
about  24  years  ago,  &  what  induced  Capt.  Cornwall  to  take  this  unusual  step 
I  can’t  imagine,  unless  it  be  a  quarrel  that  subsists  betwixt  him  &  the  Ll  Govr 
to  whom  I  always  paid  due  respect,  as  his  commission  from  the  King  requires, 
but  never  concerned  myself  in  that  quarrel ;  I  have  indeed  industriously 
avoided  all  quarrels,  tho’  Dr.  Cutler  &  his  party  are  for  repeating  old  differ¬ 
ences  which  if  they  were  thoroughly  examined  could  derive  no  honour  to 
persons  who  were  proved  in  the  face  of  the  whole  country  to  be  turbulent, 
seditious  &  disaffected  to  the  present  happy  constitution  ;  their  principles  & 
practices  were  some  years  since  under  the  consideration  of  your  Lordship  & 
the  Society,  and  blamed  as  they  ought  to  be  ;  I  shall  not  therefore  give  your 
Lordship  any  further  trouble  upon  this  head  &  think  it  needless  to  send  your 
Lordship  any  certificate  from  the  Government  here  of  my  loyal  &  regular 
behaviour  in  all  respects  there  being  such  a  testimonial  in  my  favour  upon 
record  in  the  books  of  council,  as  Mordecai’s  services  (if  I  may  compare  small 
things  with  great)  were  duly  registered  that  they  might  be  one  day  remem¬ 
bered  to  his  advantage.  My  enemies  indeed  represent  me  as  not  sufficiently 
zealous  for  the  Church,  but  if  they  mean  the  Church  of  England  as  by  Law 
established,  they  can’t  be  guilty  of  a  greater  falsehood,  &  if  your  Lordship 
were  here  present  I  doubt  not  but  you  would  be  fully  convinced  of  the  great 
baseness  &  iniquity  of  those  who  load  me  with  vile  aspersions  which  they 
themselves  know  to  be  false,  and  which  were  never  cast  upon  me  till  I  made 
a  stand  against  the  pernicious  doctrines  which  were  published  &  propagated 
here  in  certain  Jacobite  books  &  Libels,  but  that  my  zeal  for  the  Governm4  is 
not  inconsistant  with  my  affection  to  the  Church  will  I  hope  be  very  evident 
from  the  petition  humbly  offered  to  your  Lordship  on  my  behalf  by  the  principal 
members  of  our  own  Church.  It  is  not  wealth  or  power  that  I  contend  for, 
my  present  Pension  from  the  crown,  which  is  the  only  allowance  I  have  for  my 
service  here,  being  pretty  near  equal  to  or  at  least  contenting  me  as  well  as 
the  contributions  of  the  people  allowed  to  Mr.  Myles  for  his  service.  But  it 


1728.] 


248 


is  the  earnest  desire  of  persons  of  the  greatest  worth  &  honour  in  our  Church 
that  after  Mr.  Myles’s  death  I  should  be  appointed  the  first  minister  of  the 
Kings  Chappel  in  this  place,  &  it  would  be  a  real  grief  to  them  as  well  as  a 
prejudice  to  the  Church  should  it  be  governed  as  it  has  been  of  late  by  the 
counsels  &  maxims  of  the  disaffected  party ;  this  will  be  prevented  if  your 
Lordship  pleases  to  grant  the  petition  of  the  above  mentioned  Gentlemen  on 
my  behalf  which  may  be  done  either  if  I  retain  my  present  pension  or  if  I 
accept  the  contributions  of  the  people,  supposing  that  they  may  be  allowed 
me  after  Mr.  Myles’s  death,  by  the  major  part  of  the  congregation  when  they 
are  regularly  convened.  I  have  no  thoughts  of  calling  them  together  till  Govr 
Burnet’s  arrival,  here  being  no  Magistrate  of  our  Communion,  invested  with 
authority  to  repress  the  insolence  of  the  mob  who  lately  committed  great 
disorders  in  the  Church.  I  am  unwilling  to  apply  to  the  L*  Govr  or  the  Justices 
who  are  Dissenters,  lest  my  enemies  except  against  that  as  an  extraordinary 
method  of  Proceeding..  I  hope  your  Lordship  will  bear  with  me  if  I  obviate 
any  objection  made  by  some  people  who  insinuate  that  I  intend  to  engross  the 
whole  church  to  myself,  but  your  Lordship  will  perceive  by  the  remonstrance 
that  I  have  no  such  intentions  &  I  beg  leave  to  assure  your  Lordship  that  I  will 
come  into  any  measures  which  shall  appear  just  &  reasonable  when  Govr 
Burnet  arrives  &  matters  can  be  calmly  &  maturely  debated.  In  the  mean¬ 
time  I  humbly  presume  it  is  reasonable  that  as  Mr.  Myles  recd  the  pension 
from  the  crown  as  well  as  the  contributions  of  the  people  for  some  time  after 
Mr.  Bridge,  my  immediate  predecessor,  left  this  church,  &  before  I  was  appoint¬ 
ed  to  succeed  him,  so  I  ought  to  be  allowed  the  contributions  of  the  people  as 
well  as  my  salary  from  home  during  the  vacancy  of  the  church,  but  if  I  receive 
nothing  upon  this  account,  I  shall  make  myself  easy  &  enter  into  no  disputes 
about  it.  Your  Lordship  having  with  great  goodness  commiserated  the 
hardships  I  labour  under  in  the  loss  of  a  year’s  salary  ever  since  the  last  day 
of  the  Queen’s  reign,  I  humbly  hope  if  it  lies  in  your  Lordship’s  power  to 
obtain  it,  I  shall  be  favoured  with  your  good  offices  in  this  affair ;  but  I  desire 
nothing  improper  or  impracticable.  I  intreat  you  Lordship’s  pardon  for 
trespassing  so  long  upon  your  time  &  patience,  &  beg  leave  to  subscribe  my¬ 
self,  &c.,  &c., 


H.  HARRIS. 


249 


[1728. 


AT.  COLMAN  to  the  LORD  BISHOP  of  LONDON. 


Boston,  N.  England,  Feby  19th,  1728. 

My  Lord, 

As  the  whole  Town  here  have  of  late  heard  abundantly  of  a  noisy  conten¬ 
tion  raised  by  some  persons  belonging  to  the  King’s  Chapel  in  this  place  from 
a  particular  &  I  think  very  injurious  design  against  the  Revd  Mr.  Henry 
Harris  one  of  the  ministers  to  said  Chapel,  upon  the  daily  expected  decease 
of  the  Revd  Mr.  Myles,  &  being  favoured  with  the  sight  of  a  very  true  & 
dutiful  remonstrance  of  many  of  the  Congregation  to  the  Right  Revd  the 
Lord  Bp  of  London,  I  humbly  beg  your  Lordship’s  favour  so  far  as  to  allow 
me  to  do  that  justice  to  the  Revd  Mr.  Harris  &  the  Gentlemen  who  address  in 
his  favour  &  to  the  true  interests  of  religion  &  loyalty,  peace  &  virtue  among 
them  &  us,  as  to  pray  your  Lordship  to  give  a  perfect  credit  to  the  papers 
when  they  may  be  laid  before  you,  and  as  I  know  your  Lordship’s  zeal  against 
a  Jacobite  spirit  &  party  in  the  Church,  as  inimical  to  the  Kingdom  of 
Christ,  as  to  the  reign  of  King  George  &  the  Protestant  succession,  so  that 
your  Lordship  would  please  to  use  your  just  &  proper  influence  as  there  may 
be  need,  as  well  with  my  Lord  of  London,  as  in  the  Honble  Society,  for  the 
propagating  the  Gospel,  that  the  Revd  Mr.  Harris  in  reward  of  his  long  & 
worthy  service  here  under  Mr.  Myles  may  now  succeed  him  in  the  Rectorship 
of  y®  King’s  Chapel ;  which  is  a  great  &  flourishing  congregation  &  that  it  is 
so  has  been  chiefly  owing  to  his  esteemed  preaching  &  pious  living :  and  that 
the  Jacobite  party  here  may  by  no  means  be  gratified  by  obtaining  one  of 
their  own  heart  to  come  over  assistant  to  Mr.  Harris. 

My  Lord,  I  can  appeal  to  the  Searcher  of  all  hearts  that  I  am  moved  in  this 
supplication  to  your  Lordship  by  no  private  personal  or  party  regards,  but 
from  a  single  sincere  &  free  respect  to  truth,  peace,  &  righteousness,  &  a 
conscience  of  duty  to  Christ  &  the  King.  I  ask  your  Lordship’s  blessing  & 
pardon  for  this  boldness,  &  am  my  Lord  your  dutiful  &  obedient  servant, 

3*  BENJAMIN  COLMAN. 


1728.] 


250 


Mr.  CHECKLET  to  the  LORD  BISHOP  of  LONDON. 


Boston,  New  England,  March  31st,  1728. 

May  it  please  your  Lordship, 

I  most  humbly  beg  leave  to  lay  before  you  the  acts  of  the  last  session  of 
the  General  Court  here,  among  which  are  Two  directly  tending  (&  I  believe 
calculated)  to  hinder  the  growth  of  the  Church  of  England  in  these  parts. 

They  have  Specious  Titles  each.  The  one  (in  Page  380)  Entitled  An 
Act  for  the  better  observation  &  keeping  the  Lord’s  Day.  The  other  (in 
Page  383)  Entitled  An  Act  for  the  settlement  &  support  of  Ministers.  Per¬ 
mit  me  (my  Lord)  to  make  a  few  remarks  relating  to  matters  of  fact.  There 
are  but  few  churches  (at  a  great  distance  from  each  other)  in  this  great 
Country  &  the  Churchmen  being  dispersed  throughout  the  whole  territory, 
they  are  obliged  (some  of  them)  to  ride  30  or  40  miles  to  partake  of  the  Holy 
Sacrament.  It  is  moreover  usual  for  the  Church  people  to  walk  or  ride  6,  8 
&  10  miles  upon  the  Saturday  evening,  or  very  early  on  the  Sunday  morning, 
to  the  town  where  the  Church  of  England  is  settled,  &  to  return  home  again 
on  the  Sunday  evening.  But  if  a  stop  is  not  put  to  this  first  law  they  will  be 
obliged  to  spend  the  greatest  part  of  the  Saturday  &  Monday  in  going  (for 
all  are  not  able  to  keep  horses)  &  riding  to  church  and  returning  home. 
But  this  would  be  very  hard  upon  the  poor  people  who  are  generally  hus¬ 
bandmen,  &c. 

There  are  but  five  towns  wherein  the  Church  is  settled,  viz.  Boston,  New¬ 
bury,  Marblehead,  Bristol,  &  Braintree,  tho’ there  are  130  towns  in  this  province, 
as  may  be  seen  in  page  396  of  the  acts.  But  all  the  Churchmen  thro’out  the 
whole  Country  are  to  be  taxed  towards  the  support  of  the  Congregational 
ministry,  unless  their  habitation  be  within  5  miles  of  some  church  either  in 
their  own  or  some  neighbouring  town.  This  is  something  Specious.  For  5 
miles  from  the  church  one  way,  &  5  miles  the  other,  &  so  all  round,  forms 
a  circle  whose  Diameter  shall  be  10  miles.  This  wd  be  thought  a  large 
parish  in  England,  but  (my  Lord)  the  fallacy  lies  here :  The  Townships  in 
New  England  are  (many  of  them)  8,  some  10  &  others  12  miles  square. 
One  is  20  miles  square.  The  place  for  public  worship  is  generally  nearest 
the  centre,  the  Inhabitants  dwelling  round  about  it ;  the  outskirts  of  the  Town- 


251 


[1728. 


ship  being  for  the  most  part  uncultivated  land.  Moreover,  the  5  towns  in 
which  the  Church  is  settled  in  this  province,  are  bounded  on  one  side  by  the 
sea.  By  the  last  act  of  the  two  above  recited,  the  congregational  assemblies 
are  called  the  churches  established  by  Law.  In  the  act  of  Union  the  Church 
of  England  is  established  in  all  his  Majesty’s  territories  (Scotland  only  ex¬ 
cepted).  By  the  Charter  to  this  Province,  Liberty  of  Conscience  is  granted 
to  all  Christians  (except  Papists)  inhabiting  here ;  &  the  General  Court  is 
expressly  inhibited  making  any  Laws  repugnant  to  the  Laws  of  England,  & 
towards  the  latter  end  of  the  sd  Charter  are  these  words,  viz.:  “And  we  do 
“  for  Us,  our  Heirs  and  successors,  establish  &  ordain  that  the  sd  orders, 
“  Laws,  Statutes  ordinances  be  by  the  first  opportunity  after  the  making  the 
“  same,  sent  or  transmitted  unto  us,  our  Heirs  &  Successors  under  the  Public 
“Zeal,  to  be  appointed  by  us  for  our  or  their  approbation  or  disallowance. 
'*  And  that  in  case  all  or  any  of  them  shall  at  any  time  within  the  space  of  three 
“  years  next  after  the  same  shall  have  been  presented  to  us,  our  heirs  &  suc- 
“  cessors  in  our  or  their  Privy  Council,  be  disallowed  &  rejected  &  so  signified 
“  by  us,  our  Heirs  &  Successors,  under  our  or  their  sign  manual  and  signet  01 
“  by  order  in  our  or  their  Privy  Council  unto  the  Govr  for  the  time  being,  then 
“such  &  so  many  of  them  as  shall  be  so  Disallowed  &  rejected  shall  thence 
“  forth  cease  &  determine  &  become  utterly  void  &  of  none  effect. 

“  Provided  Always,  That  in  case  We,  our  Heirs  and  successors,  shall  not 
“within  the  Term  of  three  years  after  the  presenting  of  such  orders,  Laws, 
“  statutes  &  ordinances  as  aforesaid,  signify  our  or  their  disallowance  of  the 
“  same,  then  the  sd  orders,  laws,  statutes  &  ordinances  shall  be  &  continue  in 
“  full  force  &  effect  according  to  the  true  intent  &  meaning  of  the  same,  until 
“  the  expiration  thereof,  or  that  the  same  shall  be  repealed  by  the  General 
“  Assembly  of  our  sd  province  for  the  Time  being.” 

Thus  far  the  Charter.  But  we  have  reason  to  believe  yl  many  of  the  laws 
of  this  Province  have  never  been  presented  according  to  the  directions  given 
in  the  Charter,  otherwise  (it  is  humbly  conceived)  they  would  have  been 
(most  certainly)  immediately  Disallowed,  as  we  hope  these  Two  Laws  will  be, 
the  Church  people  throughout  the  whole  Country  being  in  the  utmost  conster¬ 
nation  about  them. 

One  of  the  Revd  Mr.  Miller’s  hearers  &  Communicants,  who  lives  about 
1 1  miles  from  the  church  at  Braintree,  had  3  warrants  served  upon  him  on 
Friday,  the  22nd  of  this  Instant,  &  was  then  brought  down  to  Boston  to  be 


1728.] 


252 


committed  to  the  Common  Gaol,  &  the  Constable  threatens  to  bring  the 
Father  of  the  same  man  down  next  Tuesday,  in  order  for  Commitment. 
They  threatened  the  Churchmen  all  over  the  Country,  affirming  themselves 
to  be  as  firmly  established  as  the  Church  in  England,  &  that  we  are  now  the 
Dissenters  here. 

And  tho’  they  boast  that  they  have  now  fully  effected  all  that  was  to  have 
been  done  by  the  Synod,  yet  the  Remembrance  of  your  Lordship’s  seasona¬ 
ble  &  happy  Interposition  in  procuring  that  never  to  be  forgotten  letter  from 
their  Excellencies  the  Lords  Justices,  gives  the  Churchmen  good  grounds  for 
hope  that  the  Independants  will  as  soon  find  themselves  mistaken  in  this  case 
likewise,  &  that  they  will  not  be  permitted  to  satiate  themselves  &  glut  their 
eyes  with  seeing  the  Church  fall  a  sacrifice  to  appease  the  manes  of  their  de¬ 
feated  Synod.  May  it  please  your  Lordship, 

I  am  with  the  utmost  sincerity  &  respect, 

Your  Lordship’s  obedient  son, 
and  very  much  devoted,  very  humble  servant, 

JN°  CHECKLEY. 

.  -  —  -  • 


EBENEZER  MILLER  to  the  BISHOP  of  LONDON. 


May  it  please  your  Lordship, 

I  have  herewith  enclosed  a  law  made  the  last  Session  of  the  General 
Assembly  of  this  Province,  which  is  very  discouraging  to  the  Church  of  Eng¬ 
land  inasmuch  as  it  obliges  all  its  members  that  live  above  five  miles  from  a 
church  to  pay  to  the  support  of  the  Dissenting  Ministers.  Whereas  a  con¬ 
siderable  part  of  our  Congregation  in  the  Country  live  at  a  greater  distance.  I 
have  had  one  of  my  Communicants  carried  to  Boston  by  an  officer,  to  be  put 
in  prison  for  refusing  to  pay  his  taxes  to  the  Dissenting  Minister,  and  he  was 
not  imprisoned,  he  is  yet  daily  threatened,  and  so  are  several  others.  If  this 
Law  should  be  confirmed  in  England  it  would  be  a  great  check  to  the  growth 
of  the  Church  here ;  I  therefore  thought  it  proper  to  acquaint  your  Lordship 
with  it  that  you  might  do  what  you  thought  proper  in  this  affair. 

I  am,  Your  Lordship’s  most  obedient  Son  and  Servant, 
Braintree,  in  New  England,  May  10th,  1728.  EBENR  MILLER. 


253 


[1728. 


Mr.  PIGOT  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Marblehead,  30th  Novr,  1728. 

Sir, 

This  being  the  Anniversary  of  my  Possession  of  the  Church  here,  I  have 
concluded  myself  under  obligation  as  well  as  promise  to  give  You  an  Account 
of  the  Condition  of  my  Mission  for  the  Twelvemonth  past.  By  continued 
conversation  with  my  own  and  other  People,  I  have  reason  to  complain  of  the 
deep  Root  which  Latitudinarian  Principles  have  taken  in  this  Country,  which 
whether  owing  to  our  unhappy  Separations,  or  the  influences  of  leading  Ex¬ 
amples,  or  the  neglect  and  Scandal  of  bad  ones,  are  however  so  prevalent, 
that  in  this  large  Congregation  of  longer  Standing  we  have  not  many  Com¬ 
municants  more  than  I  left  at  Providence.  It  is  strange  to  see,  that  out  of  so 
many  Persons  that  have  been  hearers  in  this  church  from  its  first  foundation, 
there  should  be  so  few  inclined  to  adhere  closely  to  the  Christian  Institutions. 
To  these  I  have  made  it  my  business  to  urge  them  frequently,  and  as  cogently 
as  I  could,  yet  I  am  sorry  to  say  it,  I  have  taken  in  but  Twelve  to  Communion 
since  my  Accession.  The  number,  however,  of  Persons  baptized  by  me  this 
year  are  79,  whereof  Six  were  English,  and  one  a  Negro  Adult. 


- + - 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER  to  the  BISHOP  of  LONDON. 


Boston,  New  England,  Feby  24th,  1729-30. 

My  Lord, 

Yesterday  by  a  Vessel  arrived  from  Ireland,  news  is  brought  us  that  Jona¬ 
than  Belcher,  Esqre,  of  this  Town  is  appointed  Governor  of  this  Province,  and 
there  are  so  many  circumstances  favoring  this  Report  that  there  is  but  little 
room  left  us  to  doubt  of  it. 


1728.] 


254 


I  am,  my  Lord,  upon  this  occasion  determined  to  govern  myself  by  the 
principles  of  peace  and  duty  that  our  excellent  Church  requires,  and  my  own 
temper  disposes  me  to,  and  hope  the  whole  Church  will  again  honour  by  an 
unanimity  of  this  kind. 

But  at  the  same  time,  with  your  Lordship’s  leave,  I  would  observe  that  this 
Gentleman  is  a  professed  Dissenter,  and  perhaps  in  New  England  he  never 
was  at  church  on  any  Sunday  or  other  festival  in  his  whole  life,  and  lately 
refused  to  marry  his  Daughter  to  a  young  Gentleman  baptized  and  brought 
up  in  the  Church  of  England  before  he  absolutely  promised  to  forsake  the 
Church,  which  he  has  accordingly  done. 

I  have  made  bold  to  represent  to  your  Lordship  the  uncomfortable  aspect 
this  has  on  us,  and  the  general  fears  of  the  Church  upon  it,  hoping  we  shall 
reap  the  benefit  of  any  cautions  your  wisdom  shall  think  proper  to  bestow 
upon  him. 

I  know  I  have  gone  beyond  my  line  in  this  affair,  but  I  trust  in  your  Lord¬ 
ship’s  goodness  to  forgive  me,  and  to  accept  of  a  well-meant  zeal  for  that 
Church  whereof  you  are  so  able  a  Governor  and  Defender. 

My  Lord,  I  am  strangely  delayed  in  the  applications  I  am  making  for  lib¬ 
erty  to  examine  the  records  of  Harvard  College  that  I  may  satisfy  your 
Lordship  in  the  present  controversy  about  it.  I  shall  write  more  largely  on 
that  affair  shortly.  In  the  meantime  I  pray  for  your  Lordship’s  life,  and 
humbly  beg  your  blessing  on, 

My  Lord, 

Your  most  dutiful  Son, 

and  most  humble  Servant, 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 

Boston,  New  England,  Feby  4th,  1729-30. 


♦ 


Mr.  MOSSOM  to  the  Secretary . 


Sir, 


Marblehead,  May  5th,  1729. 


By  the  increase  of  my  Labours  &  the  decline  of  my  constitution,  I  have 


255 


[1728. 


had  thoughts  of  getting  some  place  or  other,  if  it  might  be  where  duty  would 
be  less  hard  upon  me  as  it  do  here,  for  a  constant  course  of  preaching  twice  a 
day  without  any  relief,  administering  Baptism  almost  every  Sunday  to  one  or 
more,  the  Holy  Eucharist  Monthly,  &  expounding,  have  at  length  in  a  great 
measure  conquered  that  cheerfulness  &  resolution  superior  at  all  times  to  my 
bodily  strength,  with  which  I  have  been  wont  to  perform  them. 

Upon  the  consideration  of  these  &  various  other  difficulties  occurring  from 
without,  I  humbly  applied  to  my  Lord  of  London  for  leave  to  visit  my  Rela¬ 
tions  in  Virginia,  not  without  some  encouragement  from  them,  that  could  I  go 
thither  I  might  be  presented  to  a  Parish  there ;  and  his  Lordship  the  last  Fall 
was  pleased  to  grant  it  me,  upon  receiving  whereof  I  prepared  making  use  of 
it,  but  was  prevented  then  because  I  could  not  obtain  certain  supply  for  the 
church  during  my  absence  in  the  Winter  Season,  whereas  the  Summer  ad¬ 
vancing  the  Gentlemen  of  Boston  have  promised  the  people  their  assistances 
in  my  absence  &  for  which  I  gave  up  all  the  contributions  to  them.  Having 
settled  affairs  thus  as  well  as  I  can,  I  purpose  in  a  little  time  to  embrace  my 
Lord’s  leave  &  go  for  3  or  4  months  for  Virginia,  and  in  case  I  should  fix 
there,  which  I  have  great  hopes  of,  I  may  humbly  entreat  the  Hon’ble  Soci¬ 
ety’s  leave  to  resign  this  Mission  at  Michaelmas  ensuing. 

I  persuade  myself  that  my  desires  to  quit  the  Society’s  service  will  not  be 
interpreted  as  any  the  least  disesteem  for  it,  for  as  I  have  all  along  endeavoured 
to  exert  myself  in  promoting  that  good  work  in  which  they  are  engaged,  & 
that  I  might  in  some  measure  render  myself  worthy  of  those  several  instances 
of  goodness  which  they  have  expressed  towards  me,  so  do  I  retain  the  most 
deep  &  grateful  sense  of  them,  &  shall  always  acknowledge  that  duty  I  owe 
&  that  reverence  I  bear  to  the  Honble  Society,  &  should  I  not  be  fixed  in  Vir¬ 
ginia,  or  should  not  that  country  agree  with  me,  I  will  readily  enter  upon  any 
other  Mission  which  they  shall  appoint  me. 

Besides,  Sir,  I  will  venture  to  declare  that  could  my  constitution  have 
borne  up  under  the  duty  of  this  place,  there  were  many  reasons  inducing  me 
to  desire  a  removal  hence:  for  my  not  going  into  the  indefensible  doctrine  of 
the  absolute  invalidity  &  nullity  of  the  Dissenters’  Ordinances  and  others  of 
an  obnoxious  tendency  which  had  been  advanced  and  published  here  by  a  few 
hotheaded  Men  &  avowed  by  a  party  they  had  made,  I  drew  upon  me  such  a 
storm  of  uneasiness  as  I  see  no  means  of  ever  weathering,  &  therefore,  as  our 
Blessed  Saviour  has  directed  His  Discourses,  I  conceive  I  may  unblameably 


1729.] 


256 


do — If  they  prosecute  you  in  one  city  flee  unto  another.  How  I  have  be¬ 
haved  under  it  and  in  the  discharge  of  my  Ministerial  Office  for  almost  Nine 
years  past  which  I  have  been  here,  I  doubt  not  but  my  Parishioners  will  do  me 
the  justice  to  declare,  and  therefore  at  present  shall  give  you  no  trouble  of 
that  nature,  but  should  the  Society  desire  anything  more  I  shall  be  able  to 
produce  testimonials  sufficient  to  render  my  character  approved. 

Respecting  my  Parishioners,  I  very  heartily  recommend  them  to  the  Honble 
Society’s  favour  &  protection,  and  when  we  part  I  am  determined  on  my  side 
it  shall  be  in  the  greatest  love  and  peace  wth  the  sincerest  prayers  for  their  hap¬ 
piness  temporal  and  eternal,  &  they  have  promised  &  engaged  the  same  on 
theirs,  by  which  I  hope  we  shall  neither  of  us  forfeit  the  Society’s  goodness  & 
regards. 

I  am,  Sir,  Yours,  &c., 

DAVID  MOSSOM. 


D’\  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary . 


Boston,  23d  March,  1729-30. 

Sir, 

This  waits  upon  the  Society  in  the  hands  of  one  Mr.  Seabury,  a  person 
who,  upon  true  &  regular  conviction,  is  come  into  the  bosom  of  our  excellent 
Church,  &  now  humbly  desires  a  mission  from  the  Society  in  her  service.  My 
acquaintance  with  him  is  earlier  than  my  own  Mission,  &  I  have  had  farther 
opportunity  of  informing  myself  of  him  from  the  Dissenters  among  whom  he 
has  preached,  &  find  everything  in  favour  of  his  sobriety  &  good  conduct,  for 
which  reason  he  hath  my  ardent  wishes  of  success  in  this  affair,  &  my  inter¬ 
cessions  for  him  to  the  Society,  with  the  deepest  humility  and  respect  due 
from 

Their  &  your  obedient,  &c.,  &c., 

TIM.  CUTLER. 


257 


C1 73  o. 


D\  CUTLER  to  the  Overseers  of  Harvard  College ,  Cam¬ 
bridge. 


Boston,  June  11th,  1730. 

Harvard  College,  at  Cambridge,  in  New  England,  is  a  Corporation  consist¬ 
ing  of  a  President,  Five  Fellows  and  a  Treasurer,  with  whom  is  entrusted  all 
the  estate  belonging  to  it,  the  power  of  enacting  laws  for  the  government  of 
it,  the  care  of  educating  the  students  there,  the  exercise  of  discipline,  the 
admission  &  expulsion  of  the  members  of  it,  &c. 

But  a  general  inspection  on  it  is  committed  to  a  body  of  men  called  over¬ 
seers,  who  are  the  Governor  &  Deputy  for  the  time  being,  &  all  the  magis¬ 
trates  of  this  Jurisdiction,  together  with  the  Teaching  Elders  of  the  six  next 
adjoining  Towns,  that  is,  Cambridge,  Charlestown,  Watertown,  Boston,  Rox- 
bury,  &  Dorchester,  and  the  President  of  the  College  for  the  time  being.  On 
these  the  Corporation  depends  for  a  sanction  of  what  they  do,  to  these  appeals 
are  made  upon  any  grievances,  &  they  regulate  any  disorders  they  observe  in 
the  administration. 

The  College  was  at  first  founded  by  particular  gratuities  &  by  gifts  of 
money,  &  other  donations  from  the  whole  Country ;  for  instance,  of  Charles¬ 
town  Ferry,  which  now  rents  for  at  least  ^150  per  ann.  Since  that  the 
Country  hath  been  at  the  expence  of  additional  Buildings  to  the  College  &  of 
a  President’s  House,  &  at  other  charges,  &  hath  from  the  beginning  given  the 
President  his  Salary,  &  may  continue  &  augment  their  Benefactions  to  it  by 
whatever  taxes  our  General  Court  pleases. 

The  College  was  founded  by  a  charter  of  the  above  said  nature,  anno  1650, 
which  continued  till  the  reign  of  King  James  the  2nd,  in  wch  time  there  was  no 
episcopal  minister  settled  in  Boston  or  any  other  Town  of  New  England,  & 
the  Charter  of  the  College  was  vacated  with  the  Charter  of  the  Province  of  the 
Massachusetts  Bay,  in  New  England,  on  which  it  subsisted.  Since  that  time 
the  College  hath  successively  subsisted  on  two  other  Charters,  which  have 
both  been  vacated,  and  at  length,  after  the  year  1708  (I  know  not  how),  they 
resumed  their  first  abovesaid  Charter,  and  then  were  Episcopal  Ministers 
settled  in  this  town  of  Boston,  who  had  as  just  pretensions  to  sit  at  the  Board 
of  Overseers  as  the  Presbyterian,  Independent,  Anabaptist  Teachers  who  were 
33 


1 730.] 


258 

allowed  to  belong  to  it.  Accordingly,  for  many  years  and  times,  the  Episcopal 
ministers  of  this  Town  were  cited  under  the  Denomination  of  Teaching  Elders, 
to  sit  at  the  Board  of  Overseers,  and  the  late  Revd  Mr.  Wm  Harris,  an  Episcopal 
minister  of  this  Town  hath  frequently  debated  &  voted  with  them  as  a  member 
of  that  body,  no  man  questioning  his  right  so  to  do.  And  upon  my  first  set- 
tlem1  in  this  town  anno  1723,  I  was  cited  as  a  Teaching  Elder  to  sit  at  that 
Board,  but  some  particular  personal  affairs  hindered  my  attendance.  At  that 
time,  there  being  a  new  episcopal  church  planted  in  this  Town,  &  the  Church 
lifting  up  her  head  everywhere  with  considerable  vigour,  it  was  look’t  on  with 
jealousy  &  an  evil  eye,  &  it  was  thought  proper  to  exclude  the  ministers  of 
the  Church  of  England  from  the  oversight  of  that  College,  which  they  were  as 
much  concerned  to  make  a  nursery  of  schism  as  of  learning,  that  none  might 
hinder  them  at  any  time  in  forming  any  weapons  against  the  Church  &  to  pre¬ 
vent  the  danger  of  being  overtop’t  by  numbers  of  Episcopal  Ministers  in  future 
times.  Wherefore  they  have  from  that  time  to  this  ceased  our  citation  to 
the  Board  of  Overseers.  The  Church  of  England  looks  upon  this  as  no  small 
injury  done  to  her,  &  despairs  of  favor  or  justice  to  her  sons,  when  her  adver¬ 
saries  here  are  vested  with  all  the  power.  It  is  well  known  here  what  dis¬ 
couragements  the  students  of  the  College  well  affected  to  Episcopacy  are  lay’d 
under,  &  how  the  Reading  Episcopal  books  is  frown’d  on.  To  redress  the 
grievance  the  late  Revd  Mr.  Myles,  an  Episcopal  minister  of  the  town,  and 
myself,  complained  of  this  injustice  to  the  overseers,  who  answered  that  we 
had  no  right  to  sit  with  them.  From  thence  we  (as  the  Law  directs)  referred 
our  case  to  the  General  Court,  which  consisting  entirely  of  dissenters,  gave  it 
easily  against  us,  without  admitting  us  to  a  debate  with  our  adversaries  upon 
it,  &  tho’  the  overseers  had  the  space  of  a  quarter  of  a  year  to  answer  our 
complaint  in,  we  were  done  by  a  draught  of  a  tedious  length,  we  were  not 
allowed  the  space  of  two  days  wherein  to  make  our  reply  to  it. 

I  know  of  no  reason  to  be  passive  under  such  treatment,  &  therefore 
thought  it  proper  to  seek  for  such  copies  from  the  records  undermentioned 
as  might  prove  we  once  had  an  acknowledged  right  to  sit  as  overseers,  by 
being  often  cited  to  sit  &  allowed  to  act  among  them,  &  as  might  any  way 
give  light  to  the  justice  of  our  cause,  &  having  so  done,  to  beg  justice  from 
an  higher  &  more  impartial  Court.  The  following  papers  will  show  the  success 
of  it,  &  will  (I  hope)  recommend  this  distressed  cause  &  the  distressed  Church 
of  England  to  the  compassion  of  all  her  friends.  TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


259 


[i  730. 


TO  THE  HONBLE  AND  REVD  THE  OVERSEERS  OF  HARVARD  COLLEGE. 
Honourable  &  Reverend, 

Whereas,  upon  application  made  by  the  late  Revd  Mr.  Sam1  Myles  &  myself 
to  the  Honble  Board  of  Overseers,  that  we,  Episcopal  ministers  of  this  town 
of  Boston,  might  be  cited  to  their  meetings  as  members  of  that  Honble  &  Revd 
Body ;  the  answer  from  the  said  Honble  &  Revd  Overseers  was,  “  that  we  had 
no  right  to  sit  as  overseers  of  Harvard  College,  my  humble  desire  is  that  I 
may  be  allowed  free  liberty  of  such  copies  from  the  records  of  this  Honble 
Board  &  the  Records  of  Harvard  College  as  I  shall  think  necessary  to  set 
this  matter  in  a  just  &  true  light. 

I  am,  &c.,  &c., 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


At  a  meeting  of  the  Overseers  of  Harvard  College,  at  the  Town  House  in 
Boston,  June  16th,  1730,  the  overseers  came  to  the  following  resolution,  viz. : 

A  Memorial  of  Dr.  Timothy  Cutler,  bearing  date  June  1  ith,  1730,  was  this  day 
read,  &  inasmuch  as  the  affair  referred  to  in  this  memorial  has  been  once 
&  again  maturely  considered  by  this  Board,  &  afterwards  by  the  general 
court  upon  his  own  appeal  to  them,  and  at  length  by  them  determined, 
Voted  that  the  said  Memorial  be  dismissed. 

HENRY  FLYNT,  Cura.  Cler. 


D  \  CUTLER  to  the  BISHOP  of  LONDON. 

My  Lord, 

I  have  not  been  negligent  of  the  affair  of  Harvard  College,  ever  since  I 
was  honoured  with  Your  Letter  to  Me,  bearing  date  Dec.  28,  1728,  and  have 
from  time  to  time  applyed  myself  to  the  Commanders  in  chief  here  for  Liberty 
of  such  Copies  from  the  Records  of  Harvard  College,  and  the  Records  of  the 
Board  of  Overseers,  as  might  fully  show  the  Grounds  of  the  Episcopal  Min¬ 
isters’  Pretensions  to  sit  with  them.  The  late  Governor  Burnet  promised  Me 
the  Opportunity  of  presenting  the  Case  at  that  Board ;  but  His  Affairs  grew 


more  and  more  intricate  till  He  dyed  ;  and  I  tho’t  it  not  proper  to  be  very 
importunate  with  Him.  The  late  Lieut.  Governor  Dummer  put  Me  off  with 
fair  promises  from  one  time  to  another ;  but  no  Opportunity  presented  till  the 
day  that  His  Commission  was  superseded  ;  and  then  I  put  in  the  enclosed 
Memorial,  and  received  the  Answer  that  attends  it ;  and  so  strict  are  the 
Overseers,  That  they’ll  allow  their  Clerk  to  give  Me  no  more  Copies  than  this 
One  ;  so  that  I  shall  be  put  to  Difficulty  in  sending  Your  Lordship  a  Duplicate 
of  the  whole. 

By  this,  I  presume  Your  Lordship  will  in  some  measure  see  the  unfair 
Treatment  the  Church  undergoes,  and  the  Darkness  our  Adversaries  would 
lye  hid  in  ;  and  that  a  bigger  power  than  mine  is  requisite  to  detect  the 
Iniquity  of  their  Dealings  with  us. 

From  the  abovesaid  Records  that  I  was  desirous  to  see,  I  am  well  assured 
I  should  have  fully  satisfied  Your  Lordship’s  enquiries,  and  have  proved  to 
your  Lordship  That  for  Twenty  Years  past  and  more,  that  is,  ever  since  this 
present  Charter  on  which  we  found  our  Claims,  hath  been  resumed,  the  Epis¬ 
copal  Ministers  of  this  Town  have  been  always  cited  under  the  Denomination 
of  Teaching  Elders,  and  among  the  rest  of  the  Teaching  Elders  of  this  Town, 
to  sit  at  the  Board  of  Overseers,  and  that  the  late  Reverend  Mr.  Harris  hath  sat 
among  them  on  many  of  their  Meetings,  perhaps  Twenty  times.  For  the  late 
Revd  Mr.  Myles,  tho’  cited,  never  cared  much  for  their  Conversation  ;  and  by 
such  an  Aversion  has  given  them  too  much  an  Handle  for  the  lasting  Injuries 
they  have  done  us. 

However  without  the  Liberty  of  these  Records,  I  can  answer  some  of  Your 
Lordship’s  Enquiries,  and  do  assure  Your  Lordship,  That  this  College  has  no  . 
Visitors,  the  Governor  and  Magistrates,  who  are  the  highest  in  power  here, 
with  the  Teaching  Elders  making  up  the  Board  of  Overseers ;  and  that  this 
Case  has  had  all  the  Tryal  it  can  have  in  this  Country:  For  We  first  applyed 
to  the  Board  of  Overseers,  and  from  thence  to  our  General  Court,  as  our  Law 
directs ;  and  they  both  gave  it  against  us :  so  that  now  if  any  Redress  comes 
to  the  Injured  Ministers  and  Members  of  this  Church,  it  must  come  from  that 
Fountain  from  whence  all  Power  and  Authority  here  is  derived,  and  by  which 
we  are  often  bless’t  with  an  Emendation  of  our  Irregularities. 

If  Your  Lordship  will  give  Yourself  the  trouble  to  look  over  one  Paper  I 
formerly  sent  to  You,  You  will  see  the  whole  of  the  Objections  the  Overseers 
have  to  our  Sitting  among  them  to  be  entirely  founded  on  our  not  being  in 


26i 


[1730. 


any  Propriety  and  just  Usage  Teaching  Elders,  and  our  never  being  designed 
a  Privilege  of  this  kind  ;  and  I  do  not  in  my  Conscience  know  of  anything 
more  that  they  have  to  say.  But,  My  Lord,  I  cannot  yield  to  the  force  of 
these  Objections,  when  their  own  Practice  has  so  long  overruled  them:  and,  I 
presume  with  the  greatest  Equity :  Since  Churchmen  in  equal  proportions  are 
involved  in  those  Publick  Taxes  whereby  the  College  Buildings  and  President’s 
House  have  been  raised  and  supported,  from  whence  the  President  receives 
His  Salary,  and  which  Taxes  may  be  augmented  to  any  further  Degrees  for 
the  Service  of  this  College,  as  our  General  Court  shall  at  any  time  think 
meet. 

But  after  all,  if  the  Overseers  had  allowed  Me  the  Liberty  of  Viewing  their 
Records,  I  intended  to  have  applyed  myself  to  the  best  Lawyers  in  this 
Country,  and  from  their  hands  would  have  presented  to  Your  Lordship  what 
is  here  said  on  one  side  and  the  other  of  this  Controversy.  But  as  the  Case 
now  stands,  I  know  not,  My  Lord,  of  anything  more  that  can  be  done  in  New 
England  to  favour  our  just  cause,  unless  Your  Lordship’s  Interest  should  gain 
an  Order  to  have  all  Records  here  relating  to  this  affair  searched,  and  Affi¬ 
davits  taken  of  whatever  might  give  further  light  into  it. 

In  all  this,  and  everything  else  I  submit  to  Your  Lordship’s  Correction, 
and  hope  Your  Goodness  will  forgive  any  improper  efforts  of  a  well  meaning 
Zeal,  and  never  deny  the  Benefit  of  Your  Prayers  and  Blessings  to 

Your  Lordship’s 

most  dutiful  Son, 

and  most  obedient  humble  Servant, 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 

Boston,  New  England,  June  25th,  1730. 


1730.] 


262 


Mr.  PIGOT  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 


Marblehead,  August  i,  1730. 

Sir, 

*  *  *  My  Parish  by  the  blessing  of  God,  flourishes  notwith¬ 

standing  the  fluctuating  of  two  peevish  men  who  now  as  well  as  in  Mr. 
Mossom’s  time,  are  bandied  from  Church  to  Meeting,  and  from  Meeting  to 
Church,  as  their  wives  and  humours  prompt  them.  These  two  Gentlemen( 
viz.,  Mr.  Oulton  and  Captain  James  Calley  are  both  Justices  of  the  Peace,  and 
therefore  we  are  forced  to  bear  with  them,  that  we  may  at  least  have  some 
men  in  authority  here  who  dare  shew  their  faces  at  Church.  I  also  continue 
my  monthly  Lecture  at  Salem,  and  have  already  9  Communicants  there.  Sir, 
I  think  it  proper  at  this  juncture  to  notify  the  Hon’ble  Society  of  one  affair 
which  might  otherwise  deserve  their  blame :  It  is  that  I  have  made  a  claim, 
by  Mr.  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Commons,  to  be  restored  to  my  right  to  the 
Baronies  of  Morley  and  Monteagle,  and  that  I  do  not  know  how  soon  I  may 
have  a  call  to  make  out  the  same.  Therefore  I  request  the  Hon’ble  Society 
to  give  me  leave  to  come  home  upon  a  proper  invitation,  and  to  supply  my 
Church  in  the  meanwhile  in  such  manner  as  to  them  shall  seem  most  fitting 
and  convenient.  By  such  a  concession  the  Honorable  Society  will  continue  to 
heap  Favours  on  their  devoted 

and  Sir,  &c., 

GEO.  PIGOT. 


P.  S.  I  cannot  help  expressing  again  the  want  of  Common  Prayer  Books 
with  other  small  Tracts,  especially  Catechisms,  in  this  Town  which  abounds 
with  poor,  tho’  teachable  families. 


263 


[i  73i  * 


D\  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary. 


Boston,  April  5th,  1731. 

Sir, 

From  September  the  3d,  to  this  time,  I  have  baptized  33  infants,  1  adult 
and  1  slave,  and  received  to  our  communion  9  persons,  2  whereof  I  thank 
God  are  my  children,  and  all  are  persons  of  sober  and  blameless  lives,  and 
seem  to  discover  a  true  sense  of  Religion  upon  their  minds  and  consciences  , 
my  church  encreases  and  God  preserves  the  good  order  of  it ;  I  know  of  no 
errors  prevalent  here  but  what  make  up  the  characters  ol  the  several  Sects 
well  known  among  us.  Some  have  lately  asserted  that  Hell  torments  will 
have  an  end,  and  that  wicked  men  and  devils  will  at  last  be  saved  thro  the 
goodness  of  God  and  the  merits  of  Christ.  I  have  privately  borne  witness 
against  this  corrupt  doctrine,  but  as  yet  do  not  find  it  to  spread  so  as  to  make 
it  necessary  I  should  oppose  it  in  the  Pulpit,  which  I  shall  do  if  I  have  the 
unhappy  occasion  for  it.  I  have  lately  at  the  desire  of  some  Churchmen  and 
Dissenters,  willing  to  be  informed,  and  the  service  of  our  Church,  and 
preached  on  two  several  Sundays  at  Dedham,  in  a  part  of  it  about  14  miles 
off  my  Revd  Brethren  here  taking  care  of  my  Pulpit,  and  had  once  a  very 
large  audience,  and  at  both  times  a  very  attentive  one,  and  expect  shortly 
some  further  invitation  to  that  service,  and  hope  that  in  due  time  the  Hon  ble 
Society  will  have  the  grateful  news  of  considerable  numbers  coming  into  our 
Church  and  deserving  their  compassion.  While  God  gives  me  life  and  health 
I  shall  cheerfully  attend  the  duties  of  my  Mission,  upon  all  occasions  ordinary 
and  extraordinary,  and  in  this  and  every  other  way  to  my  utmost  let  them 
know  what  a  due  sense  I  have  of  my  obligations  to  be  their  as  well  as 

Your  most  humble  Servant, 

TIM.  CUTLER. 


1 73I-] 


264 


M\  CUTLER  to  Captain  JOHN  DELAPP. 

Boston,  May  13th,  1731. 

Sir, 

Since  you  will  ’ere  long  depart  from  this  place  where  I  have  been  favoured 
with  your  agreeable  conversation  &  lay’d  under  special  obligations  of  kind¬ 
ness  &  respect  from  you,  &  where  also  I  have  had  the  great  satisfaction  of 
observing  your  constant  &  decent  attendance  on  the  worship  of  God  in  my 
Church,  this  encourages  me  to  take  my  leave  of  you  in  these  lines  which  I 
hope  will  preserve  in  you  a  compassionate  remembrance  of  the  Church  of 
England  in  these  parts  when  you  shall  see  the  same  Church  in  an  happier 
situation  better  subsisted  &  among  her  friends  able  to  protect  her  &  save  her 
from  those  enemies  to  whom  she  is  here  exposed  &  who  never  fail  to  do  their 
worst  to  her.  It  will  appear  melancholly  to  any  good  Churchman  who  reflects 
upon  it  that  when  the  French  on  the  North  &  the  Spaniards  on  the  South  of 
us  have  their  Bishops,  the  English  America  is  without  any  &  no  man  need 
question  what  is  certain  fact  the  discouragements  rising  from  the  seas,  danger 
of  Sickness  &  disappointments,  that  deprive  the  Church  here  of  our  brightest 
youths  &  incline  them  to  the  Dissenting  Interests  ;  whereas  on  the  other  hand 
few  men  of  superior  merit  will  be  disposed  to  settle  abroad  when  all  prefer¬ 
ments  are  at  home ;  besides  that  neither  ministers  nor  people  can  be  well 
look’t  after  at  this  distance  nor  can  we  now  obtain  confirmation  &  many  other 
Episcopal  blessings. 

As  to  the  troubles  which  our  dissenting  neighbours  give  us  if  they  con¬ 
sisted  only  in  unneighbourly  offices  disrespectful  treatment,  private  slander  & 
the  difficulty  of  getting  an  employ  we  might  the  easier  be  patient  under  them  ; 
but  it  is  much  harder  when  we  add  to  all  this  that  preferments  are  entirely  in 
their  hands,  those  excepted  which  are  immediately  derived  from  the  Crown,  & 
that  all  our  local  laws  are  made  by  a  Legislature  composed  of  such  persons 
whose  power  is  too  often  exerted  to  our  great  injury.  For  instance  let  a 
man  be  educated  in  the  Church  of  England  &  conscientiously  attend  her 
worship  &  Sacraments  &  pay  to  the  support  of  the  Church,  this  is  not  suffi¬ 
cient  to  screen  him  from  payment  to  the  support  of  Dissenting  Teachers,  & 
for  refusal  his  goods  shall  be  forceably  taken  away  from  him  or  his  person 
imprisoned,  so  that  an  honest  Churchman  is  here  double  taxed  like  as  a  Papist 


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[1730. 


or  Recusant  is  in  England.  Indeed  there  is  a  late  law  which  betokens  some 
favor  &  exemption  for  those  who  live  within  five  miles  of  a  Church  of  Eng¬ 
land  to  which  they  resort.  But  let  it  be  observed  that  this  law  is  but  tem¬ 
porary,  &  expires  within  five  years  unless  it  be  revived,  &  notwithstanding 
this  law  they  can  demand  of  us  an  equal  proportion  for  the  repairs  of  their 
conventicles,  &  if  there  be  any  deficiency  in  their  Ecclesiastical  rate,  they  will 
supply  it  by  a  secondary  one  wherein  Churchmen  shall  be  included.  Besides 
this  large  province  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  in  New  England  has  but  six 
churches  in  it,  &  therefore  many  of  our  communion  scattered  all  about  the 
province  can  reap  no  benefit  by  it.  One  proof  of  this  is  fresh  upon  your  mind 
in  the  case  of  your  Cousin  Ellis,  who  tho’  he  was  baptized  &  brought  up  in 
the  Church  of  England  &  has  been  a  communicant  in  it  for  a  long  time  hath  a 
propriety  in  my  church  where  he  constantly  attends  the  worship  &  sacraments 
of  it,  yet  notwithstanding  his  utmost  applications  to  save  himself  was  im¬ 
prisoned  for  refusing  to  Pay  to  the  conventicle  in  the  town  where  he  lived  his 
house  being  near  six  miles  distant  from  my  church  &  when  the  time  for  taxing 
returns  his  brother  who  now  liveth  in  that  house  must  expect  to  pay  his  rate 
to  the  conventicle  or  to  be  imprisoned  as  he  was.  And  I  observe  further, 
that  there  is  a  number  of  Churchmen  living  in  Rehoboth  who  have  borne  a 
considerable  share  in  the  charges  of  building  a  church  within  four  miles  of 
them  &  resort  to  that  as  their  parish  church,  &  yet  because  this  church  is  out 
of  the  bounds  of  this  government  &  in  the  borders  of  that  of  Rhode  Island 
are  obliged  to  pay  to  the  support  of  the  conventicle  they  live  by,  notwith¬ 
standing  that  they  have  remonstrated  against  this  hardship  to  our  General 
Court,  and  this  has  been  a  long  &  heavy  discouragement  to  all  well  affected 
to  the  Church  of  England  when  as  I  would  only  observe  further  on  this  head, 
Quakers  &  Baptists  are  freed  from  all  trouble  of  this  kind. 

Another  instance  of  hardship  upon  us  respects  the  College  in  Cambridge, 
in  this  Government  founded  &  maintained  at  the  charge  of  the  whole  Country, 
&  yet  greatly  submitted  to  the  care  of  our  Dissenting  Teachers  when  at  the 
same  time  the  Episcopal  Clergy  are  excluded,  who  by  laws  &  former  customs 
of  this  Country,  have  an  equal  right  to  the  management  of  that  seminary  of 
learning.  But  I  shall  forbear  enlarging  upon  this  head,  because  I  have 
formerly  made  representation  of  this  case  to  another  friend  &  now  beg  leave 
to  send  you  a  copy  of  it  with  this  letter. 

It  is  a  wonder,  Sr,  notwithstanding  all  this  that  the  Church  grows,  when 

34 


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266 


numbers,  prejudices,  preferments  and  ill  offices  are  against  her,  but  all  this 
may  convince  us  of  the  power  of  truth  which  by  God’s  help  is  stronger  than 
error  with  everything  on  her  side.  However  you  may  be  assured  our  Church 
would  lift  up  her  head  with  much  more  vigor  were  she  the  subject  of  common 
justice  not  to  say  favors,  &  screened  from  those  who  have  no  reason  to  be 
offended  at  her.  No  endeavours  have  been  omitted  from  time  to  represent 
at  home  the  wants  &  distresses  we  are  here  groaning  under,  &  yet  deliver¬ 
ance  seems  as  far  off  as  ever.  Perhaps  our  enemies  may  be  as  active  as  well 
as  more  successful  to  take  off  the  force  of  our  applications.  It  seems  there¬ 
fore  a  very  reasonable  desire  that  these  things  might  be  enquired  into  by 
some  of  known  wisdom  &  probity,  whose  representations  might  be  received 
at  home  as  unquestionable,  and  I  am  sure  you  will  think  yourself  happy,  if 
you  may  but  encline  any  persons  of  goodness  &  interest  to  espouse  and 
solicit  our  cause.  However  Goodness  alone  will  gain  us  the  Prayers  of  all 
that  know  our  state,  to  that  God  who  hath  a  favour  for  Zion,  &  hath  not 
despised  nor  abhorred  the  affliction  of  the  afflicted.  I  shall  always  wish  you 
His  best  Protections  &  blessings  while  I  am  able  to  subscribe  myself,  Sir, 

Your  assured  Friend  &  most  humble  Servant, 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


THOMAS  HARWOOD  to  the  BISHOP  of  LONDON. 


Boston,  July  19th,  1731. 

My  good  Lord  of  London, 

Since  my  arrival  in  New  England,  I  have  troubled  your  Lordship  with  two 
or  three  letters,  which  I  hope  by  this  time,  are  all  safe  in  your  Lordship’s 
hands.  Dean  Barclay  preached  before  the  Clergy  at  Newport,  in  Rhode 
Island,  some  time  in  the  last  Month.  I  could  not  be  there  being  obliged  to 
take  care  of  our  churches  at  Boston,  during  my  Brother’s  absence.  I  heard 
his  discourse  kept  them  two  hours  and  an  half  which  to  me  is  somewhat 
strange  for  such  an  Hypochondraical  disposition.  I  hear  he  intends  for 
England  some  time  before  Michaelmas.  He  seems  tired  of  this  Country  tho’ 
he  has  seen  nothing  of  it.  Mr.  Commissary  is  now  determined  for  England 


2  67 


H1 73 1  • 


within  a  Month,  as  he  at  present  gives  out,  but  he  has  altered  his  sentiments 
several  times  this  Summer,  and  perhaps  may  alter  them  once  more.  I  would 
advise  him  by  all  means  to  look  a  little  into  the  state  of  the  Churches  in  the 
several  Provinces,  before  he  goes  for  England,  that  he  may  be  the  better  able 
to  give  your  Lordship  some  true  account  of  their  condition  after  a  regular 
and  impartial  examination  into  things,  but  in  this  as  well  as  other  things,  his 
sentiments  and  mine  do  not  always  coincide.  I  could  never  get  him  yet  to  visit 
Dr.  Cutler  once  since  I  have  been  at  Boston,  which  gives  occasion  for  our  own 
people  to  think  there  is  not  so  good  an  harmony  as  there  ought  to  be  among 
us,  and  to  our  enemies  to  laugh  at  us  ;  for  my  part  I  have  endeavoured  to  keep 
a  good  correspondence  with  both,  and  have  served  both  of  them  often  with  a 
great  deal  of  pleasure.  But  since  this  Irish  Minister  came  over  whose  name 
is  Christian,  who  tells  us  he  was  Curate  to  Doctor  Pearce  of  Sl  Martin’s,  and 
that  he  waited  on  your  Lordship  but  brought  no  letter  from  any  person,  my 
unwillingness  to  join  with  them  in  encouraging  his  preaching,  without  your 
Lordship’s  notice,  licence  or  approbation  (which  I  thought  was  by  no  means 
right,  and  would  never  be  allowed  of),  has  occasioned  some  small  dispute  be¬ 
tween  Mr.  Commissary  and  myself,  which  I  thought  fit  to  drop,  and  let  them 
do  as  they  please.  As  for  Mr.  Christian  he  may  be  a  very  good  man  for  any¬ 
thing  I  know,  but  as  to  the  persons  he  is  fallen  in  with  and  whose  councils  he 
likes  to  follow,  they  have  almost  ruined  the  Church  once  already,  by  their  fiery 
zeal  in  poor  Mr.  Harris’s  time,  and  ’tis  my  humble  opinion  they  never  will  be 
at  rest  until  they  have  effected  it  or  at  least  occasioned  some  new  confusions, 
for  my  part  had  I  power  I  would  soon  (with  prudence)  put  a  period  to  all  their 
power  in  the  Church,  for  their  number  is  very  small,  but  three  principales 
for  King  leaders  and  Mr.  Checkley  the  chief  of  them  (who  would  never  take 
the  Oaths  until  he  was  obliged  to  do  it),  and  who  was  in  London  for  Orders  in 
Governor  Shute’s  time  and  whose  character  was  sent  over  to  prevent  his 
stealing  into  Orders  by  his  late  Excellency,  and  Mr.  Harris,  I  suppose  your 
Lordship  knows  the  man  and  the  rest  of  his  accomplices,  one  Gibbons  an 
Apothecary  and  Steward  a  Surgeon. 

These  men  are  so  furious  and  clamarous  for  the  Church  that  a  man  dares 
not  preach  upon  Charity  and  mutual  forbearance  on  any  degree  of  tenderness 
towards  those  of  differing  sentiments  in  order  to  bring  them  in.  No,  you  are 
an  enemy  to  the  Church,  if  you  pretend  to  oppose  her  enemies  in  the  spirit 
of  meekness  you  are  a  favorer  of  the  Dissenters,  you  give  up  the  Church’s 


1 7  3 1  •] 


2  68 


cause,  and  don’t  stand  up  for  the  Church  at  all  ;  for  my  part  I  have  ever  found 
and  I  believe  I  ever  shall,  gentleness,  meekness,  moderation,  &c.,  to  be  the 
best  and  most  Christian  means,  to  reduce  those  that  are  seperated  from  the 
Church  and  ’tis  my  humble  opinion  will  always  sooner  effect  it  than  all  the 
bitterness  and  clamour  in  the  world.  I  wish  Mr.  Commissary  a  good  voyage, 
and  hope  your  Lordship  will  find  some  agreeable  preferment  for  him  (for 
his  own  sake)  elsewhere.  If  your  Lordship  commands  me  to  give  my  reasons 
for  what  I  say  I  will  do  it  with  great  truth,  otherwise  I  say  no  more,  but  beg 
leave  to  be  removed,  if  he  returns  again.  I  most  humbly  request  a  line  from 
your  Lordship’s  hand,  and  beg  your  Lordship  to  let  me  know  whether  I  do 
well  or  ill  in  preaching  up  charity,  tenderness,  and  moderation.  I  have  filled 
the  Chapel  with  this  spirit,  and  ’tis  my  humble  Opinion  the  contrary  conduct 
will  soon  make  it  thin.  His  Excellency  and  his  Lady  and  the  Lieutenant 
Governor  Colonel  Taylor,  who  is  a  very  worthy  man,  were  all  at  the  Royal 
Chapel  yesterday  in  the  afternoon  with  three  Indian  Sachems  of  the  Mohock 
tribes.  ’Tis  a  pity  some  care  is  not  taken  of  those  poor  creatures,  whose  souls 
are  as  capable  of  immortality  as  ours.  I  declare  with  great  sincerity  if  the 
Society  will  allow  me  an  Assistant  for  the  Chapel,  I  mean  my  lecture,  and 
some  small  matter  to  support  me  in  my  travels  during  the  Summer  Season 
every  year,  I  will  not  only  spend  some  considerable  time  among  those  un¬ 
happy  Indians,  but  will  likewise  go  over  the  several  Provinces,  enquire  into 
the  true  state  of  and  preach  at  the  several  churches,  even  as  far  as  North 
Carolina,  where  they  have  no  Ministers, -though  greatly  wanted  there,  and 
likewise  at  other  places,  where  at  present  they  have  no  Church,  but  are 
desirous  of  hearing  some  Minister  of  the  Church  of  England.  I  find  I  could 
soon  make  myself  Master  of  the  Indian  Language  enough  to  do  those  poor 
souls  good,  as  to  spiritual  concerns.  These  things  I  submit  to  your  Lord¬ 
ship’s  great  wisdom,  and  shall  wait  with  great  pleasure  for  your  Lordship’s 
thoughts.  If  this  proposal  be  agreeable  to  your  Lordship  and  the  Honorable 
Society,  I  desire  I  may  go  in  some  capacity  or  other,  as  Commissary  General 
or  what  your  Lordship  shall  think  proper,  that  I  may  have  some  respect  shown 
me  more  than  a  mere  itinerant,  otherwise  I  shall  not  be  willing.  The  Gover¬ 
nor  with  some  other  gentleman  did  me  the  honour  of  a  visit  a  few  days  ago, 
and  his  Excellency  was  pleased  to  tell  me  he  thought  an  handsome  Chapel 
would  be  very  convenient  and  soon  wanted  for  the  service  of  the  Church  of 
England,  at  the  sound  end  of  Boston,  where  great  buildings  are  going  for- 


269 


[1731- 


wards,  and  which  in  a  little  time  will  be  the  beauty  of  this  spacious  town. 
Doctor  Cutler’s  Church  stands  at  the  North  End,  the  Royal  Chapel  in  the 
centre  and  I  think  another  at  the  South  will  be  highly  necessary.  His  Excel¬ 
lency  was  pleased  to  add  that  he  had  a  fine  spot  of  ground  there,  which  he 
could  now  sell  for  ^300  in  house  lots,  but  he  would  give  it  to  the  Church  of 
England  if  we  would  build  a  Chapel  there,  and  the  King’s  Advocate  General 
being  present  was  pleased  to  make  an  offer  of  £100  towards  it.  We  are  not 
able  to  raise  money  sufficient  for  it  here,  but  if  his  most  gracious  Majesty  and 
The  Honorable  Society  would  be  so  good  as  to  assist  us  with  one  ^500  I  will 
be  answerable  for  the  rest  notwithstanding  we  should  have  no  encouragement 
from  the  furious  hot  headed  bigotry  of  this  place,  who  would  rather  oppose  it 
on  His  Excellency’s  account,  for  these  men  cannot  bear  to  hear  of  a  Dissen¬ 
ter’s  doing  anything  for  the  Church,  and  as  I  have  often  heard  them  say  never 
desire  to  see  them  in,  I  most  humbly  beg  your  Lordship’s  thoughts  on  this  as 
well  as  the  other  matters.  I  hope  your  Lordship  will  not  forget  to  give  some 
orders  about  our  library,  for  in  the  hands  they  are  in  at  present  I  am  afraid 
they  will  be  much  damaged,  and  I  am  credibly  informed  their  number  is  much 
lessened.  We  want  a  good  School  Master  in  this  town  very  much,  I  mean 
one  capable  of  teaching  the  Latin  tongue,  &c.,  for  Mr.  Williams  does  not  mind 
his  School,  and  being  a  Dissenter,  a  great  many  gentlemen  do  not  care  to 
send  their  Children,  as  for  the  other  Schools  they  are  incapable  of  teaching 
Grammar.  If  your  Lordship  will  be  so  good  as  to  send  over  a  diligent  Man  in 
Orders,  that  he  may  assist  as  a  Supernumerary  upon  any  urgent  occasion, 
and  well  qualified  for  a  School,  and  the  Honorable  Society  will  allow  ^30  or 
£40  Per  Annum,  I  will  be  answerably  to  make  it  worth  £160  Per  year,  pro¬ 
vided  the  Gentleman  be  wholly  under  my  direction,  &c.,  and  the  School  under 
my  inspection  and  care,  I  mean  ^160  of  New  England  money.  I  am  my  good 
Lord  with  all  deference  and  gratitude,  your  Lordship’s  most 

Obedient  and  devoted 

humble  Servant, 

THOs  HARWOOD. 


Boston,  July  19th,  1731. 


1 73 1  •] 


2  JO 


Govr .  BELCHER  to  the  Right  Rev 7  LORD  BISHOP  of 

LONDON. 


Boston,  July  24th,  1731. 

My  Lord, 

I  am  humbly  to  ask  your  Lordship’s  pardon  for  the  honor  I  did  myself 
the  20th  May  last  in  giving  my  son  a  Letter,  and  thereby  the  advantage  of 
receiving  your  Lordship’s  Blessing  and  good  Advices,  when  you’l  please  to 
allow  him  to  pay  his  duty  to  you. 

I  am  very  thankful  to  your  Lordship  for  what  Mr.  Newman  writes  me  of  the 
good  offices  your  Lordship  has  been  pleased  to  employ  in  favor  of  Christ’s 
Church  in  this  Town,  of  which  I  have  acquainted  Doctr  Cutler  and  the  Vestry, 
and  that  from  your  Lordship’s  Goodness  &  parental  Care,  they  may  hope  for 
his  Majesty’s  Bounty  to  that  Infant  Church. 

If  your  Lordship  will  indulge  me,  I  would  make  my  Complaint  against 
Mr.  Commissary  Price,  for  his  ill  manners. 

It  has  been,  my  Lord,  from  time  to  time  immemorial  and  practice  in  this 
Government  to  have  an  Anniversary  fast  &  Thanksgiving ;  I  therefore  Issued 
a  proclamation  with  the  Advice  and  consent  of  His  Majesty’s  Council,  that 
Thursday,  the  25th  of  March  last,  should  be  observed  throughout  this  Province 
as  a  day  of  fasting  and  prayer,  upon  which  Mr.  Commissary,  Dr.  Cutler  and 
Mr.  Harwood  came  to  me  to  tell  me  25th  of  March  was  Lady  Day,  and  a  Fes¬ 
tival  observed  in  the  Church  of  England.  I  told  them  I  had  not  the  least 
thought  of  it,  nor  did  I  suppose  any  Gentleman  at  the  Council  board  had ;  for 
my  own  part,  I  frankly  added,  as  I  had  been  born  and  bred  a  Dissenter,  I  was 
almost  an  entire  stranger  to  the  Festivals  of  the  Church  of  England,  &  that 
had  I  known  it  I  would  have  appointed  some  other  day.  Notwithstanding  my 
mild  &  handsome  treatment  of  the  Clergy,  the  Commissary  was  so  rude  as  to 
tell  me  he  believed  it  was  done  purposely  to  affront  the  Church,  &  that  in  the 
appointment  of  such  days  he  ought  to  be  consulted.  This  I  look  upon  as  a 
great  piece  of  Insolence  on  the  King’s  Govr,  and  had  it  not  been  in  regard  to 
Dr.  Cutler  &  Mr.  Harwood,  who  behaved  themselves  consistent  with  their 
character,  I  should  have  treated  Mr.  Price  very  roughly.  Since  this  affair  hap¬ 
pened  I  neither  have  nor  will  go  into  the  church  if  I  am  apprized  of  his  being 
in  the  Desk,  nor  suffer  any  of  my  family.  Pardon  me,  my  Lord,  while  I  say  I 


271 


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am  truly  afraid  no  honor  will  redound  to  your  Lordship,  or  to  the  Church, 
by  the  too  great  honor  you  have  done  that  Gentleman  in  your  commission. 
I  shall  be  much  mistaken  if  he  ever  adds  to  the  number  of  the  Church  of  Eng¬ 
land  in  this  place.  Your  Lordship  is  well  knowing  with  what  principles  and 
in  what  manner  this  Country  was  first  settled,  and  with  what  sort  of  people ; 
not  with  the  necessitous  refuse  &  gleanings  of  mankind  (as  most  of  the  other 
plantations  have  been)  but  with  men  of  good  substance,  virtue  and  knowledge, 
which  they  have  taken  care  from  time  to  time  to  hand  down  to  posterity,  & 
who  are  at  this  day  tenaceous  enough  in  the  way  they  have  been  educated, 
that  it  must  not  be  a  blind  outrageous  Zeal  (without  knowledge  &  learning) 
that  will  make  proselytes  here.  No,  if  the  Episcopal  Clergy  think  the  Church 
of  England  the  best  Church  in  the  World,  and  are  sincerely  desirous  to 
increase  it  in  this  Country,  it  must  be  in  an  imitation  of  their  Great  Lord  and 
Master  (to  whom  they  are  to  give  up  their  Account  at  His  great  Tribunal) 
in  His  Doctrine  and  example.  The  people  here  must  be  drawn  with  the  Cords 
of  a  man  &  the  bands  of  Love.  Things  I  say  must  be  managed  with  a  spirit 
of  Charity,  moderation  and  Christian  temper ;  nothing  of  what  the  Dissenters 
call  High  Church,  or  what  they  imagine  proceeds  from  a  spirit  of  bitterness 
against  ’em,  will  ever  do  any  good  to  the  Church  among  us.  And  I  believe 
your  Lordship  may  be  satisfied  that  Mr.  Commissary  Price  shews  too  much  of 
this  spirit  in  his  preaching  and  conversation.  I  hear  he  talks  of  soon  returning 
to  Great  Britain,  and  I  believe  your  Lordship  can’t  do  a  greater  service  to  the 
Church  in  these  parts  than  to  prevent  his  coming  hither  again. 

Dr.  Cutler  and  Mr.  Harwood  have  acquired  so  much  respect  and  reputa¬ 
tion,  not  only  by  their  preaching  but  by  their  virtuous  &  regular  lives,  that 
they  have  the  good  will  of  all  who  have  the  pleasure  of  their  acquaintance. 
And  had  the  Revd  Mr.  Harwood  some  allowance  or  assistance,  he  might,  at 
proper  seasons  of  the  year,  greatly  serve  Religion  &  the  Church,  not  only 
among  some  English  Plantations  at  a  distance  from  hence,  but  also  among  the 
Indian  natives,  who  to  the  shame  of  Europe  and  America,  are  to  this  day 
without  the  knowledge  of  the  true  God  and  the  Saviour  of  mankind. 

Your  Lordship  will  forgive  this  long  Epistle  from  a  Dissenter,  who  is  yet  a 
well  wisher  to  the  Church  of  England  (truly  conformed  to  the  39  Articles).  I 
again  ask  an  Interest  in  your  Lordship’s  prayers  and  benedictions,  and  am, 
with  all  possible  respect, 

My  Lord,  Your  Lordship’s  most  obed1  &  most  faithful,  humble  Serv\ 

J.  BELCHER. 


1 73 1  •] 


272 


To  His  Excellency  JONATHAN  BELCHER,  Esq’.,  Gov¬ 
ern ir  &f  Command'  in  Chief  in  and  over  His  Majesty  s 
Province  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  in  New  England,  and 
to  the  HonbU  the  Council  &  House  of  Representatives ,  in 
General  Court  Assembled,  Xber  1,  1731. 


THE  MEMORIAL  OF  ROGER  PRICE,  CLERK  &  COMMISSARY  OF  YE  EPISCOPAL 

CHURCHES  IN  NEW  ENGLAND, 

Humbly  Sheweth, 

That  whereas  his  Excellency  in  his  Speech  to  the  General  Assembly,  the 
2d  Instant,  recommended  it  to  the  Honble  Assembly,  as  an  Act  of  due  Gratitude 
to  the  Crown,  well  becoming  the  Legislature  here,  to  make  good  Protestants 
of  all  Denominations  easy,  in  their  way  and  manner  of  worshiping  God,  and 
particularly  reminds  them  of  the  People  called  Quakers,  who  think  themselves 
under  great  Hardships,  from  some  of  the  Laws  of  this  Province.  Lor  whom 
therefore  his  Excellency  thinks  it  a  proper  Instance  of  the  Providence  & 
wisdom  of  this  General  Court,  To  Enact  Some  Laws  for  their  Quiet  &  Ease: 
And  whereas  a  Committee  of  the  Lower  House  is  Ordered  to  prepare  a 
Draught  of  a  Bill  for  the  Ease  of  those  People ;  Your  Memorialist  appre¬ 
hends  he  may,  with  equal  Justice,  and  does,  with  the  greatest  Humility,  Tender 
to  the  Compassion  of  this  Honble  Assembly,  the  case  of  the  Church  of  Eng¬ 
land  within  this  Province;  the  Members  whereof,  in  Several  parts  of  it,  ly  under 
great  Difficultys  and  Discouragements,  from  Obedience  to  their  Consciences, 
in  that  they  are  Taxed  to  the  Support  of  the  Congregational  or  Presbyterian 
Meetings  in  their  vicinity;  and  are  not  Exempted  unless  they  live  within  five 
miles  of  a  Church — nor  even  then,  if  that  Church  be  out  of  the  bounds  of  this 
Province :  And  for  non  payment  of  Such  Taxes,  their  Bodies  are  Imprisoned, 
or  their  Goods  taken  from  them  by  Publick  Officers. 

Your  Memorialist,  therefore,  in  duty  bound  to  his  Publick  Character,  thinks 
himself  Obliged  to  lay  these  Grievances  before  this  Great  and  General  Court, 
as  inconsistent  with  that  Liberty,  in  the  Exercise  of  Religion,  to  which,  by  the 
Laws  of  England  &  Charter  of  this  Province,  we  think  Ourselves  Intitled ; 
humbly  apprehending  the  Good  Characters  bestowed  by  his  Excellency  on 


ft 


2  73 


[i732. 


the  Quakers,  do,  in  as  eminent  a  manner,  belong  to  the  members  of  the 
Church  of  England ;  namely  that  they  are  good  Protestants,  a  vertuous  & 
inoffensive  People,  &  good  members  of  the  Commonwealth,  and  as  well  at¬ 
tached  to  His  Majesty  &  his  Royal  House,  as  any  the  best  of  his  Subjects,  & 
consequently  merit  the  Same  Notice  &  Relief.  All  of  which  is  humbly  Sub¬ 
mitted  to  the  great  Wisdom  &  Goodness  of  the  Great  &  General  Court  by 

may  it  please  Yr  Excellency 

&  Yr  Honrs, 

ROGER  PRICE. 


In  Council,  Decemr  9,  1731. 

Read  &  Ordered  that  Paul  Dudley,  Jonathan  Remington  &  Ezekiel  Lewis, 
Esqrs  with  such  as  the  Honble  House  of  Representves  shall  join  be  a  Com¬ 
mittee  to  consider  of  this  Memorial  &  make  Report  what  they  judge  proper 
for  this  Court  to  do  therein. 

Sent  down  for  Concurrence.  J.  WILLARD,  Sec’ry. 

In  the  House  of  Representatives,  Dec.  10,  1731. 

Read  &  Concur’d,  &  Ordered  that  Mr.  Wells,  Mr.  Lynde,  Major  Brattle 
and  Cpt.  Goddard  be  joined  in  the  Affair. 

JOHN  QUINCY,  Speaker. 

(Copy)  Examined  per  J.  WILLARD,  Secr’y. 


Doctor  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Boston,  New  England,  Apr1  24,  1732. 

Sir, 

From  Octr  11th  to  the  23rd  Instant  I  have  baptised  one  Person  adult,  35 
infants,  besides  1  Infant  Negroe  .Slave,  &  have  received  to  our  Communion  6 
persons  of  lives  well  worthy  of  their  profession,  2  whereof  were  dissenters  & 
Communicants  with  them,  &  now,  upon  serious  thoughts  &  in  a  peaceable 


35 


1732.] 


274 


manner  come  over  to  us.  My  congregation  (I  thank  God)  is  preserved  in 
tolerable  order,  &  I  hope  there  are  many  in  it  that  worship  Him  in  spirit  &  in 
truth  ;  but  at  the  same  time  I  observe  too  great  a  favour  towards  such  books 
as  the  Independant  Whigg,  and  Woolston  &  other  writers  that  corrupt  the 
age.  An  Heresy  has  been  lately  received  here,  denying  the  Eternity  of  Hell 
Torments,  but  I  hope  the  infection  will  not  spread.  *  *  * 

♦  - 


Opinion  of  Messrs.  TORKE  TALBOT  respecting  certain 
grievances  complained  of  by  the  Church  of  England 
Clergy  in  the  Massachusetts  Bay. 


TO  THE  RIGHT  HON’BLE  THE  LORDS  COMMISSIONERS  FOR  TRADE  AND 

PLANTATIONS. 

May  it  please  Your  Lordships, 

In  Obedience  to  Your  Lordships’  Commands  Signified  to  Us  by  Mr. 
Popple’s  Transmitting  to  Us  the  annexed  Copy  of  a  Petition  of  the  Revd  Tim¬ 
othy  Cutler  and  others,  referred  to  Your  Lordships  by  his  Majesty  in  Council, 
relating  to  Certain  Grievances  Complained  of  by  the  Clergy  of  the  Church 
of  England,  residing  in  the  Massachusetts  Bay,  and  Desiring  us  to  give  our 
Opinion  whether  the  Acts  of  Assembly  therein  mentioned  are  repugnant  to 
the  Charter  of  the  said  Province,  and  if  they  are  so  whether  it  be  now  in  the 
King’s  Power  to  repeal  them. 

In  Obedience  also  to  Your  Lordships’  further  Commands  Signifyed  to  Us 
by  Mr.  Popple’s  Transmitting  to  us  the  Annexed  Copy  of  a  Petition  of  the  said 
Timothy  Cutler  on  behalf  of  himself  and  the  rest  of  the  Clergy  of  the  Church 
of  England,  Complaining  of  several  Acts  passed  in  the  said  province,  Sub¬ 
jecting  the  Members  of  the  Church  of  England  to  pay  to  the  Support  of  the 
Ministers  of  other  Perswasions,  together  with  the  annex’d  Copy  of  an  Act  of 
Assembly,  passed  in  the  said  Province,  in  1727,  Inti  tied  an  Act  in  Addition  to 
the  several  Acts  for  the  Settlement  and  Support  of  Ministers,  and  desiring 
our  Opinion  thereupon  in  point  of  Law. 


275 


[i732. 


We  have  Considered  the  several  Matters  to  Us  referred,  and  find  that  the 
said  Petition  first  mentioned  Sets  forth  That  4t0  Caroli  primi ,  a  Charter  was 
granted  to  the  said  Province  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay,  but  was  afterwards  in 
1864,  Vacated  by  a  Judgment  in  Chancery  (and  as  the  Petitioners  appre¬ 
hended)  on  Account  that  the  said  Colony  had  then  a  little  before  taken  upon 
them  to  attempt  to  Set  up  an  Established  Provincial  Religion,  by  attempting 
to  Call  Synods,  &c. 

That  upon  the  said  Charter  being  thus  Vacated,  (Viz1.)  70  Oct.  30  W.  &  M. 
a  new  Charter  was  granted  by  their  Majestys  King  William  and  Queen  Mary, 
to  the  said  province,  whereby  their  said  Majestys  (ink  alia )  for  the  greater 
Ease  and  Encouragement  of  their  loving  Subjects  Inhabiting  the  said  province 
and  of  such  as  should  Come  to  Inhabit  those  did  particularly  Grant,  Ordain, 
and  Establish  that  forever  thereafter  there  should  be  Liberty  of  Conscience 
allowed  in  the  Worship  of  God  to  all  Christians  (Excepting  papists),  Inhabiting 
or  which  should  Inhabit  or  be  resident  within  the  said  province  or  Territorys, 
and  the  said  Charter  Empowered  the  General  Court  to  make  all  wholesome 
and  reasonable  Laws  (not  repugnant  or  Contrary  to  the  Laws  of  England)  as 
they  should  Judge  for  the  good  and  welfare  of  the  province  and  for  the  Govern¬ 
ment  and  ordering  thereof  and  of  the  Inhabitants,  and  for  the  necessary 
Support  and  Defence  of  the  Government.  And  the  said  General  Court  were 
also  Empowered  to  Impose  and  levy  proportionable  and  reasonable  Taxes  on 
the  Estates  and  persons  of  the  said  Inhabitants,  to  be  issued  and  disposed  of 
by  warrant  under  the  hand  of  the  Governour,  with  the  advice  of  the  Councill, 
for  their  Majestys  Service  in  the  necessary  Defence  and  Support  of  the 
Government,  and  the  Protection  and  Preservation  of  the  Inhabitants  there, 
and  to  dispose  of  Matter  and  Things  whereby  their  Majestys’  Subjects  might 
be  religiously,  peaceably,  and  Civilly  governed,  protected,  and  defended,  as 
their  good  Life  and  orderly  Conversation  might  win  the  Natives  to  the 
knowledge  and  Obedience  of  the  only  true  God  and  Christian  Religion,  which, 
and  the  Adventurers  free  profession,  the  Charter  declared  to  be  the  principal 
End  of  the  said  plantation  and  for  the  better  maintaining  and  Securing 
Liberty  of  Conscience,  the  Charter  directs  that  all  such  Laws  made  by  Vertue 
of  the  Charter,  should  be  published  under  the  Seal  of  the  Province,  and  be 
Carefully  observed  and  put  in  Execution,  according  to  the  true  Meaning  of 
the  Charter  thereby  granted.  And  the  Charter  further  directs  that  all  Laws, 
Statutes,  &c.,  so  passed  and  published,  shall  be  sent  and  transmitted  to  their 


1 732-]  276 

said  Majestys,  their  Heirs  and  Successors,  under  the  publick  Seal  for  the 
Royal  approbation  or  Disallowance,  and  in  Case  the  said  Laws,  &c.,  within 
three  Years  after,  presented  to  their  Majestys,  their  Heirs  and  Successors,  in 
privy  Council,  be  disallowed  they  were  from  thenceforth  to  be  of  no  Effect. 

That  this  Charter  is  the  fundamental  Constitution  of  the  said  province,  and 
the  principal  foundation  of  the  said  Charter  is  a  Liberty  of  Conscience  to  all 
Christians  (Except  Papists),  and  Consequently  all  Protestants  are  Entitled  by 
a  like  Original  Right  to  an  Universal  freedom  and  Liberty  of  Conscience. 

That  the  Independants  being  more  numerous  than  the  people  of  the 
Church  of  England,  (to  whom  the  said  Charter  allows  at  least  equal  Rights), 
they  became  Master  of  the  Laws  and  Ministers  of  the  priviledges  of  the  said 
Charter,  and  having  forgot  the  Liberty  of  Conscience,  thereby  granted  to  all 
Christian  Inhabitants,  (Except  papists)  they  have  eluded  the  said  Charter,  and 
disappointed  the  rest  of  your  Majestys’  Loyal  Subjects  in  the  said  province  of 
the  benefit  thereof,  and  having  absolutely  the  ascendant  of  the  Assembly,  they 
have  usurped  and  assumed  to  themselves  the  Authority  of  an  Established 
Church,  in  direct  Opposition  to  the  said  Charter  &  to  several  Acts  of  parlia¬ 
ment  passed  here,  and  to  the  Constitution  of  these  Kingdoms,  and  have  taken 
upon  themselves  to  pass  Laws  tending  to  the  very  great  prejudice  and  Op¬ 
pression  of  the  Members  of  the  Church  of  England  and  the  rest  of  the 
Inhabitants  of  the  said  Colony,  and  particularly  the  petrs  did  humbly  Inform 
Your  Majesty  that  they  passed  a  Law  in  the  said  province,  Intitled  an  Act  for 
the  Settlement  and  Support  of  the  Ministers  and  Schoolmasters,  whereby  it  is 
[int.  alia),  Enacted  that  the  Inhabitants  of  each  Town  within  the  said  province 
should  take  due  Care  from  time  to  time  to  be  Constantly  provided  with  an 
able  Learned  Orthodox  Minister  of  good  Conversation  to  dispense  the  Word 
of  God  to  them,  which  Minister  or  Ministers  should  be  Constantly  Supported 
and  maintained  by  the  Inhabitants  of  such  Town,  And  all  Contracts,  Agree¬ 
ments,  and  Orders  theretofore  made,  or  that  thereafter  should  be  made  by 
the  Inhabitants  of  any  Town  within  the  said  Province,  respecting  their  Minis¬ 
ters  or  Schoolmasters  as  to  their  Settlement  or  Maintenance,  shod  remain 
good  and  Valid  according  to  the  Intent  thereof  and  where  there  was  no  Con¬ 
tract  or  Agreement  made  in  any  Town  respecting  the  Support  and  Mainte¬ 
nance  of  the  Ministry,  or  when  the  same  Expired,  and  the  Inhabitants  of  such 
Town  shod  Neglect  to  make  Suitable  provision  therein,  on  Complaint  thereof 
made  to  the  Quarter  Sessions,  they  are  empowered  to  Order  a  Competent 


2  77 


[i732. 


Allowance  for  such  Minister  according  to  the  Estate  or  Ability  of  the  Town 
to  be  raised  by  Assessment  upon  the  Inhabitants  ;  And  by  the  said  Act  it  is 
further  Enacted  that  every  Minister  Chosen  by  the  Major  part  of  the  Inhabi¬ 
tants  of  any  Town  at  the  Town  Meeting,  shod  be  the  Minister  of  such  Town 
and  the  whole  Town  be  obliged  to  pay  towards  his  Maintenance  and  Settle¬ 
ment  each  Man  his  several  proportion. 

That  this  Act  was  only  preparatory  and  Introductive  of  other  Acts  to 
follow.  For  so  quickly  after  as  in  the  same  Year  they  passed  another  Act 
Intitled  An  Act  for  the  Explaining  and  altering  some  Clauses  and  Sentences, 
and  the  repealing  some  others  Contained  in  several  Acts  made  and  passed  at 
the  Second  Session  of  this  Court,  in  October  last  in  1692,  whereby  ( int .  alia ) 
the  paragraph  in  the  aforesaid  Act,  directing  that  the  Minister  of  each  Town 
shod  be  Chosen  by  the  Majority  of  the  Inhabitants  of  such  Town,  and  the 
whole  Town  obliged  to  pay  towards  his  Settlement  and  Maintenance  is  re¬ 
pealed.  And  by  the  said  Act  it  is  Ordained  that  each  respective  gather’d 
Church  (whereby  the  petrs  did  most  humbly  inform  his  Majesty  are  meant  the 
Independant  Meetings)  in  any  Town  or  place  within  that  province,  that  at 
any  time  should  be  in  Want  of  a  Minister,  such  Church  should  have  power 
according  to  the  Directions  given  them  in  the  Word  of  God  to  Choose  their 
own  Minister  and  the  Major  part  of  such  Inhabitants  as  there  usually  attend 
on  the  publick  Worship  of  God  and  are  qualifyed  for  Voting  in  Town  Affairs 
Concurring  with  the  Church’s  Act  the  person  so  Elected  and  approved, 
accepting  thereof  and  Settling  with  them  should  be  the  Minister  towards 
whose  Settlement  and  Maintenance  all  the  Inhabitants  and  ratable  Estates 
lying  within  such  Town  shod  be  obliged  to  pay  in  proportion  ;  That  in  such 
Towns  or  places  where  there  is  no  gather’d  Church,  the  ratable  Inhabitants  of 
such  Town  or  place  at  a  meeting  duely  warned  for  that  purpose  by  the  Major 
Votes  of  such  Assembly,  with  the  Advice  of  three  Neighbouring  Ordained 
Ministers  shall  Choose  and  Call  an  Orthodox  Learned  and  pious  person  to 
dispence  the  Word  of  God  unto  them,  To  the  Settlement  and  Maintenance 
of  which  Minister  all  ratable  Estates  and  Inhabitants  within  such  Town  or 
place  shall  be  assessed  and  pay  proportionably,  And  in  Case  any  Town,  shall 
be  Negligent  of  their  Duty  respecting  the  Maintenance  of  the  Minister  the 
Quarter  Sessions  of  the  same  place  are  empowered  to  provide  Remedy  for 
the  same  ;  That  these  Clauses  are  by  the  said  Act  Ordained  to  be  an  Addi¬ 
tion  to  the  remaining  part  of  the  said  Act  relating  to  Ministers. 


1732.] 


278 


That  the  said  Independents  in  further  Addition  to  the  said  last  Act,  (and 
in  further  prosecution  of  their  Intentions  of  Setting  up  their  own  as  an  Es¬ 
tablished  or  provincial  Church),  passed  an  Act  Intitled  An  Act,  in  further 
Addition  to  the  Act  for  the  Settlement  and  Support  of  Ministers,  Whereby 
It  is  Enacted  That  when  at  any  time  a  Church  should  Choose  a  Minister  and 
present  the  Choice  to  the  Inhabitants  of  the  Town  or  precinct  in  a  publick 
Meeting  duly  Warhed  and  Assembled  for  that  purpose  to  have  their  Concur¬ 
rence  therein  and  the  Inhabitants  so  assembled  shod  by  a  Major  Vote  deny 
their  Approbation  of  the  Church’s  Choice,  the  Church  might  Call  in  the  help 
of  a  Councill  Consisting  of  the  Elders  and  Messengers  of  three  or  five 
Neighbouring  Churches  which  Councill  were  by  the  said  Act  Empowered  to 
hear,  Examine  and  Consider  the  Exceptions  and  Allegations  made  against  the 
Church’s  Election,  and  in  Case  the  Councill  shod  notwithstanding  Approve 
of  the  said  Election,  such  Minister  Accepting  of  the  Choice  and  Settling  with 
them  should  be  the  Minister  of  the  Town  or  precincts  who  should  be  in  all 
respects  supported  and  maintained  as  by  the  said  Act  is  provided,  But  if 
otherwise  the  Church  was  to  proceed  to  Elect  another  Minister. 

That  the  said  Independants  in  further  prosecution  of  their  said  Designs, 
passed  another  Act,  Entituled  an  Act  more  effectually  providing  for  the  Sup¬ 
port  of  Ministers,  Reciting,  That  Whereas  in  some  few  Towns  within  that 
province  divers  of  the  Inhabitants  were  Quakers,  and  other  Irreligious  persons 
averse  and  opposite  to  the  publick  Worship  of  God,  and  to  a  Learned  and 
Orthodox  Ministry,  and  found  out  Ways  to  Evade  Laws  provided  for  the 
Support  of  such  and  perverted  the  good  Intentions  thereof  to  the  Encour¬ 
agement  of  Irreligion  and  profaneness :  For  Remedy  Whereof,  and  in 
further  Addition  to  the  former  Act,  It  is  thereby  Enacted  that  when  and  so 
often  as  from  time  to  time  Information  or  Complaint  should  be  made  to  the 
Court  of  General  Sessions  of  the  peace  in  any  County,  That  the  Minister  of 
any  Town  or  District  within  such  County  was  not  Suitably  Encouraged  and  Sup¬ 
ported,  or  maintained  according  to  his  Contract  or  Agreement  made  with  the 
Inhabitants  or  according  to  the  Allowance  or  Maintenance  ordered  by  the 
Court  of  General  Sessions  of  the  peace  as  the  Law  directs,  where  there  is  no 
such  Contract,  or  that  the  same  happened  to  be  expired  by  reason  that  the 
select  Men  or  other  Assessors  of  such  Town  or  District  refused  or  neglected 
to  assess  and  raise  such  Maintenance  and  Cause  the  same  to  be  Levied  on 
the  Inhabitants  or  that  payment  thereof  was  withheld  from  the  Minister ;  In 


279 


[i732. 


every  such  Case  the  said  Court  is  directed  and  further  Empowered  over  and 
above  Imposing  a  fine  on  such  Select  Men  or  Assessors  to  appoint  three  or 
more  Sufficient  Freeholders  to  assess  and  Apportion  the  Sum  agreed  on  or 
set  for  the  Yearly  Support  and  Maintenance  of  such  Minister  either  by  Con¬ 
tract  or  Court  Order  on  the  Inhabitants  of  such  Town  or  District  in  manner 
as  is  directed  for  raising  the  publick  Charges,  and  Two  Justices  are  Em¬ 
powered  to  make  out  a  Warrant  for  Levying,  Collecting  and  paying  the  same 
unto  the  Minister  or  such  person  as  shod  be  appointed  by  the  Sessions  to  re¬ 
ceive  the  same  for  his  Use. 

That  another  Act  was  passed  in  the  said  province  in  the  Second  Year  of 
the  Reign  of  his  late  Majesty  King  George  the  first,  Intitled  An  Act  for 
Maintaining  and  propagating  Religion,  in  which  after  a  general  Recital  of  the 
said  Laws  for  rendering  the  same  more  effectual  and  to  prevent  the  Growth 
of  Atheism,  Irreligion  and  profaneness  is  Suggested  as  one  Great  Reason  of 
its  being,  and  thereby  the  Justices  in  Quarter  Sessions  are  directed  at  the 
Opening  of  their  Court  from  time  to  time  to  give  in  Special  Charge  to  the 
Grand  Jury  to  make  diligent  Enquiry  and  presentment  of  all  Towns  and 
Districts  that  are  destitute  of  a  Minister  qualifyed  as  by  the  said  Law  is 
directed,  or  that  do  not  make  a  Suitable  provision  for  his  Support  and  Main¬ 
tenance,  and  upon  such  presentment,  Complaint,  or  Information  in  any  other 
manner  the  Court  of  General  Sessions  are  directed  and  required  Vigorously 
to  put  the  Laws  in  Execution  for  redressing  of  all  defects  and  Neglects  of 
that  kind  and  forthwith  to  make  the  necessary  Orders  for  that  End  as  by  Law 
they  are  Empowered,  and  in  Case  their  Orders  so  made  were  not  duely  ob¬ 
served,  or  by  Combination  or  practice  of  ill  Men  were  eluded  and  rendered 
ineffectual,  For  the  Speedy  remedying  and  reforming  so  great  an  Evil,  the 
Justices  of  such  Court  are  to  represent  and  make  Report  of  their  proceed¬ 
ings  unto  the  next  Session  of  the  Great  General  Court  or  Assembly,  who 
upon  such  Report  are  to  take  effectual  Care  to  provide  and  Send  an  able 
Learned  Orthodox  Minister  of  good  Conversation  (being  first  recommended 
by  three  or  more  of  the  Settled  ordained  Ministers)  to  every  such  Town  or 
District  that  shall  be  destitute,  and  also  provide  for  his  Honble  Support  and 
Maintenance  by  adding  so  much  to  the  proportion  of  such  Town  or  District 
to  the  publick  Taxes  from  time  to  time  as  they  shod  Judge  sufficient  for  that 
End,  and  so  in  like  manner  for  the  Support  and  Maintenance  of  Ministers  in 
such  Towns  or  Districts  that  neglect  to  fulfill  and  perform  the  Contracts  and 


i73  2.] 


28o 


Agreements  made  with  their  Ministers,  and  shod  also  proceed  after  the  same 
manner  to  supply  and  support  a  Minister  in  places  that  were  destitute  where 
the  Justices  neglect  their  Duty  to  take  Care  thereof,  and  such  additional  Sums 
so  laid  as  aforesaid,  were  to  be  assessed,  Collected  and  paid  into  the  publick 
Treasury  with  the  other  publick  Taxes,  and  drawn  out  thence  and  duely  paid 
to  the  Minister  and  Ministers  respectively,  for  whom  it  should  be  laid. 

That  by  another  Act  passed  in  the  fourth  Year  of  his  said  late  Majesty’s 
Reign,  Intitled  An  Act  in  Addition  to  an  Act  passed  in  the  first  year  of 
Queen  Ann,  Intitled  An  Act  for  the  more  effectually  providing  for  the  Sup¬ 
port  of  the  Ministry,  Reciting  the  powers  provided  by  the  said  Act  for  Assess¬ 
ing  the  Inhabitants  for  the  Support  of  the  Ministers,  But  that  no  like  power 
was  provided  with  Reference  to  the  Charge  of  building  and  repairing  of  the 
publick  Meeting  houses  for  the  Worship  of  God.  It  is  Enacted  that  when 
and  so  often  as  the  Major  part  of  the  Inhabitants  of  any  precinct  or  District 
had  or  shod  at  a  Meeting  legally  Warned,  agree  on  the  Building,  finishing  or 
repairing  of  any  publick  Meeting  house,  or  defraying  any  other  necessary 
Charge  for  the  Support  of  the  Worship  of  God,  and  agree  on  any  sum  for 
that  purpose,  the  Assessors  of  such  precinct  or  District  were  Empowered  to 
Assess  and  raise  the  same  on  the  respective  Inhabitants,  and  in  like  manner 
as  is  directed  by  the  said  Act,  and  all  regular  or  legal  precincts  or  Districts 
are  Empowered  to  Choose  a  Committee  or  other  officers  for  the  better  man¬ 
agement  of  the  affairs  of  their  respective  precincts  or  Districts  as  aforesaid, 
and  a  new  District  is  made  by  this  Act,  and  the  Inhabitants  thereof  to  have 
full  power  to  Choose  a  Committee  for  the  Regulation  and  Management  of  all 
Affairs  relating  to  the  Support  of  the  publick  Worship  of  God. 

That  the  said  Independants  having  passed  the  aforesaid  Laws  (in  direct 
opposition  to  their  said  Charter  and  to  the  Laws  and  Constitutions  of  this 
Kingdom)  in  order  to  oppress  the  Church  of  England  people  and  other 
Christian  Inhabitants  Conscientiously  differing  from  the  said  Independants 
and  having  by  the  said  Act  of  1715  Vested  an  illegal  power  in  themselves  of 
determining  who  shod  be  Ministers  under  the  Qualifications  aforesaid,  and  of 
appointing  Ministers  of  their  own  perswasion  and  Imposing  them  and  their 
Maintenances  on  all  his  Majesty’s  Subjects,  even  those  of  their  Mother 
Church  to  Compleate  their  Designs  under  the  said  Laws  they  set  up  them¬ 
selves  for  and  acted  as  an  Established  Church,  and  very  lately  took  upon  them 
as  such  to  Erect  a  Synod,  but  which  was  taken  notice  of  and  condemned  and 
disallowed  by  his  said  late  Majesty. 


28i 


[1732. 


That  the  petrs  (who  are  ministers  of  the  Church  of  England),  have  been 
sent  over  as  Missionaries  to  New  England  by  the  HonbIe  Society  for  Propa¬ 
gation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts,  and  the  petrs  have  laid  a  very  fair  foun¬ 
dation  of  Instructing  great  Numbers  of  the  Inhabitants  there  in  the  Doctrine 
and  Worship  of  the  Church  of  England,  who  are  of  themselves  very  desirous 
of  Embracing  the  Church  of  England,  as  Established  by  Law,  and  wherein 
they  shd  have  made  a  greater  progress  but  from  the  oppressions  and  hard¬ 
ships  which  they  Continually  received  from  the  Independants  in  the  said 
province  which  they  Continued  daily  to  exercise  towards  the  petrs  and  all  that 
became  members  of  their  Congregation  by  unwarrantably  rating  and  assess¬ 
ing  them  for  the  Support  and  Maintenance  of  the  Independant  Teachers  and 
for  the  repairing  and  building  the  Independant  Meeting  Houses,  and  in 
default  of  payment  by  distraining  their  goods,  and  laying  their  persons  in 
actual  Imprisonment,  and  using  all  methods  possible  to  discourage  the  Inhab¬ 
itants  from  Embracing  the  Government,  Doctrine,  and  Liturgy  of  the  Church 
of  England,  whereby  the  Members  of  their  Churches  were  miserably  dis¬ 
tressed  by  the  force  and  Violence  that  is  used  upon  their  persons  and  Estates 
in  Case  of  the  least  Refusal  or  Delay  to  Contribute  to  the  Support  of  the 
Dissenting  Teachers  and  their  Meeting  Houses,  and  on  which  amount  at  least 
Thirty  of  the  Members  of  the  Church  of  England  have  been  Imprisoned  at  one 
time  in  one  Town,  which  the  said  petitioners  humbly  represent  as  the  greatest 
Obstacle  to  the  Encreasing  of  the  Members  of  the  Church  of  England  in 
that  province.  It  not  being  to  be  expected  that  tho’  in  their  hearts  the 
Inhabitants  are  entirely  disposed  to  the  Doctrine  of  the  Church  of  England 
that  they  shod  openly  come  into  that  profession  under  which  (as  matters  then 
stood)  they  Could  not  have  protection,  but  were  lyable  to  Imprisonment  and 
all  the  distresses  of  the  persecuting  resentments  of  the  Governing  power 
there,  which  was  Vested  in  the  Independants  with  whom  the  Church  of  Eng¬ 
land  professors  were  not  upon  a  Levell,  such  was  the  Unhappy  Circumstances 
of  the  Established  Church  of  England  in  that  province ;  Whereas,  were  such 
of  the  Inhabitants,  who  according  to  there  own  desires  shod  become  members 
of  the  Church  of  England,  exempted  and  protected  from  rates  to  the  Inde¬ 
pendant  Teachers,  there  is  great  reason  to  believe  many  would  be  daily  added 
to  the  Church,  and  by  that  means  the  Church  Enlarged,  and  his  Majesty’s 
supremacy  in  Ecclesiastical  affairs  be  acknowledged,  which  at  present  is  but 
too  much  neglected  in  that  province. 

36 


i73  2.] 


282 


That  therefore,  and  as  the  said  Acts  in  the  rigid  manner  in  which  they  are 
put  in  execution  might  affect  the  Lives,  as  well  as  the  Consciences,  Religion, 
Libertys,  and  propertys  of  the  petrs  and  their  Congregations,  and  the  petrs 
being  apprehensive  of  greater  sufferings,  They  most  humbly  beg  leave  to  lay 
the  said  acts  before  the  King  in  Councill  for  his  Royal  Consideration  thereof, 
pursuant  to  the  Direction  of  the  said  Charter,  and  did  humbly  submit  it  to  his 
Majesty’s  consideration  whether  the  same  are  Warranted  by  the  Charter  and 
humbly  hoped  his  Majesty  would  be  pleased  to  repeal  the  same  (amongst 
several  others)  for  the  following  reasons,  viz. : 

First  in  regard,  that  no  national  or  provincial  Church  is  by  the  said  Charter 
established  in  the  said  province,  but  an  extension  and  Universal'  Liberty  of 
Conscience  is  thereby  given  and  secured  to  all  sorts  and  denominations  of 
Christians  inhabiting  the  said  province  (papists  only  excepted)  and  no  one 
sect  preferred  above  the  other  by  the  said  Charter  in  respect  to  Church  power 
and  Government,  a  free  Liberty  of  Conscience  being  the  principal  foundation 
of  the  said  Charter. 

Secondly  in  regard,  the  said  Acts  tend  in  the  strictest  manner  to  the  sup¬ 
pression  of  a  free  Liberty  of  Conscience  expressly  granted  by  the  said 
Charter,  and  in  direct  opposition  thereto,  sets  up  independancy  above  his 
Majesty’s  other  Protestant  subjects  in  general,  and  of  their  Mother  Church  in 
particular,  To  which  the  petitioners  belong,  and  Instead  of  disposing  matters 
so  as  that  all  his  Majesty’s  subjects  there  might  be  peaceably  and  Religiously 
governed  and  protected,  and  preserving  to  them  their  free  profession,  and 
securing  and  maintaining  Liberty  of  Conscience  to  all  his  Majesty’s  Protestant 
subjects,  the  said  Acts  in  the  Execution  and  Consequences  of  them  entirely 
take  away  all  Liberty  of  conscience,  the  security  of  Religion,  and  invade  the 
Civil  Libertys  and  propertys  and  the  rights  and  priviledges  granted  to  all  his 
Majesty’s  Protestant  Subjects  by  the  said  Charter. 

Thirdly  in  regard,  the  General  Court  have  not  by  the  said  Charter  (as 
the  petrs  humbly  apprehended)  any  power  to  make  any  Laws  imposing  any 
thing  relating  to  any  particular  form  of  Divine  worship,  especially  to  assess 
the  Protestants  of  one  Denomination  in  support  of  those  of  another,  they 
being  only  Impowered  by  the  Charter  (as  the  petrs  humbly  apprehend)  to 
make  assessments  for  his  Majesty’s  Service  in  the  defence  and  Support  of 
the  Government,  and  not  for  the  support  of  a  Teacher  of  any  particular 
Opinion  whatsoever,  which  is  conceived  to  be  directly  contrary  to  the  end  the 


283 


[!  732- 


Charter  had  in  view,  and  if  the  Charter  had  given  any  further  power  the  petrs 
humbly  apprehend  it  was  not  to  be  supposed  that  the  Charter  would  have 
preferred  Independant  Teachers  (which  were  all  along  meant  by  learned  and 
Orthodox  Ministers  in  the  said  Act)  before  the  Church  of  England  Ministers, 
and  therefore  shd  those  Acts  enure  they  would  effectually  deprive  his  Maj¬ 
esty’s  Subjects  there  of  the  Liberty  of  Conscience  granted  them  by  the  Charter 
in  regard  the  said  Legislature  will  construe  none  Orthodox  but  their  own 
Independant  Teachers. 

Lourthly,  by  these  Laws  and  the  rigid  manner  of  carrying  them  into 
Execution,  great  distresses  and  discouragements  are  brought  upon  the  Mother 
Church  and  the  Inhabitants  of  the  sd  province,  who  would  otherwise  freely 
embrace  the  publick  benefit  of  the  Church  of  England,  are  thereby  greatly 
discouraged  from  openly  professing  themselves  members  thereof,  whereas  if 
those  Acts  were  repealed  and  any  Acts  of  the  like  nature  prevented  from 
being  passed  for  the  future,  it  is  very  reasonable  to  believe  the  members 
of  the  Church  of  England  would  receive  a  daily  encrease,  and  that  by  this 
means  many  flourishing  Churches  would  be  very  soon  effectually  established 
amongst  them. 

Wherefore  and  for  several  other  reasons  and  as  the  said  Laws  are  ap¬ 
prehended  to  be  contrary  and  repugnant  to  the  Laws  of  England,  and  shod 
those  Acts  enure  they  would  be  of  the  most  dangerous  consequence,  not  only 
to  the  Members  of  the  Church  of  England  in  the  said  province,  but  also  to 
his  Majesty’s  other  Colonies  and  Plantations  abroad,  and  that  the  petrs  and  all 
the  members  of  the  Established  Church  of  England  in  the  said  province  may 
be  freed  from  the  payment  of  all  rates  for  the  maintenance  of  Teachers  of  any 
other  perswasion. 

The  Petrs  for  themselves  and  their  suffering  Brethren,  most  humbly  prayed 
that  his  said  late  Majesty  would  take  all  the  said  several  Acts  before  stated 
into  his  Royal  Consideration,  and  that  his  said  late  Majesty  would  thereupon 
be  pleased  to  pronounce  his  Royal  negative  and  repeal  the  same  and  each  of 
them,  and  that  the  proper  and  necessary  directions  might  be  given  to  prevent 
any  Acts  of  the  like  oppressive  nature  from  being  passed  for  the  future,  And 
that  his  said  late  Majesty  would  be  pleased  to  make  such  further  and  other 
order  in  the  premises  as  he  in  his  great  Wisdom  and  Goodness  should  see 
fitting  to  provide. 

The  Second  petition  sets  forth  that  the  petrs  and  several  others  u  consider- 


1732.] 


284 


able  time  since  preferred  their  humble  petition  to  His  Majesty’s  late  Royal 
Father  in  Council,  praying  for  the  reasons  therein  contained  the  repeal  of 
several  Acts  of  Assembly  in  the  said  petition  particularized  which  had  been 
passed  by  the  said  province  to  the  very  great  prejudice  and  oppression  of  the 
Members  of  the  Church  of  England  obliging  them  to  pay  to  the  support  of 
the  Presbyterian  and  Independant  Teachers  who  the  assembly  of  the  said 
province  had  taken  upon  them  to  establish  as  the  ministry  of  the  said  prov¬ 
ince  in  direct  opposition  to  the  Charter  of  the  said  province,  the  principal 
foundation  of  which  is  a  Liberty  of  conscience  to  all  Christians  (except 
papists)  which  petition  his  Majesty  was  pleased  by  Order  in  Councill  to  refer  to 
the  Right  Honble  the  Lords  Commissioners  for  Trade  and  Plantations  who  had 
not  made  any  report  thereon,  occasioned  as  the  Petrs  humbly  conceived  by  the 
assembly  of  the  said  province  having  so  soon  as  they  were  informed  of  the 
said  application  passed  an  Act  Intitled  An  Act  in  addition  to  the  several  Acts  for 
the  Settlement  and  Support  of  Ministers,  whereby  after  imposing  a  general  Tax 
on  all  the  inhabitants  of  every  Town,  parish,  or  precinct,  for  the  support  of 
the  ministry  of  each  town,  parish,  or  precinct,  it  was  provided  that  all  mem¬ 
bers  of  the  Church  of  England,  who  resided  within  five  miles  of  a  Society  of 
the  Church  of  England,  where  there  was  a  person  in  Orders  according  to  the 
Rules  of  the  Church  of  England,  settled  and  abiding  among  them  and  per¬ 
forming  Divine  Service,  So  that  such  members  of  the  Church  of  England 
could  conveniently,  and  did  usually  attend  the  public  Worship  there,  that  then 
and  in  such  case  the  taxes  collected  of  such  persons  were  directed  to  be  paid 
unto  such  Minister  of  the  Church  of  England,  But  in  case  of  any  deficiency 
happening  by  such  payments  to  the  Ministers  of  the  Church  of  England  in 
the  salary  covenanted  to  be  paid  by  any  town,  parish,  or  precinct,  to  the 
Ministers  of  the  Churches  therein  by  Law  established,  it  was  then  and  in 
such  case  enacted  that  such  deficiency  should  be  made  up  within  two  months 
by  such  town,  parish,  or  precinct  generally,  which  would  take  in  all  the  Mem¬ 
bers  of  the  Church  of  England. 

That  the  petrs  humbly  conceived  it  was  apprehended  that  this  Act  would 
in  a  great  measure  free  the  members  of  the  Church  of  England  in  the  said 
province  from  the  many  oppressions  brought  upon  them  by  the  several  Acts 
complained  of,  and  prayed  to  be  repealed  by  their  said  former  petition,  But 
the  pet”  most  humbly  informed  his  Majesty  that  it  is  very  common  for  the 
people  in  New  England  to  go  ten  or  fifteen  miles  to  Church;  So  that  this 


285  [i732. 

last  Act  by  limiting  the  exemption  to  five  miles  was  very  far  from  removing 
the  grievances  complained  of. 

That  the  petrs  humbly  informed  his  Majesty  that  James  Ellis  of  the  Town 
of  Cambridge,  in  the  said  province  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay,  a  Member  of 
the  Church  of  England,  and  who  hath  a  pew  in  the  petrs’  Church  at  Boston, 
where  he  duly  attends  the  Divine  worship  of  God,  and  who  pays  towards 
the  support  of  the  said  Church,  hath  been  greatly  distressed  and  was  actually 
confined  and  imprisoned  in  Cambridge  Gaol,  for  not  paying  towards  the  sup¬ 
port  of  the  established  minister  of  that  town  by  reason  that  his  place  of  resi¬ 
dence  is  upwards  of  five  miles  distant  from  the  petrs’  Church. 

That  the  petrs  humbly  submitted  it  to  his  Majesty’s  wise  consideration, 
whether  the  said  Act  by  subjecting  the  inhabitants  generally  (which  includes 
the  Members  of  the  Church  of  England)  to  make  up  all  deficiencys  to  the 
established  Minister  of  each  town,  parish,  or  precinct,  does  not  make  it  the 
same  thing  as  if  there  was  no  exemption  at  all. 

That  the  petrs  likewise  most  humbly  submitted  it  to  his  Majesty’s  consid¬ 
eration,  Whether  the  Governour  and  Councill  of  the  said  province  are  war¬ 
ranted  by  their  Charter  to  pass  any  Law  whereby  to  Tax  the  Members  of  the 
Church  of  England,  or  of  any  other  perswasion  to  the  support  and  mainte¬ 
nance  of  the  Minister  of  what  they  have  taken  upon  them  to  establish  as  the 
provincial  Church. 

The  petrs  therefore,  for  himself  and  his  suffering  Brethren,  most  humbly 
prayed  his  Majesty  that  he  would  be  graciously  pleased  to  take  the  Charter 
of  the  said  province,  as  also  the  several  Acts  complained  of  and  prayed  to  be 
repealed  by  the  said  former  petition,  together  with  the  above  mentioned  Act 
into  his  Royal  Consideration,  and  that  his  Majesty  would  thereupon  be  pleased 
to  annuli  or  repeal  the  said  Laws  as  being  not  warranted  by  the  said  Charter, 
and  would  be  pleased  strictly  to  injoin  the  Governour  of  the  said  province 
for  the  time  being  not  to  pass  any  act  for  the  future,  whereby  any  tax  shod 
be  laid  on  the  members  of  any  one  perswasion  for  the  support  of  the  Minis¬ 
ters  of  any  other  perswasion,  and  that  his  Majesty  would  be  pleased  to  make 
such  further  and  other  order  in  the  premises  as  his  Majesty  in  his  great  Wis¬ 
dom  and  Goodness  shod  see  fitting  to  provide. 

The  Questions  proposed  to  us  by  Mr.  Popple’s  first  letter  are  whether  the 
Acts  mentioned  in  the  first  petition  are  repugnant  to  the  Charter;  and  if  they 
are  so  whether  it  be  now  in  his  Majesty’s  power  to  repeal  them. 


I732-] 


286 


And  We  certify  your  Lordships  that  by  the  Charter  of  this  province,  dated 
the  7th  of  October,  in  the  third  year  of  the  reign  of  their  late  Majesties  King 
William  and  Queen  Mary,  power  is  given  to  the  Governour,  and  the  great 
and  General  Court  or  assembly  of  the  said  province  to  make  Laws  and  Stat¬ 
utes  so  as  the  same  be  not  repugnant  or  contrary  to  the  Laws  of  England, 
and  it  is  thereby  ordained  that  the  same  should  be  by  the  first  opportunity  after 
the  making  thereof,  sent  or  transmitted  unto  their  said  late  Majesties,  their 
Heirs  and  Successors,  under  the  public  seal  for  their  approbation  or  disallow¬ 
ance,  and  that  in  case  all  or  any  of  them  shod  at  any  time  within  the  space  of 
three  years  next  after  the  same  should  have  been  presented  to  their  said  late 
Majesties,  their  heirs  and  successors,  in  their  Privy  Councill  be  disallowed  and 
rejected  and  so  signifyed  by  them  under  their  sign-manual  and  signet,  or  by 
Order  in  their  Privy  Councill  unto  the  Governor  for  the  time  being,  then  such 
and  so  many  of  them  as  should  be  so  disallowed  and  rejected  should  thence¬ 
forth  cease  and  determine  and  become  utterly  void  and  of  none  effect ;  Pro¬ 
vided  that  in  case  their  said  late  Majesties,  their  Heirs  or  Successors  should 
not,  within  the  Term  of  Three  Years  after  the  presenting  of  such  Laws  or 
Statutes,  signify  their  Disallowance  of  the  same,  then  the  said  Laws  and  Stat¬ 
utes  shod  be  and  continue  in  full  force  and  effect  untill  the  Expiration  thereof, 
or  that  the  same  should  be  repealed  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the  said 
Province. 

It  is  stated  to  us  by  Mr.  Popple,  in  his  Letter,  that  the  three  first  Acts 
mentioned  in  the  first  petition  have  been  Confirmed  by  the  Crown ;  And  it  is 
proper  to  Observe  that  two  of  these  Acts  were  made  in  1692  and  Confirmed 
in  1695,  and  the  third  was  made  in  1695  and  Confirmed  in  1698. 

The  subsequent  Acts  Complained  of  in  the  first  petition  have  not  been 
Confirmed  by  the  Crown,  but  the  first  of  those  was  made  in  1702,  the  next  in 
1715  (which  is  expired),  and  the  last  in  1718. 

As  to  the  three  first  Acts,  those  having  been  confirmed  by  the  Crown  can¬ 
not  be  repealed  by  His  Majesty  without  the  Concurrence  of  the  General 
Court  or  Assembly. 

The  other  three  appear  to  have  been  transmitted  more  than  three  years 
ago,  but  whether  they  were  regularly  presented  to  the  King  in  Councill  doth 
not  appear  to  us.  If  they  were,  as  they  have  not  been  disallowed  within  the 
Space  of  three  years  limited  by  the  Charter,  such  of  them  as  are  not  expired 
cannot  be  repealed  by  the  King  without  the  Concurrence  of  the  General 
Court  or  Assembly. 


2  87  [  1 73  2. 

The  next  Consideration  is  whether  these  Acts  are  repugnant  to  the  Char¬ 
ter,  and  therefore  void  in  their  Original. 

As  to  which  thus  much  is  clear,  that  the  Charter  has  directed  a  General 
Liberty  of  Conscience  to  be  allowed  to  all  Christians  (except  Papists),  and 
neither  Institutes  nor  expressly  prohibits  a  Provincial  Church  to  be  Estab¬ 
lished  in  this  Colony.  But  notwithstanding  that,  we  conceive  that  by  Vertue 
of  the  General  power  of  making  Laws,  the  Legislature  of  this  Province  may 
take  care  and  provide  for  the  Celebration  of  the  Publick  Worship  of  God,  and 
for  the  Maintenance  of  Ministers  as  incident  thereto,  and  the  doing  of  this  in 
a  reasonable  manner  cannot  be  said  to  be  inconsistent  with  Liberty  of  Con¬ 
science.  Neither  doth  anything  arise  upon  the  construction  of  the  Charter 
which  either  forbids  the  making  of  such  provision  in  general,  or  confines  them 
to  do  it  in  any  particular  form. 

It  appears  to  us  that  the  Constitution  of  this  Province  has  been  thus  un¬ 
derstood  by  the  Crown,  the  first  three  Acts  of  Assembly  complained  of  having 
many  years  ago,  and  near  to  the  time  of  granting  the  Charter,  received  the 
Royal  Confirmation,  and  having  been  acted  under  ever  since ;  And  therefore 
it  seems  to  us  harsh  and  unreasonable  to  say  that  either  the  Laws  thus  Con¬ 
firmed,  or  the  Subsequent  Acts  which  are  grounded  upon  them  are  void  in 
themselves,  as  being  Repugnant  to  the  Charter. 

If  they  were  really  void  in  themselves  on  this  account,  yet  no  Extrajudicial 
Declaration  that  they  are  so  would  be  conclusive,  but  the  only  Method  of 
bringing  that  Matter  to  a  Determination  would  be  by  some  Judicial  Proceed¬ 
ing. 

o 

The  last  Petition  contains  nothing  new  but  what  relates  to  an  Act  of  As¬ 
sembly  passed  in  1727,  Entitled  an  Act  in  Addition  to  the  several  Acts  for  the 
Settlement  and  Support  of  Ministers,  upon  which  your  Lordships  are  pleased 
to  desire  our  Opinion  in  point  of  Law. 

This  Act  appears  to  have  been  made  in  order  to  give  some  Ease  and 
Relief  to  the  Members  of  the  Church  of  England  who  reside  within  five  miles 
of  a  Congregation  having  a  Church  of  England  Minister  in  holy  Orders  be¬ 
longing  thereto  ;  And  the  chief  Objection  made  by  the  petrs  to  this  Act  is  that 
it  doth  not  extend  far  enough  in  their  favour,  but  leaves  them  lyable,  in  some 
Instances,  to  pay  towards  the  maintenance  of  Ministers  of  another  perswasion 
settled  there. 

This  we  conceive  to  be  a  prudential,  and  not  a  legal  objection  to  the  Act, 


I732-] 


288 


and  the  same  being  made  to  have  continuance  only  for  five  Years,  expires  in 
the  present  Year. 

All  which  is  submitted  to  your  Lordships’  Judgment. 

P.  Yorke. 

C.  Talbot. 

i  6  August,  1 73 2. 


Mr.  PLANT  to  the  Secretary . 


Newbury,  N.  England,  Septr  24th,  1732. 

Rev”  Doctor, 

I  can  now,  with  the  utmost  pleasure  &  satisfaction,  acquaint  you  that  the 
number  of  my  hearers  is  very  much  increased,  the  body  of  the  church  &  gal¬ 
leries  being  but  a  little  more  than  what  will  contain  them.  One  thing  wch 
greatly  contributes  to  the  increase  of  my  congregation  is  the  perfect  love  & 
unity  amongst  us,  whilst  our  Dissenting  neighbours  are  in  the  utmost  confu¬ 
sion  &  disorder.  Since  my  last,  I  have  baptized  4  children,  1  at  York  &  3  at 
Piscatua,  places  about  26  miles  distant  from  me,  the  Honble  Lieu1  Govr  Dun¬ 
bar  being  a  surety  for  1  of  the  children.  In  my  own  congregation  the  chil¬ 
dren  are  baptized  in  a  regular  manner.  Such  is  the  estate  of  my  church, 
which,  altho’  it  may  not  answer  their  Honors’  expectations,  yet  I  hope  my 
endeavours  will  be  something  acceptable.  My  church  (as  is  very  well  known) 
is  seated  at  some  disadvantage  ever  to  expect  a  very  large  congregation ; 
however  ’tis  a  pity  to  deprive  them  of  it,  since  they  are  an  example  of  love 
&  unity  to  most  others  in  this  Country,  &  if  happiness  is  to  be  found,  we  en¬ 
joy  it.  Were  it  not  in  pity  and  love  to  the  people,  &  in  consideration  of  a  prior 
promise  to  them,  I  might  have  had  the  benefit  of  a  larger  salary  &  a  greater 
congregation  ;  I  mean  Marblehead,  for  upon  Mr.  Mossom’s  removal  they  made 
application  to  me,  &  my  only  motive  to  refuse  was  the  desolate  condition  that 
these  few  sheep  were  to  be  exposed  to,  which,  indeed,  was  their  pitiable  moan 
to  me,  so  that  I  have  (as  I  had  before)  given  them  this  promise  that  upon  no 
consideration  whatever  will  I  leave  them,  unless  I  go  into  my  native  country. 
For  this  &  many  other  reasons  that  I  could  lay  before  their  Honours,  I  once 
more  make  bold  earnestly  to  request  either  an  addition  to  my  salary,  or  in 


289 


[i732. 


what  method  their  Honors  see  cause  to  perform  it,  for  it  is  well  known  that 
my  salary  is  mean,  &  that  I  have  used  great  caution  &  conduct  to  maintain 
myself  in  such  manner  as  becomes  a  missionary. 

I  am,  Revd  Sr,  &c.,  &c., 

MATT.  PLANT. 

N.  B. — The  first  Tuesday  in  this  month  we  had  a  shock  of  the  Earthquake, 
which  shook  our  houses  very  much,  tho’  attended  with  little  or  no  noise.  It 
extended  over  a  great  part  of  New  England. 


♦ 


M' .  MILLAR  to  the  Secretary . 


Braintree,  N.  England,  Octr  5th,  1732. 

Revd  Sir, 

I  have  received  yours  of  the  26th  of  Feby  last,  &  am  very  thankful  to  the 
Honble  Society  for  the  leave  granted  me  to  come  over  to  England,  but  not  be¬ 
ing  able  to  supply  my  parish  in  so  good  a  manner  as  I  could  wish,  I  have  put 
off  my  coming  for  the  present.  My  church  visibly  increases,  &  the  people’s 
prejudice  seems  greatly  to  wear  off. 

Since  I  have  been  upon  the  mission,  I  have  at  times  preached  to  some 
people  of  the  Church  of  England  at  Scituate,  about  17  or  18  miles  from 
hence,  formerly  in  a  private  house,  where  I  had  as  large  an  auditory  as  the 
house  could  well  contain.  They  have  lately  built  a  church,  &  placed  it  con¬ 
veniently  for  the  accommodation  of  several  neighbouring  towns,  as  well  as 
Scituate.  The  church  was  first  opened  upon  the  11th  of  October  last,  when  I 
preacht  to  them  and  baptised  8  children.  There  were  such  numbers  of  peo¬ 
ple  that  some  could  not  get  into  the  church.  Upon  St.  Andrew’s  Day  I 
preached  to  them  again,  &  tho’  the  weather  was  very  cold  &  church  very 

open,  not  being  finished,  the  church  was  almost  full,  &  the  people  who  were 

37 


1 733-] 


290 


before  unacquainted  with  the  service  of  the  Church,  seemed  very  well  pleased 
with  it.  I  have  promised  to  preach  to  them  again  in  Christmas  week. 

They  have  petitioned  the  Honble  Society  for  a  minister,  &  particularly  de¬ 
sired  Mr.  Addington  Davenport,  who  is  gone  just  from  hence  for  holy  orders. 

It  would  greatly  tend  to  the  increasing  of  the  Church  in  these  parts  to 
send  a  missionary  there,  &  I  take  Mr.  Davenport  to  be  very  well  qualified  for 
that  service.  I  do  humbly  recommend  the  affair  to  the  compassionate  consid¬ 
eration  of  the  Honble  Society. 

However,  if  the  Honble  Society  shall  not  think  fit  to  settle  a  mission  there, 
I  shall  continue  with  all  readiness  to  serve  that  people  as  far  as  I  can. 

I  am,  Revd  Sirs,  &c.,  &c., 

EBENR  MILLAR. 


Dr.  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Boston,  in  N.  England,  May  Ist,  1733. 

Sir, 

The  bearers  of  this  letter  are  2  converts  to  our  Church,  Mr.  Pierson  & 
Mr.  Browne,  desirous  of  Missions,  as  the  pleasure  of  the  Society  shall  be, 
either  at  New  England  or  New  York,  in  some  of  those  places  which  are 
partly  known  by  me,  &  in  any  of  which  I  am  well  assured  they  will  have  great 
advantage  to  answer  the  ends  of  the  worthy  Society. 

I  need  say  the  less  in  their  behalf,  they  being  recommended  fully  by  their 
nearest  neighbours,  to  which  I  would  only  add,  that  from  some  personal  ac¬ 
quaintance  with  Mr.  Browne,  the  brother  of  that  excellent  person  with  whom 
I  went  for  England,  &  where  he  died  of  the  small  pox  presently  after  he  had 
received  his  mission  from  the  Society,  &  from  many  other  testimonies  in  fa¬ 
vour  of  both  those  persons,  I  am  fully  persuaded  of  their  real  worth,  &  that  a 
love  to  our  Church  &  a  love  to  souls  are  the  great  motives  of  their  under¬ 
taking. 


291 


[1733- 


Since  last  Septr  18th  I  have  recd  to  the  communion  of  my  Church  8  per¬ 
sons  blameless  in  life  &  religion,  whereof  3  belong  to  a  town  called  Dedham, 
where,  from  Novr  last  to  this  time,  I  have  preacht  monthly,  on  the  Sundays, 
the  minrs  of  this  town  supplying  my  place  on  those  occasions,  to  about  40  or 
50  adult  persons,  some  whereof  have  been  originally  of  our  Church,  &  others 
are  converts  or  well  affected  to  it,  &  do  at  those  times  administer  the  Sacra¬ 
ment  to  about  8  or  9  of  them,  &  by  considerable  numbers  I  am  desired  to 
continue  my  services,  only  preaching  in  the  week  time,  it  being  difficult  to 
supply  my  church  on  the  Sundays. 

And  such  is  the  growing  inclination  of  many  there,  that  I  presume  a  rea¬ 
sonable  time  will  make  great  additions  to  our  communion. 

I  have  also  baptised  34  infants,  besides  one  adult  and  one  infant  slave,  & 
my  Church  remains  in  a  state  of  peace  &  tolerable  regularity,  &c.,  &c. 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


The  Clergy  of  New  England  to  the  Secretary. 

Boston,  May  23rd,  1733. 

Revd  Sir, 

The  Clergy  of  New  England  convened  at  Boston,  23rd  May,  1733,  upon 
receiving  the  enclosed  letter,  subscribed  by  some  Gentn  of  Westerly  in  the 
Colony  of  Rhode  Island,  have  determined  to  supply  the  church  in  the  said 
place,  according  to  the  tenour  of  another  paper  inclosed,  &  considering  the 
distance  of  our  several  habitations,  we  believe  the  Hon.  Society  will  be  of 
opinion  that  the  supply  of  Westerly  is  of  such  consequence  as  to  justify  the 
present  address. 

Westerly  is  in  the  vicinity  of  Naraganset.  There  is  a  church  built  &  well 
nigh  finished.  There  are,  in  a  close  contiguity  to  the  said  church,  an  Indian 
King  or  Sachem  &  about  200  Indians.  The  Sachem,  some  years  since,  gave 
20  acres  of  land,  on  which  the  church  stands,  for  a  perpetual  Glebe  to  the 
church,  but  the  assembly  of  Rhode  Island,  who  must  concur  in  such  grants, 
have  granted  such  land  to  the  Church  of  England,  with  this  clause  (or  to  any 
other  Society  of  Godly  people).  Besides  this  the  people  will  (we  are  assured) 


1 733-] 


292 


subscribe  near  £ 20  p.  an.  to  a  resident  missionary,  in  consideration  of  all 
which  we  pray  the  Society  would  take  the  pitiable  consideration  of  this  peo¬ 
ple’s  circumstances,  &  we  are,  &c.,  &c., 


Matt.  Plant, 
John  Usher, 
Arthr  Browne, 
Geo.  Pigot, 
Eben.  Millar, 


Saml  Seabury, 
Roger  Price, 
Thos  Harward, 
Tim.  Cutler, 

Jas  McSparran. 


♦ 


Govr  BELCHER  to  the  Right  Revd  LORD  BISHOP  of 

LONDON. 


Boston,  Octr  5,  1733. 

Much  honored  Lord, 

The  Revd  Mr.  Davenport  brought  me  the  honor  of  your  Lordship’s  of  the 
8  Leby  last,  and  I  humbly  thank  your  Lordship’s  goodness  in  recommending 
Mr.  Granger  to  the  Society,  who  have  appointed  him  schoolmaster  in  the  place 
of  the  late  Mr.  Hills. 

I  am  very  sorry  your  Lordship  has  the  trouble  of  any  complaints  from  the 
Clergy  or  people  of  the  Chh  of  England  here,  Sc  I  believe  your  Lordship  must 
be  misinformed  on  some  heads  you  mention  to  me ;  for  I  think  I  lent  your 
Lordship  (about  2  years  ago)  a  transcript  of  a  law  of  this  Province,  wherein 
there  is  full  care  taken  of  those  that  are  of  the  persuasion  of  the  Chh  of  Eng¬ 
land,  that  tho’  they  are  taxed  in  what  is  called  a  ministerial  rate,  yet  those  in 
such  towns  who  attend  upon  the  worship  of  the  Church  of  England  have  their 
part  of  such  tax  carried  by  the  Collector  to  the  Church  of  England  Minister 
where  such  person  attends,  and  this,  my  Lord,  seems  to  be  just  and  righteous, 
&  a  good  preventitive  of  loose  dissolute  people’s  paying  to  the  minister  at  all, 
and,  indeed,  I  liked  this  method  so  well,  while  I  had  the  honor  to  be  of  his 
Majesty’s  Council  for  this  province,  that  I  did  all  in  my  power  to  promote  it, 
nor  have  I  ever  heard  that  the  people  of  the  Church  of  England  have  been 
debarred  of  being  married  by  their  own  clergy.  I  am  highly  obliged  to  your 
Lordship  for  the  honor  of  your  opinion,  and  I  have  the  satisfaction  to  assure 


293 


[i733- 


you  that  it’s  well  grounded,  for  I  am  as  far  as  any  man  living  from  rigour  or 
severity  in  religious  matters,  yet  I  am  for  a  very  strict  observation  of  the 
Lord’s  day,  &  esteem  it  the  happiness  of  this  Country,  that  although  we  are 
advanced  into  a  second  Century,  yet  I  have  not  seen  any  other  part  of  the 
world  where  the  Lord’s  day  is  so  religiously  observed  as  in  New  England, 
and  the  wholesome  laws  long  since  enacted  for  that  purpose  have  been  well 
accepted  &  approved  by  the  Crown.  I  am  afraid,  my  Lord,  there  are  people 
here  that  affect  to  make  themselves  uneasy  without  reason,  &  that  they  are 
too  much  encouraged  from  the  superciliousness  and  Bitterness  of  some  of  the 
Church  Clergy,  who  might  be  very  quiet  &  happy,  and  so  might  their  several 
congregations,  if  the  Clergy  would  from  time  to  time,  as  they  found  occasion, 
dutifully  apply  themselves  to  the  Government  established  here  by  the  Crown, 
but  instead  thereof  they  seem  to  incline  to  ride  over  it,  which  I  am  sure  your 
Lordship  will  never  countenance  them  in.  St.  Peter  commands  us  to  submit 
to  every  ordinance  of  man  for  the  Lord’s  sake,  whether  it  be  to  the  King  as 
supreme,  or  unto  Govrs,  as  unto  them  that  are  sent  by  him ;  and  would  the 
Clergy  here  practice  the  duty  of  Christian  meekness  &  duly  apply  themselves 
to  the  Governm1  here,  I  believe  they  might  generally  save  themselves  and 
your  Lordship  a  great  deal  of  trouble,  &  I  do  assure  your  Lordship  they 
should  at  all  times  have  my  full  weight  and  influence  in  the  Governm1  for  their 
ease  and  protection  in  every  reasonable  thing  they  could  propose.  I  pray 
your  Lordship  would  allow  Mr.  Belcher  the  honor  of  putting  this  into  your 
hands,  and  that  he  may  still  enjoy  the  Blessing  of  your  Lordship’s  smiles  and 
countenance. 

I  have  the  honor  to  remain  yrs.  &c., 

J.  BELCHER. 

♦  - 

AT.  PRICE  to  the  BISHOP  of  LONDON. 

Boston,  Novr  5th,  1733. 

My  Lord, 

Since  I  wrote  last  to  your  Lordship  nothing  material  has  occurred.  The 
old  spirit  of  contention  still  reigns  among  our  people,  which  I  find  very  diffi¬ 
cult  to  be  restrained  within  the  bounds  of  discretion.  From  the  encourage- 


1 733-] 


294 


ment  given  them  in  your  last  letter  they  are  preparing  to  renew  their  com¬ 
plaint,  according  to  your  Lordship’s  direction,  in  a  judicial  way.  ’Tis  with  re¬ 
luctance  I  engage  in  this  cause,  not  that  it  is  not  worthy  your  Lordship’s  notice 
&  deserves  redress,  but  the  methods  used  &  the  persons  concerned  in  the 
prosecution  of  it  do  more  damage  to  our  Church  than  we  can  expect  good 
from  the  undertaking.  For  to  speak  my  sentiments,  it  is  not  any  real  advan¬ 
tage  to  the  Church,  which,  without  any  scruple,  they  can  trample  upon  when 
it  interferes  with  their  own  interest  and  humour,  but  pride  and  ill  will  to  the 
Dissenters,  which  pushes  on  a  set  of  men  who  will  dispute  as  warmly  for 
popery  as  for  the  Church  of  England,  and  are  as  great  enemies  to  their  own 
Governm1,  both  in  Church  and  state,  when  it  opposes  their  schemes,  as  to 
Presbytery.  But  the  misfortune  is,  he  that  contradicts  them  falls  under  the 
lash  of  their  Evil  Tongue,  &  whoever  comes  short  of  their  inadequacy  is 
called  [*  ]  of  the  Church.  This  has  been  [  |  and  [  | 

ashamed  to  own  it.  I  opposed  them  in  their  [  j  addressing  the  House 

of  Commons ;  I  opposed  them  in  their  address  to  the  King,  but  in  vain ;  I 
opposed  their  defending  2  Dissenters  from  the  penalty  of  the  Law,  for  with¬ 
holding  their  minister’s  rates,  who,  altho’  they  frequented  the  meeting,  had 
been  persuaded  to  refuse  payment,  by  a  promise  of  Protection  from  the 
Church.  I  opposed  the  leaving  the  whole  management  of  this  affair  to  two  or 
three  men  who  have  no  merit  but  being  Lovers  of  Contention,  who,  because 
very  inconsiderable  in  their  proper  calling,  endeavor  to  get  a  name  &  renown 
of  stirring  up  strife.  Mr.  Cradock,  whose  name  I  suppose  your  Lordship  has 
met  with  in  the  List  of  wranglers,  is  now  going  to  England  &  join  with  Mr. 
Sanford  in  the  prosecution  of  this  complaint.  I  suppose  he  will  represent  the 
case  of  our  churches  more  fully  to  your  Lordship ;  but  he  is  to  be  believed 
with  Caution.  Dissimulation  is  his  noted  Talent,  and  tho’  he  may  talk  big  for 
the  Church,  yet  his  end  is  gain.  What  advantage  we  shall  reap  from  our  suc¬ 
cess  in  this  undertaking  I  can’t  say,  but  it  is  certain  we  shall  render  ourselves 
odious  to  the  Dissenters  by  our  Proceedings,  &  discover  such  weakness  at 
home,  if  we  should  fail  in  the  attempt,  as  will  expose  us  to  great  contempt 
and  make  our  condition  more  deplorable  than  it  was  before.  I  mentd  to  our 
Vestry  my  design  of  going  to  England  with  an  intention  to  return,  who  made 
so  many  objections  to  their  being  left  under  the  care  of  Mr.  Harwood  that  I 


*The  blanks  enclosed  in  brackets  were  torn  from  the  original  MS. 


295 


[1733- 


have  laid  it  aside  and  am  now  bent  upon  quitting  the  place  entirely  when  a 
proper  opportunity  offers,  not  without  hopes  of  being  thought  worthy  your 
Lordship’s  care. 

The  Law  against  travelling  on  Sunday,  which  you  enquired  after,  has  not 
yet  been  put  in  execution. 

I  am, 

my  Lord,  your  Lordship’s  most  dutiful,  &c.,  &c., 

ROG.  PRICE. 


Dr.  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary. 


Boston,  New  England,  Decr  3d,  1733. 

Sir, 

I  now  wait  on  the  Society  with  this  account  of  the  state  of  things  in  my 
mission. 

Since  May  the  first  (viz.,  last  May)  to  this  time  I  have  baptised  32  infants 
&  two  adult  persons,  who  have  offered  themselves  to  that  ordinance,  with  a 
due  sense  of  its  necessitys  &  advantages  &  the  duties  resulting  from  such  a 
dedication  of  themselves  to  God,  &  with  these  dispositions  there  are  6  persons 
who  have  proceeded  further  &  added  themselves  to  our  Communion. 

My  church  is  rather  encreasing,  &  persist  in  that  good  harmony  I  have 
always  been  happy  with,  &  the  most  unpromising  to  our  advantages  is  the 
plenty  of  those  scandalous  books  that  rudely  assault  the  principles  of  all 
religion  &  virtue,  &  have  too  kind  a  reception  from  many  among  us. 

As  I  always  excite  my  people  to  fear  God  &  Honour  their  King,  I  know 
nothing  dark  in  the  last  article,  and  am  well  persuaded  that  the  late  benev¬ 
olence  of  his  Majesty  to  us  will  join  in  to  strengthen  those  general  motives 
from  religion  &  from  the  Common  benefits  derived  from  his  happy  reign. 

I  continue  my  service  to  Dedham,  &  am  to  preach  there  in  the  Christmas 
Holiday :  I  willingly  undergo  these  fatigues,  my  services  being  not  only  kindly 
accepted  there,  but  successful  to  the  proseliting  of  some,  &  softening  of  others 
to  our  most  excellent  Church.  And  as  far  as  the  principles  of  virtue,  peace, 
and  of  our  Church  gain  ground,  I  find  a  desirable  improvement  in  all  the  prin- 


1 734-] 


296 


ciples  of  virtue  &  peace,  &  an  universal  benevolence ;  though  upon  these 
occasions  I  find  the  mouth  of  slander  is  too  liberal  of  contrary  suggestions. 

And  indeed  nothing  could  move  persons  to  ride  between  10  &  16  miles  to 
our  monthly  communion,  as  some  of  them  do,  unless  religion  lays  at  heart. 
Especially  since  the  Dissenters  go  on  imprisoning  all  those  that  refuse  their 
rates  to  the  Teachers  among  them :  an  instance  whereof  in  a  man  of  my  com¬ 
munion,  living  6  miles  from  this  Town,  hath  engaged  us  in  a  law  suit  in  one 
of  our  Courts,  whence,  as  doubtless  we  shall  fail  of  success,  we  shall  presume 
to  carry  it  by  69  of  appeal  home. 

I  am,  &c.,  &c., 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


Mr.  PIERSON  to  the  Secretary . 


Salem,  Massachusetts,  Aug1  6th,  1734. 

Revd  Sir, 

I  should  before  now  have  acquainted  the  Hon’ble  Socty  with  the  condi¬ 
tion  of  my  church  here  but  that  I  was  disappointed  by  a  fit  of  sickness.  I 
arrived  here  the  30th  of  Jany  last,  the  people  belonging  to  the  church  gener¬ 
ally  seemed  to  be  rejoiced  at  my  coming,  and  continue  to  express  a  kindness 
and  respect  for  me,  and  gratitude  to  the  venerable  Society  for  taking  them 
under  their  care.  They  are  now  making  up  their  subscription,  which  I  sup¬ 
pose  they  will  send  by  the  first  opportunity,  with  a  letter  of  thanks.  Mr. 
Tranberry,  a  Sweedish  Minister  in  the  neighborhood,  has  done  something 
toward  keeping  them  together  in  the  time  of  their  vacancy,  by  performing 
Divine  service  and  preaching  amongst  them.  But  yet  they  were  too  much 
like  lost  sheep,  and  some  of  the  most  inconsiderable  amongst  them  went 
among  the  Quakers  (the  chief  body  of  people  that  inhabit  this  Country)  ;  but 
I  hope  they  may  be  reclaimed  in  time.  Several  of  the  substantial  men  of  the 
first  founders  of  the  church  are  dead.  I  have  buried  eight  since  my  first  being 
here,  baptized  6  infants,  2  adults,  one  of  which  especially  had  been  of  great 
repute  among  the  Quakers.  The  number  of  communicants  is  but  small  as  yet, 
not  exceeding  10  or  12  ;  I  have,  I  think,  commonly  on  a  Sunday  upwards  of 


297 


C1 734* 


ioo  in  my  congregation,  and  on  some  occasions  have  had  upwards  of  200.  I 
have  likewise  been  at  Cohansie,  a  place  about  20  miles  distant,  &  chiefly  set¬ 
tled  with  Presbyterians,  where  I  had,  considering  the  season  of  the  year,  a 
considerable  number  in  congregation  there ;  there  is  likewise  a  number 
of  people  at  Maurice’s  River,  a  place  about  30  miles  off,  consisting  of  Eng¬ 
lish  and  Sweeds,  whom  I  design  to  visit  in  a  short  time ;  but  I  find  the 
condition  of  the  Church  of  Salem,  the  people  having  been  so  long  without  a 
pastor,  requires  me  constantly  to  attend  there,  and  accordingly  I  have  not 
missed  one  Sunday,  except  once  when  I  was  unwell,  since  my  first  coming.  I 
find  there  is  a  great  disadvantage  arising  from  the  want  of  Common  Prayer 
Books ;  there  are  a  great  many  poor  people  &  servants,  some,  by  reason  they 
have  not  been  used  to  the  Church,  do  not  rightly  understand  the  Liturgy,  & 
some  are  scarcely  able  to  purchase  a  Prayer  Book,  wherefore  I  believe,  if  the 
honorable  Society  would  be  pleased  to  make  a  small  present  of  Prayer  Books, 
it  would  be  of  great  service.  I  pray  God  bless  and  preserve  the  Society, 
and  am, 

Revd  Sir,  their  and  Your 

Most  obedient,  humble  servant, 

JOHN  PIERSON. 


D\  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary . 


Boston,  Massachusetts,  9ber  9th,  1734. 

Sir, 

I  am  now  to  render  to  the  Society  an  acco1  of  my  Parish  from  May  7th  to 
this  time,  wherein  I  have  baptized  30  infants,  of  which  one  is  a  negro,  &  one 
English  person  &  one  negro  slave,  both  adults,  seriously  desirous  of,  and 
receiving  that  ordinance ;  the  negro  much  reformed  in  his  life  and  having  a 
worthy  character  of  seriousness  and  religion  from  the  Dissenting  family  he 
belongs  to.  There  are  also  added  to  our  communion  8  persons,  2  whereof 
are  very  aged,  another  an  ancient  negro  woman  whom  I  formerly  baptized ;  all 
of  them  to  all  appearance  governed  by  the  best  motives,  and  worthy  of  their 
standing  in  the  Church  of  Christ. 

38 


1 734-] 


298 


My  church  is  seldom  without  dissenters,  more  or  fewer,  that  attend  our 
worship  with  decency  and  composure,  and  several  have  thereby  been  recon¬ 
ciled  to  it  and  become  constant  attendants  &  communicants,  and  my  church,  I 
hope,  is  an  example  of  peace,  edification,  and  moderate  growth. 

I  have  also  preached  at  Dedham,  where  I  baptized  5  children  of  a  man  and 
wife,  sober  converts  to  our  excellent  Church. 

And  likewise  I  have,  upon  invitation,  preached  in  a  town  called  Mendon, 
about  38  miles  off,  more  inland  than  any  in  New  England,  where  the  service 
of  our  Church  hath  been  performed ;  there  I  baptized  one  child,  and  had  an 
audience  of  about  100  grown  persons,  among  whom  were  several  of  distinc¬ 
tion,  and  Quakers  as  well  as  other  sectaries,  who  gave  us  the  liberty  of 
assembling  for  worship  in  their  house,  and  treated  us  (myself  in  particular), 
with  remarkable  civility  and  respect  afterwards. 

I  found  an  hearty  spirit  of  enquiry  and  a  proper  di  position  to  act  accord¬ 
ingly.  It  is  probable  I  may  have  farther  opportunity  to  serve  that  people,  and 
I  have  great  reason  to  look  for  the  same  Blessing  of  God  there  as  I  have 
found  elsewhere,  and  if  once  the  Church  of  England  gain  ground  in  those 
inland  parts,  the  knowledge  and  reputation  of  it  will  in  all  likelihood  be  dif¬ 
fused  thro’  the  Country,  the  Church,  even  in  this  imperfect  state  among  us, 
discovering  no  such  spirit  of  contention  and  division  as  remarkably  abounds 
among  the  different  and  opposite  societies  of  religion,  to  the  grief  of  their 
most  serious  &  sober  members.  I  shall,  by  the  grace  of  God,  work  while  the 
day  lasts,  and  so  long 

I  am  the  Society’s  most  thankful 

&  obedient  Servant, 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


299 


[r  734- 


M\  WILLIAMS ,  &f*.,  gf-'.,  the  LORD  BISHOP  of 

LONDON. 


Hatfield,  Septr  10th,  1734. 

My  Lord, 

We  would  approach  your  Lordship  with  humble  Deference  and  respect, 
acknowledging  our  distance  &  meanness,  and  hope  your  goodness  will  render 
you  a  righteous  Judge  in  your  own  cause  &  towards  your  inferiors,  as  holy 
Job  professes  he  did  not  despise  the  cause  of  his  man  servant  or  his  maid 
servant. 

It  is  the  cause  of  God  that  we  are  concerned  for,  &  the  well  being  of  our 
Churches,  and  which  we  apprehend  our  relation  to  them  as  pastors  obliges 
us  to.  And  inasmuch  as  it  is  more  immediately  from  your  Lordship  that 
Missionarys  are  authorized  &  sent  from  England  to  us,  we  think  no  person  so 
proper  for  us  to  apply  ourselves  unto,  and  humbly  beg  leave  to  acquaint  your 
Lordship  so  far  of  the  state  of  our  Country  &  Province,  &  also  of  the  Colony 
of  Connecticut,  bordering  upon  us,  with  respect  to  religion,  that  you  may  be 
sensible  that  the  sending  of  Missionaries  hither  does  not  answer  the  good  & 
noble  professed  design  of  the  royal  Charter  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagating 
the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts,  nor,  as  we  suppose,  of  many  of  the  generous 
Donors  to  that  Society,  and  that  they  are  neither  necessary  nor  profitable, 
but  as  to  many  instances,  rather  injurious  to  the  interests  of  the  Kingdom  of 
Christ  &  the  good  of  his  Majesty’s  subjects  in  these  parts. 

For  1.  We  think  we  may  justly  claim  the  name  of  a  Christian  Country,  or 
people  already  (tho’  we  may  blush  that  we  no  better  honor  that  worthy 
name).  For  we  acknowledge  the  religion  which  Jesus  Christ  has  graciously 
taught  for  the  recovery  of  a  lost  world  to  God,  to  His  favor  &  Image. 

We  believe  and  own  all  such  Doctrines  &  Duties  as  are  contained  in  the 
Holy  Scriptures  of  the  Old  &  New  Testament,  consenting  to  &  receiving 
all  the  Doctrinal  Articles  of  the  Established  Church  of  England,  constantly 
adhering  to  the  Sacred  Scriptures  as  the  rule  of  our  Faith  &  practice,  nor 
dare  we  call  any  man  upon  Earth  our  father  or  master  in  these  regards. 

2.  These  Doctrines  are  openly  acknowledged  in  our  Confessions  of  Faith, 
and  are  constantly  preached  in  all  parts  of  the  Land.  It  is  our  civil  constitu- 


1 734-] 


300 


tion  that  every  town  in  the  province  shall  be  provided  with  a  learned  & 
Orthodox  Minister,  &  many  of  our  larger  towns  have,  some  2,  some  3  or  4 
such.  And  those  who  are  employed  in  the  ministry  are  men  solemnly  separ¬ 
ated  to  that  work  by  the  Election  of  the  people  to  whom  they  minister,  & 
their  own  deliberate  Act  &  Engagem4  and  by  prayer,  with  the  laying  on  of 
the  Hands  of  the  Presbytery,  &  have  a  solemn  charge  given  them  to  fulfil  the 
ministry  which  they  have  received  of  the  Lord.  And  we  hope  we  may  say 
of  them  in  general  that  they  do  diligently  attend  thereunto,  Preaching  the 
Word,  in  season  &  out  of  season,  and  are  accepted  in  the  respective  Congrega¬ 
tions  whereunto  they  are  called ;  and  if  any  are  found  negligent  therein,  due 
Testimony  is  borne  against  them,  and  upon  Just  reasons  are  removed,  and 
others  are  put  in  their  stead. 

3.  We  take  care  that  the  doors  of  our  churches  be  opened  to  all  persons 
of  competent  knowledge  in  the  Doctrines  of  the  Christian  Religion,  and  who 
are  of  a  regular  conversation.  If  any  of  the  members  of  our  churches  walk 
disorderly  &  fall  into  scandalous  Immoralities,  that  the  discipline  of  Christ  be 
exercised  towards  them  to  bring  them  to  repentance,  which  so  soon  as  there 
is  a  credible  appearance  of  rational  Charity,  we  readily  restore  them  again. 

4.  The  Missionaries  that  come  among  us  shew  a  very  uncharitable  & 
unchristian  spirit,  particularly  by  insinuating  that  our  Ministry  is  no  Ministry, 
not  having  had  Episcopal  Ordination,  and  that  so  all  other  Administrations 
are  null  &  invalid,  and  that  our  Churches  are  no  Churches  of  Christ,  and  that 
our  people  are  to  be  looked  upon  as  strangers  to  the  Commonwealth  of 
Israel — a  tenet  or  principle  which  came  from  Rome,  and  which  in  years  past 
has  been  disclaimed  in  England,  and  is  still  by  all  the  other  reformed  Churches 
in  Europe — as  also  by  their  Endeavors  to  render  the  Government  of  our 
Churches  insignificant,  by  receiving  into  their  communion  &  protection  such 
as  lie  open  to  or  are  under  censure  in  them  for  immoral  conduct. 

5.  Which  things  tend  to  breed  disorder  and  confusion  in  our  Churches,  by 
cherishing  a  small  number  of  disaffected  persons  in  several  places,  to  the  ill 
example  of  a  whole  town,  produces  wranglings,  strifes,  ill  names,  needless 
disputations,  instead  of  Godly  Edifying,  and  tends  to  lead  them  to  place 
religion  rather  in  some  external  observations  &  ceremonies  than  in  love  to  God 
and  our  neighbours  and  in  a  life  of  Faith,  repentance  &  Holiness. 

6.  We  cannot  but  look  upon  it  as  great  injustice,  it  having  been  often 
openly  declared  to  the  world  that  our  Fathers  left  their  Native  Land,  & 


3oi 


[i734- 


at  a  vast  Expence  purchased  &  subdued  a  wilderness,  that  they  might  in  a 
place  of  their  own  serve  God  according  to  their  Consciences  in  peace,  without 
giving  offence  to  the  then  Governing  powers — a  liberty  which  we  account 
dearer  than  any  temporal  interest  whatsover,  which  some  Missionaries  have 
endeavoured  to  wrest  from  us,  partly  by  setting  themselves  to  lay  blocks  in 
the  way  of  our  having  synods  convened  for  the  reforming  such  Evils  as  have 
a  Threatening  effect  upon  us. 

And  we  have  reason  to  fear  that  the  prospect  of  a  better  salary  than  what 
our  Ministers  generally  have  (which  is  not,  unless  in  some  great  towns,  ^40 
sterling  per  annum,  as  our  Bills  are  now  sunk),  has  been  the  great  induce¬ 
ment  to  some  of  our  young  men  to  go  over  to  receive  Orders ; — that  we 
would  not  take  upon  us  to  judge  men’s  hearts, 

But  heartily  wish  that  your  Lordship  and  the  HonbIe  Society  might  not  be 
missled  in  those  weighty  affairs,  and  that  the  Missionaries  might  have  the 
worthy  views  of  carrying  the  Gospel  among  the  miserable  Heathen  who  have 
not  known  the  way  of  Life,  or  to  search  parts  of  His  Majesty’s  dominions 
where  Ignorance  &  Error  have  prevailed,  &  have  no  provision  made  for 
them. 

Relying  on  your  Lordship’s  candour,  &  assuring  you  that  we  have  not  any 
personal  views  nor  Interest  that  has  moved  us  thus  to  address  you,  but  from 
a  real  desire  that  the  donations  from  the  Honorable  Society,  in  their  several 
Missions,  may  not  be  misapplied,  &  from  a  sincere  regard  to  the  peace  & 
prosperity  of  our  Churches, 

We  are  your  Lordship’s 

most  humble  servants, 

WM  WILLIAMS,  Modr. 


Jonathan  Edwards,  Scribe 


In  the  name  of  the 
Associated  Ministers  of  the 
County  of  Hampshire. 


1 734-]  302 

M\  COLMAN  to  the  Right  Rev  LORD  BISHOP  of 

LONDON. 


Boston,  N.  E.,  Septr  13th,  1734. 

Sir, 

I  am  desired  to  forward  and  cover  the  inclosed  to  your  Lordship,  from  my 
revd  &  honored  Brethren,  the  Associated  Pastors  of  the  County  of  Hamp¬ 
shire,  in  New  England,  partly  because  I  am  now  the  senior  Pastor  in  this  Sea¬ 
port  of  our  Province,  &  partly  because  they  suppose  my  worthless  name  may 
be  a  little  known  at  London,  tho’  not  to  persons  of  your  Lordship’s  dignity. 

It  is  now  35  years  since  I  left  the  City,  when  I  was  not  unknown  to  the 
venerable  Dr.  Bray,  that  man  of  God,  for  apostolic  Love  &  Zeal,  since  which  I 
have  had  the  honor  of  a  long  most  free  intercourse  by  Letters  with  the  late 
excellent  Bishop  of  Peterborough,  Dr.  Kennett,  now  with  God. 

Your  Lordship’s  three  pastoral  Letters,  occasioned  by  some  late  sur¬ 
prising  writings  in  favor  of  Infidelity,  have  justly  honored  your  name  to  us  ;  & 
we  hear  your  character  for  moderation  &  righteousness  with  high  esteem 
&  pleasure.  I  do  therefore  the  more  willingly  join  my  Bretheren  who  live 
remote  from  Boston  and  hitherto  quite  out  of  the  way  of  the  Missions  whereof 
they  write  in  their  address  to  your  Lordship,  being  fully  persuaded  of  their 
Integrity' &  uprightness,  &  that  they  aim  at  nothing  but  what  is  just  and  right 
in  the  sight  of  God. 

The  harvest,  my  Lord,  is  plenteous,  from  North  Carolina  to  New  York, 
and  multitudes  are  perishing  within  that  long  spread  of  Virginia,  Maryland, 
Pennsylvania,  and  the  Jersies;  but  from  New  York  northward,  Dr.  Bray  undo 
little  need  of  Missionaries  for  the  propagating  of  Christianity,  the  Narraganset 
County  excepted,  and  in  the  Colonies  of  Connecticut  &  Massachusetts  none 
at  all,  as  at  the  time  I  was  informed. 

Were  your  Lordship  and  the  pious  Trustees  here  upon  the  spot,  I  am  sure 
you  could  not  think  the  professed  end  of  your  Charter  &  the  design  of  your 
Donors  answered  in  your  supporting  Missionaries  at  Boston,  Braintree,  New¬ 
bury,  Stratford,  Bristol,  Salem,  Groton,  &°. ;  or,  if  the  seaports  of  great 
Trade — Boston,  Newport,  Marblehead — need  to  have  ministers  of  the  Church 
of  England,  for  the  sake  both  of  the  Inhabitants  and  strangers,  yet  also  are  they 


303 


[1734- 


well  able  to  support  their  own  worship ;  or  did  they  want  some  assistance, 
there  can  be  no  pretence  for  it  out  of  a  Fund  sacred  to  God  for  the  sending- 
His  Gospel  into  dark  &  ignorant  places  of  the  Earth ;  but  they  ought  to  be 
provided  for  some  other  way,  and  not  by  aleviating  a  devoted,  confined 
charity,  which  were  to  run  a  danger  of  sacrilege  &  great  unfaithfulness. 

This,  my  Lord,  is  our  view  of  the  Case  now  laid  before  you,  which  is 
humbly  submitted  to  your  righteous  &  impartial  Judg1.  Yet  I  fear  that  I  have 
not  preserved  all  the  humility  and  great  modesty  which  adorns  the  enclosed 
from  my  Bretheren.  I  am  ready,  therefore,  to  humble  myself,  &  beseech  your 
Lordship’s  candor,  which  I  doubt  not  but  your  own  heart  will  make  some  ex¬ 
cuse  for  a  little  Zeal  &  resentment,  from  an  apprehended  Injury  to  one  of  the 
most  noble  Charities  to  souls,  &  most  extensive  services  to  the  name  of 
Christ,  that  has  been  proposed  to  the  World  for  ages  past.  A  concern  on  this 
principle  must  be  justified  &  have  your  Lordship’s  approbation.  I  entreat, 
my  Lord,  your  candid  Construction,  Forgiveness,  Prayers  &  blessing,  &  your 
leave  to  subscribe  myself, 

Your  Lordship’s 

most  humble  &  obedient  Serv1, 

BENJN.  COLMAN. 


♦ 


Mr.  PI  GOT  to  the  Secretary . 


Marblehead,  Massachusetts,  N.  England,  Decr  27th,  1734. 

Revd  Sir, 

I  once  more  write  in  behalf  of  the  good  people  of  Salem,  having  visited  them 
every  month,  besides  other  extraordinary  attendances,  during  the  past  year. 
We  are  now  increased  to  2  or  300  constant  hearers,  being  chiefly  such  as  have 
been  Baptized,  either  at  home  or  in  some  of  the  churches  in  this  country. 
Upon  a  search  into  my  own  Register,  I  find  that  I  have  Christened  2  adults  & 
41  infants  in  Salem  since  my  residence  here.  Dr.  Cutler  &  Mr.  Commissary 
Johnson,  of  Barbadoes,  can  both  testify  to  the  large  and  ready  congregation 
in  that  place,  the  one  having  there  at  my  request  preached  a  Lecture,  and  the 
other  a  Sunday  discourse,  the  people  are  so  well  disposed,  that  notwith- 


i73 4-] 


304 


standing  the  Society’s  refusal  of  a  new  mission  there,  they  are  preparing  once 
again  to  solicit  them  in  the  behalf  of  the  Revd  Mr.  Smith  of  the  Bahamas,  who 
is  very  desirous  of  a  removal,  &  has  applied  for  an  invitation  from  them. 

I  hope  my  former  to  the  Hon’ble  Society  has  wiped  off  all  sinister  repre¬ 
sentations  of  the  Church  of  Salem  being  set  forward  on  account  of  an  unhappy 
quarrel  with  one  of  their  ministers,  that  affair  having  really  turned  out  very 
much  to  our  disadvantage ;  not  that  we  intermeddle  therewith,  but  because 
both  the  contending  parties  were  equally  afraid  of  beng  reproached  with  pro¬ 
moting  the  odious  cause  of  the  church.  I  have  herewith  sent  a  certificate  of 
my  service  at  Salem  for  the  year  now  expiring,  and  humbly  request  the 
Hon’ble  Society  to  pay  my  draught  of  £ 20  in  favor  of  Mr.  Geo.  Vaux,  who 
will  deliver  this.  I  suppose  it  will  be  the  last  of  that  nature  that  I  shall  draw 
on  the  Society,  hoping  to  be  put  upon  the  level  with  the  rest  of  their  service¬ 
able  missionaries,  especially  if  it  be  considered  that  I  have  the  largest  family 
of  any  in  New  England,  &  shall  be  a  loser  by  having  Salem  taken  off  from 
my  cure.  You  may  find,  Sir,  by  my  Certificate,  that  I  have  a  new  Committee 
to  ascertain  it,  which  happens  by  reason  of  Mr.  Fairfax’s  removal  to  Virginia, 
Mr.  Gibbons’  to  Boston,  &  Mr.  Shillaber’s  extreme  old  age.  Into  their  room 
we  have  established  the  Honorable  Judge  Plaxton,  who  was  8  years  treasurer 
of  the  Island  of  Barbadoes,  Mr.  Vining,  the  King’s  new  Collector,  &  Mr. 
Britton. 

My  own  church  is  in  peace  &  thrives  as  fast  as  a  poor  town  will  allow,  my 
Baptisms  here,  one  year  with  another,  amounting  to  fourscore. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir, 

the  Hon’ble  Society’s 

devoted  &  your  very  humble  SerV, 

GEO.  PIGOT. 


305 


[I734- 


Committee  of  the  Members  of  the  Church  of  England  at  Salem 
to  the  Society  for  the  Propagatio?i  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign 
Parts . 


Massachusetts,  New  England,  Decr  30th,  1734. 

Right  Revd  Fathers, 

It  was  a  grievous  rebuke  to  our  growing  Society,  when  we  understood  by 
Mr.  Pigot  that  you  had  resolved  not  to  add  any  new  to  our  old  missions ; 
however,  as  we  were  advised,  we  were  but  looking  for  some  Gentleman  of  this 
Country,  when  very  luckily  (as  we  hoped)  we  were  importuned  by  Mr.  Smith, 
of  Providence,  in  the  Bahama  Islands,  to  give  him  a  call  to  our  church.  Ac¬ 
cordingly  we  have  complied  with  his  desire,  and  sent  this  to  speak  both  for 
him  and  us,  not  questioning  but  he  will  back  this  Petition  as  soon  as  he  shall 
receive  our  answer. 

We  are  now  grown  very  numerous — too  numerous  to  apply  to  the  Hon’ble 
Society  otherwise  than  by  a  Committee,  because  we  are  more  than  whole  names 
can  handsomely  be  contained  in  one  sheet.  For  our  town  being  a  country 
town,  where  both  Superior  and  Inferior  Courts  are  (of  Judicature)  held,  where 
the  King’s  Custom  House  is  placed,  and  where  even  the  General  Assembly 
for  their  Province  was  not  long  ago  convened,  is  by  those  means  a  place  of 
the  greatest  concourse  &  thoroughfare. 

Col1  Brown,  the  younger,  is  become  one  of  us,  and  our  lectures  are  fre¬ 
quented  by  some  of  the  Judges  and  Gentlemen  of  the  highest  authority  here. 
These  things,  together  with  the  inconvenience  of  repairing  to  Marblehead, 
(which  is  a  neck  of  land  separated  from  the  rest  of  the  country),  have  encour¬ 
aged  us  once  again  humbly  to  beseech  the  Hon’ble  Society  to  appoint  us  a 
Missionary,  &,  if  it  please,  so  that  Mr.  Smith  may  have  leave  to  settle 
among  us,  according  to  his  desire,  &  our  offers  to  him  of  his  house  rent  & 
fire  wood,  together  with  20s.  per  week  &  his  surplice  fees.  Our  church  will 
be  quite  finished  before  May  is  expired,  about  which  time  we  expect  Mr. 
Smith  among  us.  May  the  great  &  Good  God  ever  prosper  your  pious  en¬ 
deavors,  &  influence  your  hearts  to  favor  the  request  of  those  who  will  always 
39 


I734-] 


306 


esteem  it  the  greatest  blessing  of  their  lives  to  have  moved  your  compas¬ 
sion  for, 

Right  Revd  Sirs, 

the  Hon’ble  Society’s  most  devoted, 

and  most  obe*,  humble  Servts, 

Geo.  Plaxton, 

B.  Vining, 

Jacob  Manning, 
John  Touzell, 
David  Britton. 


Committee  of  the  Members  of  the  Church  of  England  at  Salem 
to  the  LORD  BISHOP  of  LONDON . 


Massachusetts,  New  England,  Decr  30th,  1734. 
May  it  please  your  Lordship, 

We  once  more  presume  to  address  your  Lordship  to  favor  our  humble 
application  to  the  Hon’ble  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Lor- 
eign  Parts,  whom  we  have  importuned  for  a  Missionary  in  this  Town,  where 
he  will  find  an  unexpected  and  well  disposed  audience.  We  have  no  blame  to 
lay  at  Mr.  Pigot’s  door,  for  his  own  people  will  not  suffer  him  to  visit  us  on 
Sundays,  and  therefore  we  beseech  your  Lordship  to  appear  in  our  behalf, 
that  that  good  spirit  which  is  so  prevalent  in  this  town  may  not  be  quenched 
for  want  of  paternal  influence. 

That  God  may  move  the  heart  of  your  Lordship  to  help  us,  &  that  you 
may  hereafter  shine  in  heaven  as  you  do  now  upon  earth,  is  the  constant 
prayer  of 

My  Lord, 

Your  dutiful  Sons,  &  most  obed1,  humble  Servants, 

Geo.  Plaxton, 

B.  Vining, 

Jacob  Manning, 
John  Touzell, 
David  Britton. 


307 


[I735- 


D\  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary. 


Boston,  Massachusetts,  N.  England,  Feby  23d,  1735-6. 

Sir, 

From  July  7th  to  this  instant  I  have  baptized  47  infants,  one  of  them  a 
slave,  and  received  to  our  communion  7  persons,  apparently  under  the  influ¬ 
ence  of  the  best  convictions ;  one  of  them  is  a  negro  servant  to  a  Dissenter, 
and  in  the  prime  of  life,  who,  from  great  irregularities,  is  become  a  serious  & 
sober  man,  &  now  bears  a  worthy  character  from  his  Master  &  Mistress,  who 
have  encouraged  him  in  these  good  dispositions  and  have  recommended 
him  to  me. 

I  have  reason  to  thank  God  for  that  good  measure  of  peace  and  harmony 
which  subsists  in  my  parish,  and  hopes  it  will  be  continued  and  perfected,  unless 
heresy  and  infidelity  should  stand  in  the  way,  which  seems  to  spread  in  this 
town  &  country,  and  so  to  endanger  my  church. 

But  besides  these,  the  principles  of  our  Excellent  Church  do  apparently 
prevail  more  and  more  in  N.  England  as  the  effect  of  serious  enquiry,  and  are 
likely  to  gain  everywhere  on  the  abounding  confusions  among  our  indepen¬ 
dents  &  the  ruin  of  all  order  &  quiet  among  them ;  particularly  the  people  of 
our  inland  towns,  who  have  labored  under  the  strongest  prejudices,  and  are 
the  most  remote  from  the  Society’s  help,  apply  to  our  Clergy  with  laudable 
dispositions  to  be  informed,  and  expressing  their  earnest  wishes  to  be  informed) 
and  of  convenient  advantages  for  our  worship,  that  in  all  probability  many  such 
places  will  ere  long  request  the  charity  of  the  worthy  Society,  by  which  many 
churches  do  already  subsist,  and  that,  if  granted,  will  much  strengthen  our 
common  cause  here.  And  we  most  humbly  hope  that  our  increasing  exigen¬ 
cies  will  recommend  us  to  a  proportionable  compassion  from  them,  and  then 
to  his  assistance  who  ministereth  seed  to  the  sower  and  hath  multiplied  the 
seed  sown. 

My  obligations  to  the  Society  are  too  strong  ever  to  be  forgotten  or 
neglected. 

I  am,  therefore,  their  most 

thankful,  humble  &  obed1  serv1, 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


1 735*] 


3°8 


Mr.  DAVENPORT  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Scituate,  N.  England,  Novr  io,  1735. 

*  *  *  The  first  and  second  Sundays  I  preached  here,  as  we  had 

very  numerous  assemblys,  so  I  flattered  myself  with  the  continuance  of  such 
or  larger  congregations,  but  I  was  soon  convinced  that  it  was  vain  to  enter¬ 
tain  any  such  thought,  for  the  most  came  purely  to  gratify  their  curiosity  in 
hearing  &  seeing  what  was  entirely  new  to  them,  &  of  the  very  few  that  dis¬ 
covered  any  liking  to  the  Church,  no  arts  were  wanting  to  alter  their  senti¬ 
ments,  nay  even  of  that  small  number  which  requested  a  mission,  but  3  dared 
to  meet  me  as  their  minister ;  the  others  (two  excepted,  who  were  absent) 
were  persuaded  by  the  dissenting  teachers  thereabouts  that  the  Church  of 
England  could  not  prevail  without  the  destruction  of  their  civil  as  well  as 
their  religious  libertys  (which  impudent  falsehood  they  do  not  scruple  yet 
daily  to  assert),  insomuch  that  upon  our  first  sacrament  day  I  had  but  3  com¬ 
municants. 

With  this  small  Company,  headed  by  so  incompetent  a  person  as  myself, 
&  all  of  us  looked  upon  as  subverters  of  the  peace  of  our  native  Country,  we 
readily  incurred  the  reproach  and  ill  will  of  our  neighbors.  Our  attempt  to 
plant  the  Church  was  ridiculed  &  bantered,  our  worship  traduced  &  villified, 
the  discipline  of  the  Church  with  acrimony  inveigh’d  against  &  its  very  doc¬ 
trines  disputed  &  condemned,  &  this  not  by  the  common  ignorant  only,  but 
their  teachers  have  made  it  their  constant  public  theme,  to  which  purpose  all 
the  infamous  objections  that  have  been  published  in  England  against  its 
Church  have  been  eagerly  sought  after,  diligently  studied,  &  with  their  utmost 
dexterity  labored  &  improved  to  obstruct  the  increase  of  our  little  flock,  & 
least  all  this  should  be  insufficient  to  compass  their  design,  they  have  not 
spared  most  liberally  to  slander  us  with  every  villainy  almost  that  the  corrup¬ 
tion  of  human  nature  could  perpetuate,  which  complim1  they  generally  pay  the 
Apostates,  as  they  term  the  proselytes  to  our  Church. 

Thus  was  their  Artillery,  which  we  rece’d  with  patience,  not  offering  to 
make  any  return  to  our  opponents,  who  were  resolved  to  capitulate  upon  no 


309 


ll73S- 


terms  but  an  absolute  surrender  of  the  Church.  Whilst  affairs  stood  thus  I 
could  not  think  it  best  publicly  to  enter  into  that  controversy,  but  rather 
choose  to  go  on  inculcating  the  fundamental  duties  of  Christianity,  taking 
every  opportunity  in  conversation  to  obviate  the  common  objections  against, 
&  urge  the  duty  of  conforming  to  our  excellent  church. 

By  this  method  I  prevailed  with  some  few,  &  they  of  the  best  sort  to  as¬ 
sociate  with  us,  notwithstanding  our  mean  &  contemptible  appearance,  upon 
which  the  teachers  in  the  neighborhood  were  again  alarmed,  &  this  poor  little 
Church  represented  as  the  Trojan  horse,  big  with  mischief  &  ruin  to  this  part 
of  New  England. 

By  their  dreadful  outcries  they  awakened  some  of  their  own  followers,  who 
arose,  searched,  &  discovered  some  of  their  own  weakness  in  their  own  foun¬ 
dations  &  the  strength  of  ours,  &  accordingly  have  taken  sanctuary  in  it,  as 
those  who  came  to  us  from  these  motives  were  such  as  justly  were  highest  in 
their  esteem,  so  their  conversion  has  given  occasion  for  many  debates  concern¬ 
ing  their  ministerial  character,  which  can  be  nowhere  fixed  but  in  the  power 
of  the  people,  &  from  whence  the  first  planters  of  this  Country  publicly  as¬ 
serted  in  their  platform  that  it  was  alone  derivable  from  condemning  prelatical 
ordinations  as  anti-Christian,  whilst  these  contentions  give  them  no  little  easi¬ 
ness  and  pain,  employing  their  whole  time  &  thoughts.  I  have  the  great  sat¬ 
isfaction  to  acquaint  you  that  this  Church  daily  gains  in  the  affections  and 
judgment  of  the  people,  that  according  to  their  abilities  with  the  best  instruc¬ 
tions  I  am  able  of,  they  are  daily  examining  its  constitution,  comparing  its  doc¬ 
trines  &  worship  with  the  word  of  God  upon  which  they  are  built,  many  join¬ 
ing  themselves  to  it  with  such  dispositions  as  must  be  acceptable  to  all  that 
wish  our  prosperity,  discovering  in  their  general  behaviour  a  just  sense  of  re¬ 
ligion,  an  ardent  affection  for  the  Church,  &  a  most  grateful  remembrance  of 
that  Society  to  which,  under  God,  they  are  indebted  for  this  Church;  whilst 
some  others,  who  esteem  &  prefer  it,  are  intimidated  by  secular  views  from 
conformity  (which  is  no  inconsiderable  clogg  to  preferment  here),  &  the  lower 
sort,  by  reason  of  public  taxes  to  the  support  of  the  dissenting  worship,  which 
they  must  submit  to  or  suffer  imprisonment,  as  has  been  the  case  of  two  of 
our  wardens,  who,  for  not  paying  their  rate  towards  the  meeting  house  at 
Hanover  (one  of  the  towns  in  this  parish)  have  been  put  in  prison,  from 
which  one  of  our  present  wardens  was  delivered  in  his  way  to  it,  by  the  Con¬ 
stable’s  violent  wresting  his  money  from  him,  which  as  yet  he  has  no  recom- 


1 735*3 


3io 


pence  for.  One  other  of  our  communicants,  for  not  paying  his  rate  towards 
the  dissenting  Teacher  in  Marshfield  (a  neighboring  town)  was  brought  in 
sight  of  the  Gaol,  but  escaped  it  by  the  humanity  of  a  Gentleman  who  laid 
down  the  money  for  him  ;  in  truth,  Sir,  these  taxations  seem  to  be  the  weight¬ 
iest  arguments  against  our  cause,  which  our  advasaries  are  not  ignorant  of, 
for  here  &  in  Hanover  all  our  [people]  are  assessed  for  the  maintenance  of 
their  respective  teachers,  which  they  must  pay,  or  loose  their  liberty  in  com¬ 
mon  gaol,  which  they  are  now  daily  threatened  with,  &  daily  expect. 

From  these  unjust  demands  upon  my  people  it  is  that  I  cannot  acquaint 
you  that  our  church  is  finished,  nor  can  I  say  when  it  will,  unless  an  end  be 
put  to  these  horrible  oppressions,  which  are  the  grand  impediment  to  its 
growth,  &  which  more  or  less  defeat  the  pious  designs  of  the  Society  thro’ 
the  whole  province ;  but  notwithstanding  all  these  discouragements,  the 
Church  rises  in  triumph  over  all  opposition,  &  here  particularly,  I  may  safely 
say,  it  has  prevailed  to  such  a  degree  that  the  prospects  of  its  future  increase 
are  so  full  and  promising  that  no  man  in  reason  could  have  expected  the  like 
two  years  agone,  had  he  been  acquainted  with  the  deep  prejudices  of  the  peo¬ 
ple  against  it,  or  the  unwearied  labor  taken  to  confirm  and  increase  them. 

The  number  of  communicants  is  28:  18  men  and  10  women.  I  have 
christened  14,  one  woman  of  about  40  years,  the  other  an  adult,  a  molatta 
man  servant,  the  rest  infants.  Our  congregation  in  general  about  70  or  80, 
most  of  whom  belong  to  Situate  &  Hanover ;  the  others  are  scattered  thro’ 
the  adjacent  towns  of  Pembroke,  Marshfield,  Halifax,  &  Bridgewater,  at  the 
last  of  which  I  have  preached  twice  to  a  considerable  congregation,  which  is 
distant  hence  about  14  miles.  I  have  not  omitted  one  Sunday  since  my  com¬ 
ing,  performing  divine  service  &  preaching  twice,  six  or  seven  of  the  shortest 
&  coldest  days  excepted  in  winter.  The  first  Sunday  in  every  month  the  sac¬ 
rament  is  administered,  &  the  principle  fasts  and  feasts  observed,  as  they  all 
should,  could  but  a  competent  number  possibly  attend. 


M\  SHAIV  to  Gov’ '  BELCHER. 


To  his  Excellency  Jonathan  Belcher,  Esq.,  Governor  &  Commander  in  Chief 
in  &  over  His  Majesty’s  Province  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay,  &c.,  And  to 
the  Honorable  the  Council  and  House  of  Representatives  in  General 
Court  assembled. 

May  26th,  1736. 

The  Petition  of  David  Shaw,  one  of  the 
Constables  of  the  Town  of  Brimfield,  in 
the  County  of  Hampshire  and  Province 
aforesaid, 

Humbly  Sheweth, 

That  whereas  Richard  Sprague,  late  Constable  of  the  Town  of  Medford, 
in  the  County  of  Middlesex,  & c.,  did  imprison  Mathew  Ellis  of  said  Town 
of  Medford  (a  churchman),  for  not  paying  his  Tax  or  Rate  to  the  support  of 
the  minister  of  said  Town,  and  for  so  doing  was  prosecuted  in  the  law  by  said 
Ellis ;  and  altho’  said  Ellis  was  cast  in  the  inferior  Court,  superior  Court,  & 
Court  of  Review,  and  denied  an  appeal  from  those  judgments  by  the  Judges 
of  the  Superior  Court,  yet  his  most  excellent  Majesty  (on  application  made  to 
him  in  Council)  was  pleased  to  grant  an  appeal  from  those  3  Judgments  agst 
sd  Ellis ;  And  the  said  Richard  Sprague  was  cited  to  appear  before  a  commit¬ 
tee  of  the  Right  Honble  the  Lords  of  his  Majesty’s  Privy  Council,  to  answer 
before  them  for  his  imprisoning  said  Ellis. 

And  inasmuch  as  your  Petitioner  is  now  one  of  the  Constables  of  the 
Town  of  Brimfield,  and  received  a  warrant  from  the  Assessors  of  said  Town, 
to  gather  part  of  the  Tax  or  Rate  for  the  support  of  the  independent  or  con¬ 
gregational  minister  thereof,  and  there  being  several  Persons  in  said  Town, 
profest  members  of  the  Church  of  England  as  by  Law  established,  whom,  by 
your  Petitioner’s  warrant,  he  is  ordered  to  distrain  or  imprison  on  their  refus¬ 
ing  to  pay  said  ministerial  rate,  He  therefore  most  humbly  applys  to  your  Ex¬ 
cellency  and  the  Honble  the  Council  and  House  of  Representatives  for  advice 
and  direction  in  the  premises,  lest  your  Petitioner  should  likewise  be  obliged 
to  ansr  at  home  if  he  should  (according  to  his  warrant)  distrain  or  imprison 
the  members  of  the  Church  of  Engd  for  their  refusing  to  pay  their  Assess- 


1736.] 


31 2 


ment  toward  the  support  of  the  minister  of  Brimfield,  being  not  able  to  say- 
more  for  himself  in  defence  of  his  executing  such  a  warrant,  than  Sprague, 
should  he  be  prosecuted  as  Sprague  was,  especially  since  his  Majesty  has  not 
yet  declared  on  Sprague’s  case.  And  your  Petitioner  further  begs  that  him¬ 
self  may  be  excused  from  paying  to  the  support  of  the  minister  of  said  Town, 
being  conscientiously  a  member  of  the  Established  Church  of  England. 

And  your  Petitioner,  as  in  duty 

bound  shall  ever  pray,  &c., 

DAVID  SHAW. 


AL.  ARNOLD  to  LORD  BISHOP  of  LONDON. 

Boston,  June  24th,  1 736. 

My  Lord, 

In  obedience  to  your  Lordship’s  command  I  have  made  strict  enquiry 
whether  the  Dissenters  in  New  England  have,  according  to  their  five  mild  act 
(made  in  pretence  of  favor  to  the  Church  of  England),  duly  collected  the 
Taxes  of  the  Churchmen  in  that  compass  and  paid  it  to  their  respective  Min¬ 
isters  as  their  Law  directs,  and  I  am  informed  that  they  have  taken  but  very 
little  care  to  collect,  but  what  they  have  collected  they  have  paid  according  to 
the  tenor  of  that  law,  but  the  Church  of  England  in  these  parts  is  opposed 
and  oppressed  by  the  Dissenters  in  every  instance  that  they  can  escape  pres¬ 
ent  punishment. 

The  Bearer,  Mr.  MacSparran,  who  has  been  very  serviceable  to  the 
Church  and  universally  esteemed,  is  obliged  to  take  a  voyage  to  England,  to 
defend  the  Church’s  right.  May  he  have  your  Lordship’s  countenance  and 
protection,  our  desires  of  his  success  may  be  hopefully  answered. 

I  am,  my  Lord,  &c., 

JONA  ARNOLD. 


3X3 


[1736. 


M\  PRICE  to  LORD  BISHOP  of  LONDON. 

Boston,  July  3d,  1736. 

My  Lord, 

A  pious  zeal  for  the  Church  of  England  has  engaged  the  Revd  Mr.  Mac- 
Sparran  in  a  course  of  law  for  the  recovery  of  some  Church  land  unjustly  de¬ 
tained  from  him.  He  has  laboured  with  great  pains  and  expence  in  the  pros¬ 
ecution  of  his  cause,  as  far  as  the  Courts  in  this  Country  would  permit  it,  from 
whose  partial  judgment  we  expect  but  little  justice.  The  importance  of  the 
Interest  he  solicits,  and  the  ill  consequence  of  a  defeat,  has  carried  him  on, 
with  the  advice  of  his  Brethren,  to  commit  his  case  to  your  Lordship’s  direc¬ 
tion,  and  sue  for  Justice  to  the  fountain  of  power  and  equity,  from  whose  un¬ 
biassed  determination,  through  your  Lordship’s  mediation,  we  can  only  hope 
to  be  redressed  in  this  injury,  and  protected  from  any  other.  Our  several 
Congregations  here  have  not  been  deficient  according  to  their  poor  ability  in 
support  in  his  pretentions,  out  of  a  just  sense  of  the  Equity  and  weight  of 
them,  and  a  due  regard  to  his  personal  worth,  whose  general  good  character 
in  the  conscientious  discharge  of  his  sacred  function  and  exemplary  life,  joined 
with  his  indefatigable  and  disinterested  labours  in  defence  of  the  rights  of  our 
Church,  have  recommended  him  to  the  love  and  esteem  of  every  true  member 
of  it  in  these  parts,  and  I  presume  will  entitle  him  to  your  Lordship’s  coun¬ 
tenance  and  favor. 

Some  Gentlemen  of  the  Church  of  England  have  purchased  a  consider¬ 
able  number  of  Farms,  almost  to  the  half  of  a  Town,  about  thirty  Miles  dis¬ 
tant  from  Boston,  with  a  view  of  settling  a  Church  there,  and  making  it  a 
sanctuary  for  persecuted  Churchmen  who  are  drove  from  other  places. 

There  is  a  Church  already  built  for  this  purpose.  It  would  be  of  mighty 
advantage  if  the  Society  would  please  to  take  this  place  under  their  care  and 
allow  something  towards  the  support  of  a  Minister  there ;  one  of  the  best  of 
the  Farms,  with  a  house  and  Barn  and  good  orchard  upon  it,  is  set  apart  for 
this  use,  which  in  time  will  alone  be  a  sufficient  maintenance.  A  Mission  here 
would  unite  the  whole  Town  in  the  interest  of  the  Church,  which  would  give 
us  a  strength  and  credit  in  the  Country  which  we  could  never,  yet  obtain,  and 
some  notice  from  the  Society  would  encourage  other  places  to  the  like  gener¬ 
osity  in  making  a  perpetual  provision  for  a  Minister. 

40 


1736-] 


3H 


I  am  satisfied  the  Societie’s  stock  is  low,  but  something  might  be  spared  to 
this  design  from  the  School  Masters’  Salaries,  which  are  perfectly  useless,  es¬ 
pecially  in  this  Town,  and  the  importance  of  the  undertaking  should  give  it 
the  preference  to  any  other  of  less  benefit. 

I  am,  My  Lord, 

Your  Lordship’s,  &c., 

ROG.  PRICE. 

- « - 


Mr.  PIGOT  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Marblehead,  May  7th,  1736. 

Sir, 

*  *  *  I  have  now  been  almost  16  years  in  the  Society’s,  without 

any  Overplus  added  to  their  Original  allowance,  except  ^90  for  Extraordinary 
occasions.  It  is  possible  the  Society  may  imagine  this  Town  of  Marblehead 
among  the  choisest  of  their  missions,  but  I  assure  you  Sir,  It  is  quite  the  con¬ 
trary  by  the  reason  of  the  dearness  of  provisions,  the  extreme  rent  of  houses, 
and  the  vast  numbers  of  poor  here,  I  find  myself  so  involved  by  these  difficul¬ 
ties  that  I  beseech  the  Honourable  Society  to  settle  me  at  Coweset  in  Rhode 
Island  Government,  where  I  would  gladly  serve  for  £ 80  a  year.  This  Town 
has  suffered  so  much  since  my  coming  here,  that  no  less  than  300  families 
have  been  forced  to  seek  shelter  and  subsistence  elsewhere. 

This  has  reduced  our  poor  Church  so  that  were  it  not  for  some  (who 
groan  under  the  burden),  we  should  have  been  compelled  to  have  shut  up 
doors  long  ago ;  in  short  the  contributions  here,  which  used  to  amount  to  Four 
Pounds  per  Sunday,  do  not  now  reach  20  shillings,  which  is  but  a  poor  depend¬ 
ence  for  a  family  of  eight  Children. 


3i5 


[1736. 


D’ .  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary. 


Boston,  New  England,  Septr  6th,  1736. 

Sir, 

By  this  opportunity  I  would  present  to  the  Society  the  number  of  my  bap¬ 
tisms  from  Feby  23d  to  this  Instant,  viz1,  37,  whereof  one  is  an  infant  Negro, 
another  an  English  Woman,  bears  a  worthy  good  character,  another  a  Negro 
Man  Slave.  The  Negro  man  has  a  long  time  discovered  to  all  the  impres¬ 
sions  of  religion  in  the  reformation  of  his  temper  and  carriage,  his  fidelity  in 
his  business,  and  abandoning  all  loose  and  dangerous  conversation.  I  have 
also  received  four  persons  to  our  Communion,  to  a  Judgment  of  Charity, 
every  way  prepared.  And  my  Parish  is  in  Peace. 

Nothing  is  plainer  in  our  neighbourhood  than  the  confusions  among  the 
dissenters,  and  a  great  disposition  towards  the  Church  of  England.  Since 
my  last  to  the  worthy  Society,  people  from  two  new  places  have  conferred 
with  me  upon  the  subject,  and  seem  likely  to  advance  considerably  in  so  good 
a  Cause ;  but  all  is  in  hopes  of  sharing  with  others  in  their  goodness.  And 
my  own  obligations  shall  ever  be  remembered  by  me,  with  a  due  gratitude 
and  zeal  in  their  service, 

Who  am,  with  great  respect, 

Their  most  humble 

and  Obedient  Servant, 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


M\  PRICE  to  LORD  BISHOP  of  LONDON. 

Boston,  Octr  16,  1736. 

My  Lord, 

A  few  days  since  I  received  your  Lordship’s  Letter,  dated  June  3d,  with 
this  question:  whether  the  money  taxed  upon  the  Members  of  the  Church  of 
England  be  not  paid  by  the  Collector  to  the  Ministers  whose  Congregations 
such  Members  frequent? 


1736.] 


3j6 


As  an  answer  to  which  I  have  enclosed  the  law  now  in  force,  and  shall 
take  the  liberty  of  making  some  observations  on  it. 

First,  I  observe  that  their  making  any  Ecclesiastical  law  to  bind  the  Church 
of  England  is  exceeding  the  limits  of  their  Charter,  and  depriving  us  of  that 
equal  liberty  which  is  thereby  allowed  to  Protestants  of  all  denominations. 

2dly,  I  observe  that  their  calling  themselves  an  established  Church  and  act¬ 
ing  as  such,  is  repugnant  to  the  laws  of  England,  and  we  conceive  our  making 
use  of  this  Law  would  be  an  acknowledgement  of  their  illegal  authority. 

3dly,  I  observe  that  this  law  is  temporary,  whereas  there  is  a  perpetual  law 
prior  to  this,  obliging  all  persons,  without  any  exception,  to  pay  to  the  support 
of  the  Dissenting  Teachers  only,  which  will  take  place  upon  the  expiration  of 
this,  and  consequently  involve  us  in  the  same  distress  we  were  in  before  this 
law  was  made,  and  drive  us  to  the  same  necessity  of  complaining ;  and  we 
have  the  more  reason  to  dread  this  consequence  because  this  present  law, 
which  seems  to  carry  some  relief  with  it,  was  extorted  from  them  at  a  time 
when  they  were  in  daily  apprehension  of  a  just  reprimand  from  home  for 
their  severe  treatment  of  the  Church  of  England,  and  to  take  off  the  force  of 
our  complaint. 

In  short,  if  such  a  general  exemption  as  this  law  contains  was  made  per¬ 
petual,  and  transmitted  to  us  from  that  power  which  we  think  it  our  duty  to 
obey,  we  should  joyfully  receive  it  and  bless  the  hand  that  gave  it.  But  to  be 
tossed  about  by  their  temporary  laws ,  which  are  made  only  to  serve  a  present 
turn,  and  left  to  the  mercy  of  a  legislature  which  is  waiting  an  opportunity  to 
swallow  us  up,  is  a  melancholy  consideration. 

Your  Lordship’s  account  of  the  low  state  of  the  Society  checks  the  grow¬ 
ing  hopes  we  had  of  the  extraordinary  progress  of  the  Church  in  these  parts, 
yet  I  cannot  but  repeat  the  request  I  have  already  made,  for  some  small  al¬ 
lowance  to  a  Minister  at  Hopkinton ,  a  considerable  Town  in  the  heart  of  the 
Country,  and  surrounded  by  many  other  flourishing  Towns,  each  of  them  de¬ 
sirous  of  an  Episcopal  Minister.  I  have  conducted  this  affair  alone,  and  taken 
great  pains  to  form  a  Church  there,  and  so  successfully  that  I  believe,  upon 
the  arrival  of  a  Minister,  no  less  than  Sixty  Families  will  come  over  to  it.  I 
have  likewise  obtained  one  good  Farm  already,  containing  an  hundred  and 
sixty  acres,  with  a  house  and  Barn,  towards  the  support  of  a  Minister  forever, 
and  the  promise  of  another  upon  the  Societie’s  allowing  a  Missionary,  which 
two  farms,  with  other  advantages  he  will  receive,  will  amount  to  upwards  of 


3i7 


[>736. 


£,20  sterling  per  annum  at  present,  and  in  a  few  years,  by  the  improvement 
of  the  land,  will  be  alone  a  sufficient  maintenance.  It  would  be  great  pity  so 
promising  a  Church  and  settlement  should  fail  through  the  want  of  30  or  40 
pounds  per  annum,  which  will  be  full  enough  for  this  or  any  other  Country 
Mission  that  shall  hereafter  become  vacant.  I  have,  in  a  former  letter,  ob¬ 
served  that  the  Schoolmasters'  Salaries  would  be  much  better  applied  to  this 
use.  A  son  of  Dr.  Cutler’s  and  Mr.  Bridge,  intending  to  offer  themselves  to 
your  Lordship  for  holy  orders,  have  desired  a  recommendation.  I  am  a  stran¬ 
ger  to  the  views  they  go  upon,  but  think  them  both  very  promising  young 
men,  and  deserving  encouragement. 

If  my  assistant  is  not  already  appointed,  it  would  be  a  great  pleasure  to 
me  to  be  joined  with  one  of  my  own  Countrymen.  I  find  the  New  England 
Ministers  too  overbearing,  and  to  want  some  balance. 

We  have  not  yet  had  time  to  weigh  your  Lordship’s  proposal,  but  it  is  my 
opinion  if  the  Society  intends  to  close  up  their  Favors  with  one  more  act  of 
generosity7,  that  an  Itinerant  Missionary  would  be  more  useful. 

I  am,  My  Lord,  &c., 

ROG.  PRICE. 


MATTHEIV  ELLIS  to  the  Society . 


To  the  Honourable  the  Society  for  the  Propogation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign 
Parts.  The  humble  Petition  of  Matthew  Ellis  of  New  England,  Hus¬ 
bandman,  a  Member  of  the  Church  of  England,  as  by  Law  Established, 

Sheweth, 

That  your  Petitioner  being  informed  that  this  Honorable  Society  was 
desirous  to  have  the  power  of  the  Independents  in  New  England,  which  they 
used  to  oblige  the  Members  of  the  Church  of  England  to  contribute  to  the 
maintenance  of  dissenting  teachers  or  preachers  lawfully  examined  into  it, 
being  apprehended  to  be  contrary  to  the  intent  of  the  New  England  Charter, 
your  Petitioner  upon  whom  a  small  sum  of  40s  N.  England  money  was  levied 
for  the  maintenance  of  a  dissenting  teacher,  did  bring  his  Action  in  N.  Eng- 


1 737-1 


3 18 

land,  against  one  Sprague  who  levyed  such  sum  in  order  to  try  the  right  and 
having  no  benefit  by  that  Action  in  New  England,  your  petrs  there  demanded 
an  Appeal  to  his  Majesty  in  Council,  but  was  there  refused  it. 

That  an  Application  being  made  on  your  Petitioner’s  behalf  to  this  Honour¬ 
able  Society  some  time  since,  that  you  would  be  pleased  to  take  the  said  case 
under  your  care  as  the  same  might  procure  a  judicial  determination  &  tend  to 
settle  that  great  point.  The  Society  as  your  Petitioner  is  informed  verbally 
declares  taking  the  same  upon  you  in  the  situation  it  then  was,  or  until  upon 
application  to  his  Majesty,  an  Appeal  should  be  actually  allowed  here  so  that 
the  mere  point  of  right  might  come  in  question. 

But  declared  as  your  Petitioner  humbly  apprehends  that  when  your  Petitr 
should  have  obtained  liberty  to  appeal  your  Petitr  might  then  hope  for  assist¬ 
ance  of  this  Society. 

That  thereupon  your  Petitioner  hath  at  a  considerable  expence  to  himself 
(far  more  than  his  own  particular  right  is  concerned)  obtained  liberty  to  ap¬ 
peal  to  his  Majesty  in  Council,  but  is  unable  to  bear  the  further  expence  of 
prosecuting  the  same,  and  the  rather  so  since  the  Province  of  the  Massachusetts 
Bay  have  made  the  Cause  of  the  Respondent  Sprague  their  own,  &  have  un¬ 
dertaken  the  defence  thereof  for  him  pretending  to  be  a  matter  of  high 
concern  to  their  Province. 

Your  Petitioner  therefore  submits  his  Case  to  this  Honorable  Society,  and 
humbly  prays  such  relief  to  himself  and  therein  to  the  Members  of  the 
Church  of  England  in  general  as  this  Society  shall  think  proper. 

And  as  in  Duty  bound  shall  Pray. 


Letter  to  ARCHP  POTTER .  "June  2  A1  17-27,  in  favour  of 

ROBT  AUCHMUTT,  Esf. 


Boston,  New  England,  June  25th,  1 737. 

My  Lord, 

The  undoubted  assurance  I  have  of  your  Grace’s  disposition  to  serve  the 
Church  in  this  distant  part  of  the  Earth  especially  when  it  may  be  done  in  a 


319 


L1 737- 


manner  that  will  still  further  strengthen  the  dependance  of  this  Country  on 
the  Crown,  will  I  hope  excuse  this  kind  of  approach. 

The  Province  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  in  New  England  is  at  present 
governed  by  Mr.  Belcher  a  Native  of  New  England,  an  Independent  and  no 
Friend  to  our  Church.  I  find  since  my  arrival  here  he  is  so  disagreeable  to 
both  the  Church  people  and  dissenters  that  they  have  meditated  his  removal, 
and  an  Interest  is  making  in  England  to  advance  Robert  Auchmuty,  Esqr.,  to 
the  head  of  the  administration  here.  This  is  the  Gent"  I  had  the  honour  to 
mention  to  your  Grace  as  a  Govr  from  whom  our  Church  might  expect  all 
good  offices.  He  was  bred  at  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  afterwards  at  the 
Temple,  is  now  Judge  of  His  Majesty’s  Court  of  Vice  Admiralty  in  New 
England,  and  Bror  to  the  worthy  Dean  of  Ardmagh  in  Ireland.  As  it  will  be 
in  the  power  of  this  Gent"  to  bring  the  Province  to  comply  with  an  Instruction 
of  His  Majesty  which  they  have  long  opposed,  to  cherish  with  a  proper  ten¬ 
derness  our  Church,  in  her  Infant  state  here,  and  at  seasonable  Junctures  to 
lay  out  Tracts  of  unimproved  Lands  that  may  hereafter  be  cultivated  and 
apply’d  towards  the  Support  of  a  Bishop,  I  hope  your  Grace  will  do  what  you 
can  to  facilitate  a  Commission  for  him  by  making  use  of  your  great  and 
deserved  Interest  in  his  Majority  and  Ministers,  or  conduct  the  applications  of 
my  Lord  Gramard  and  Mr.  Auchmuty’s  other  friends  to  the  purpose. 

The  prospect  of  so  much  good  to  our  Church  and  your  Grace’s  readiness 
to  take  in  good  part  what  is  well  meant  have  encouraged  me  to  approach 
your  Grace  in  this  manner  and  I  hope  by  concealing  my  Name  you  will  skreen 
me  from  the  resentment  which  this  affair  would  draw  upon  me  should  it  fail  of 
success.  I  retain  a  grateful  sense  of  your  goodness  to  me  in  England,  and 
shall  give  you  an  account  of  what  turn  the  affair  I  was  there  upon  does  take 
as  soon  as  I  arrive  at  my  Parish.  I  beg  your  Grace’s  blessing,  and  am  with 
the  profoundest  veneration, 

Your  Grace’s  most  Affectionate 

Dutiful  &  Obed1  Son  &  Servant. 


38.] 


320 


Petition  from  the  Inhabitants  of  Scituate ,  Hanover , 


Scituate,  Janv  2  2,  1738. 

RD  Sir, 

We,  the  Subscribers,  Inhabitants  of  Scituate,  Hanover,  Pembroke  and  the 
other  adjacent  Towns,  under  the  deepest  distress  humbly  approach  the  venble 
Society,  earnestly  Imploring  their  usual  assistance  and  relief. 

So  it  is  for  upwards  of  these  four  months  past  the  Revd  Mr.  Brakwell,  our 
Minister,  without  the  least  previous  intimation  to  us  or  provocation  from  us 
hath  removed  to  Salem  and  left  us  desolate,  so  that  our  holy  Church  is  now 
become  the  Scorn  and  sport  of  our  dissenting  neighbours. 

We  have  in  high  estimation  the  ministerial  character,  and  we  ever  honor’d 
Mr.  Brakwell  as  the  gift  of  the  Society  to  our  Infant  Church,  and  as  he  hath 
given  us  the  most  solemn  assurances  that  he  will  never  in  the  least  by  any 
representation  expose  us  to  the  loss  of  the  Society’s  Favour  (the  greatest 
temporal  evil  that  can  befall  us)  so  we  shall  continue  to  treat  him  with  all  ten¬ 
derness  and  respect,  and  are  therefore  silent  on  this  or  any  other  part  of  his 
conduct,  however  surprising  and  grievous  to  us. 

The  prayer  of  this  petition  is,  that  we  may  not  be  left  as  sheep  without  a 
shepherd,  for  the  flock  is  numerous  and  dearly  loves  the  Pastor  of  the  Church, 
but  how  shall  the  pastors  be  fed?  Alas,  the  most  of  us  are  poor  and  low,  yet 
cheerfully  shall  we  contribute  our  utmost  to  his  honourable  support. 

We  most  ardently  intreat  the  Society’s  compassionate  regards,  that  this 
plant  of  their  own  planting  may  not  at  last  wither  and  die  which  hath  hitherto 
florisht  to  the  astonishment  of  all  that  beheld  it. 

We  refer  ourselves  to  your  noble  dispositions,  and  may  God  Almighty  give 
us  favor  in  your  eyes. 

We  are,  with  all  possible  Veneration  and  Gratitude, 
the  Society’s  most  obliged 

Supplicants  and  Servants, 

James  Barker,  Thos  Wilch, 

John  Bray,  Ebenezar  Woodward, 

Isaac  Hatch,  Josiah  Edsor, 

James  ws  x  mark  Carter,  Simon  Delis, 


Thomas  Holloway, 

the  mark  J_  of  John  Love, 

George  Barker, 

Benj.  James, 

Henry  Burditt, 


Cerdey  Gladly,  Jacob  Baily,  [  Wardns. 


[j738. 


William  Ben  Pitt, 

321 

Elia  Cherner, 

Sam1  Baker, 

Edward  Gahow, 

Clamon  Bates, 

Job  Olis, 

Ephrain  Oly, 

Joseph  Bates, 

Thos  Bardin, 

Abraham  Colden, 

Rich1  Buckoz, 

Oliss  Little, 

Thomas  Hatch, 

Rich1  Hill, 

Benjn  Stockbridge, 

David  House, 

Will  Tory, 

Samuel  Palmer, 

Joshua  Randel, 

David  Tory, 

Job  Olis,  Junr, 

the  mark  of  B  Benj.  Hanmor, 

Joseph  Perry, 

John  Withcomb, 

Richard  Silvester, 

Fige  Vickny, 

Jo  Johnston, 

Isaac  Barker, 

William  Sylvester, 

John  Nabenos, 

Prince  Barker, 

Thos  Stockbridge, 

Philips  Sagomis, 

John  Barker, 

Recompine  Tiffuny, 

Joseph  Clark, 

Melitiah  Dillingham, 

Isaac  Buck, 

John  Thomas, 

Samuel  Wing, 

David  Briant, 

John  Antoni, 

William  Foora, 

Eben  Felt,  for 

Jas  Aomony, 

Caleb  Randall, 

William  Wills, 

John  Coducot, 

Joshua  Barker, 

John  Tuney, 

Isaac  Momuet, 

Micah  Stockbridge, 

Joshua  Young, 

Mozet  Aomoney, 

Caleb  Hinds, 

David  Olis, 

William  Wickwack. 

Dr. 

CUTLER  to  the 

Secretary. 

Boston,  Feby  5,  1738. 

Sir, 

*  *  *  My  parishioners  are  near  the  same  number  I  mention’d  in  my  Last 

which  was  of  July  24th,  600  beside  strangers,  but  perhaps  somewhat  less  by 

the  removal  of  sundry  out  of  this  town  into  the  country.  I  have  baptized  to 

the  number  of  27,  26  Infants,  one  of  them  a  negro  slave,  one  Adult  person. 

We  have  9  large  Independant  Congregations  in  this  town,  a  smaller  one 

of  Presbyterians,  and  yet  smaller  one  of  the  French  of  the  anabaptists  and  of 

Quakers.  Here  are  sundry  papists,  Foreigners  and  Inhabitants,  but  not  so 

visible  as  to  be  numbered,  and  I  fear  we  are  not  without  Infidels,  but  they  are 

under  cover  except  slaves  who  (generally  speaking)  show  very  little  respect 

to  religion  or  virtue. 

41 


322 


1738.] 

Indeed  the  seeds  of  Infidelity  are  sowing  among  us  by  bad  books  imported 
and  greedily  bought  and  read  and  by  many  who  secretly  countenance  and  dis¬ 
seminate  corrupt  principles  and  observing  good  men  do  much  fear  a  plentiful 
Harvest. 

I  am  Your  most  Obliged  Humble  Servant, 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


Mr,  PRICE  to  the  Secretary . 

Boston,  Novr  16th,  1738. 

Revd  Sir, 

Your  Letter  and  inclosed  scheme  from  the  Society  I  laid  before  the  Cler¬ 
gy  at  their  last  convention  and  at  the  same  time  required  an  account  of  the 
profits  arising  from  their  respective  churches,  to  which  they  generally  an¬ 
swered  that  it  required  the  space  of  one  year  to  reduce  the  several  articles  to 
a  certain  sum,  so  that  I  can  make  no  return  till  our  next  meeting.  Mr.  Brock- 
well  has  made  many  grievous  complaints  of  the  hardships  and  rude  treatment 
he  has  met  with  from  this  congregation  at  Scituate,  which  I  believe  are  not 
without  some  foundation,  his  complaint,  backed  with  a  letter  from  the  Church 
Wardens  of  Scituate,  declaring  they  had  rather  lose  the  Mission  than  Mr. 
Brockwell  should  be  their  minister,  were  laid  before  the  Clergy  at  their  An¬ 
nual  Meeting,  where  it  was  unanimously  allow’d  that  upon  the  account  of  Mr. 
Brockwell’s  bad  state  of  health  and  ill  temper  of  his  people  he  might  be  more 
serviceable  in  the  duties  of  his  profession  at  Salem  till  the  Society’s  pleasure 
should  be  further  known.  The  people  of  Salem  have  made  frequent  applica¬ 
tions  to  the  Society  for  a  mission,  and  I  believe  it  must  have  been  thro’  some 
misinformation  that  Scituate  is  prefer’d  before  it ;  as  I  am  acquainted  with  both 
I  can  certify  there  is  no  manner  of  Comparison  between  the  two  places.  The 
people  of  Salem  have  receiv’d  Mr.  Brockwell  with  great  respect,  and  he  finds 
there  a  large  congregation  unanimously  to  contribute  to  the  extent  of  their 
ability  towards  his  support,  having  already  stipulated  for  such  a  sum  as 
Brockwell  acknowledges  with  the  addition  of  forty  pounds  pr  an.  will  fully 
satisfy  him.  The  Society’s  schoolmaster  at  Boston  has  absented  himself  for 
some  time  and  it  is  supposed  will  not  return,  it  is  the  opinion  of  most  here,  that 


323 


[1738. 


the  salary  allow’d  to  that  use  may  be  employed  to  more  advantage  in  some 
new  Mission,  for  which  many  places  are  now  ripe,  one  especially  I  humbly  rec¬ 
ommend  to  the  Society’s  favor,  called  Hopkinton,  as  very  considerable  in  re¬ 
gard  both  of  the  number  of  Churchmen  and  situation  of  the  place.  There  are 
at  present  about  Thirty  Families  who  profess  themselves  of  that  communion, 
and  a  prospect  of  many  more  provided  an  episcopal  minister  was  settled 
among  them.  Hitherto  they  have  been  destitute  of  any  regular  public  wor¬ 
ship,  except  a  monthly  service  which  I  have  performed  among  them  for  about 
a  year,  their  distance  from  any  episcopal  church  being  thirty  miles  at  least. 
The  town  is  in  the  heart  of  the  country  and  surrounded  by  many  other  towns 
wherein  there  is  a  growing  inclination  to  the  Church  of  England.  One  argu¬ 
ment  more  I  shall  mention  in  favour  of  this  place  :  there  is  a  very  good  farm 
with  a  house  and  Barn  with  some  stock  for  the  perpetual  use  of  an  Episcopal 
Minister  which  is  the  greatest  gift  of  that  nature  bestow’d  on  the  Church  at 
New  England,  the  smiles  of  the  society  therefore  on  this  act  of  Piety  will  en¬ 
courage  others  to  imitate  it,  which  will  be  the  most  probable  means  of  laying 
a  lasting  and  sure  foundation  for  the  Church  of  England  in  this  country.  I 
could  say  much  more  in  favour  of  this  place,  but  I  am  affraid  of  being  tedious. 
Your  kind  assistance  in  this  affair  may  be  a  means  of  greatly  advancing  the 
Church  of  England  in  these  parts,  and  will  very  much  oblige, 

Revd  Sir, 

Your  most  Obedient,  Humble  Servant, 

ROGER  PRICE. 


AT.  PRICE  to  LORD  BISHOP  of  LONDON. 

Boston,  Decr  21,  1738. 

My  Lord, 

There  is  some  uneasiness  at  present  in  my  church  from  a  suspicion  that 
Mr.  Checkley  is  waiting  in  England  in  order  to  succeed  Mr.  Davenport  if  he 
quits  the  chapel.  I  think  I  should  be  deficient  in  my  duty  if  I  did  not  inform 
your  Lordship  that  his  admission  into  this  church  would  be  attended  with  great 
inconveniences  upon  the  account  of  his  troublesome  temper  and  the  dislike 
many  of  my  congregation  have  to  him,  some  of  which  have  declared  to  me 


they  would  leave  the  church  if  he  should  officiate  in  it.  A  committee  of  the 
two  churches  in  Boston  is  preparing  to  renew  the  old  complaint  relating  to 
the  Ministerial  rates  (from  which  quarter  we  apprehend  the  greatest  danger) 
and  present  it  to  the  archbishop  according  to  your  directions. 

Mr.  Brockwell  was  so  discontented  and  uneasy  at  Scituate  that  at  our 
general  Meeting  we  could  not  but  approve  of  his  going  to  Salem  till  the 
Society’s  pleasure  was  further  known.  The  difficulties  and  troubles  of  my 
present  station  still  increase.  My  Salary  is  ill  paid  ;  my  family  multiplies, 
and  house  keeping  is  vastly  more  expensive  than  when  I  first  came  into  the 
Country.  These  considerations  have  put  me  upon  providing  some  quieter, 
safer  state,  and  as  nothing  occurs  to  me  at  present  more  probable  to  answer 
these  ends  than  a  Mission  at  Hopkinton,  where  I  have  laid  the  foundation  of 
a  promising  church,  I  have  therefore  applied  to  the  Society  to  allow  me  the 
usual  Salary  for  officiating  in  that  place  ;  but  I  shall  submit  my  proceedings 
in  this  change  to  your  Lordship’s  approbation,  which  I  should  be  glad  to 
know.  This  is  a  state  of  life  I  am  drove  to  the  choice  of  as  preferrable  to  my 
uneasy  situation  at  Boston  ;  but  a  comfortable  subsistance  in  my  native  coun¬ 
try  and  among  my  friends  would  be  much  more  agreeable  to  my  wishes. 
There  was  some  noise  made  in  my  Congregation  upon  the  first  apprehen¬ 
sion  of  Mr.  Davenport’s  moving  to  the  New  Church,  but  I  believe  as  matters 
now  stand  his  removal  will  be  no  detriment  to  me  or  my  church ;  and  I  hope 
his  Successor  will  be  a  native  of  old  England.  I  return  Your  Lordship  thanks 
for  your  friendly  expressions  of  good  will  to  me  upon  the  change  of  my  con¬ 
dition  ;  it  is  some  time  since  that  happened  and  I  thought  it  too  insignificant 
to  mention.  I  have  at  present  a  wife  and  two  children  the  presence  of  which 
would  rejoice  the  hearts  of  our  ancient  Parents. 

I  am, 

Your  Lordship’s,  &c, 

ROGER  PRICE. 


325 


C1 7  39* 


Mr,  PRICE  to  the  Secretary . 


Boston,  Decr  21,  1738. 

Sir, 

The  inclosed  is  a  petition  from  the  people  of  Hopkinton,  whom  I  men¬ 
tioned  in  my  last  letter.  The  subscription  was  taken  at  the  conclusion  of 
Divine  Service,  when  several  members  were  absent  upon  the  account  of  the 
short  warning  they  had  to  meet,  and  the  badness  of  the  weather.  All  the 
subscribers  except  two  or  three  are  married  men  and  masters  of  Families ; 
some  few  indeed  are  at  present  inhabitants  of  Boston,  but  have  purchased 
farms  there  in  order  to  live  upon  them,  and  many  others  will  do  the  same 
when  they  are  assured  of  a  minister.  If  the  Society  should  be  so  good  as  to 
grant  their  petition,  I  have  one  favour  more  to  ask  upon  my  own  account — 
that  I  may  have  the  refusal  of  this  Mission,  with  the  usual  Salary ;  I  beg  the 
favour  of  you  to  lay  these  joint  requests  before  the  Honourable  Society,  and 
to  second  them  with  your  interest  and  good  services,  which  will  very  much 
oblige  all  the  petitioners,  more  especially, 

Sir, 


Your  most  obliged, 

Humble  Servant, 


ROGER  PRICE. 


M\  PRICE  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Boston,  March  2,  1739. 

Revd  Sir, 

I  recd  the  favour  of  your  two  letters,  with  the  sermons,  which  I  have  dis¬ 
tributed  according  to  your  direction.  It  is  a  great  satisfaction  to  the  Members 
of  the  Church  of  England  in  these  provinces  to  hear  that  their  unjust  suffer¬ 
ings  are  thought  worthy  the  Societie’s  notice  and  have  engaged  their  compas¬ 
sion.  I  believe  Mr.  Arnold  will  be  diverted  from  his  design  of  going  to 
England,  by  accepting  a  living  in  New  York  government,  in  which  the  Society 


1 739*] 


326 


might  save  their  whole  allowance,  and  there  would  yet  remain  an  ample 
provision  for  the  Incumbent.  There  are  several  instances  of  the  same  nature 
in  these  provinces,  wherein  the  society  might  be  eased  and  considerably 
enabled  to  extend  their  bounty.  The  pious  design  of  instructing  the  negroes, 
which  you  mentioned,  I  believe  will  meet  with  so  many  obstructions  as  is 
much  to  be  feared  will  render  it  abortive.  The  two  grand  impediments  that 
occur  to  my  mind,  is  the  want  of  ministers  properly  qualified  for  this  under¬ 
taking  by  an  uncommon  share  of  humility  and  Zeal  for  the  glory  of  God,  and 
the  low  ebb  of  Christianity  at  this  day  throughout  the  world,  and  in  the 
country  especially,  too  slight  a  regard  to  the  use  of  Baptism,  which,  among 
the  dissenters,  is  frequently  omitted  upon  very  trifling  motives.  There  is 
better  care  taken  in  the  Church  to  Baptize  their  own  children,  but  baptizing  of 
negroes  is  too  much  neglected  even  there. 

I  am, 

Your  most  Obliged, 

Humble  Servant, 

ROGER  PRICE. 


M\  MILLER  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Braintree,  N.  E.,  April  5,  1739. 

Revd  Sir, 

From  March  25th,  1738,  to  March  25,  1739,  I  baptized  eleven  Infants,  one 
adult  white  person,  and  one  adult  negro ;  the  number  of  my  communicants 
forty-six. 

I  am,  with  the  greatest  respect  to  the  Honble  Society, 

Revd  Sir,  Your  most  Obedient,  Humble  Servant, 

EBENR  MILLER. 


327 


H1 739* 


From  the  Church  IV ardens  to  the  Secretary . 


(COPIED  VERBATIM, ’.) 

to  the  reuerd  clargies  of  the  episcopal  order  which  do  dowel  at  Boston 
or  at  brantree  reuerd  sirs  the  great  consernt  we  are  in  will  not  permit  us  to 
daylays  any  longer  to  aquoint  you  that  our  unhapy  division  fawse  as  it  were  a 
consumtion  in  our  unfortunate  church  which  dothe  waste  much  to  the  great 
satisfaction  of  our  aduersaries  that  are  round  about  us  which  confusion  we  are 
in  cannot  but  be  to  the  dishonour  of  god  and  to  our  profesion  and  to  the  dis- 
confort  of  those  which  would  with  all  callmness  of  mind  to  beare  the  cross  of 
the  dificulty  we  meet  with  which  some  of  us  do  calles  it  an  entolairable  yoke 
saying  that  they  would  rather  loose  the  misyon  then  reuerd  Mr.  Brakwel 
should  abyde  with  us  we  which  are  greatly  consernt  of  this  great  disorder 
cannot  but  be  sensible  that  it  will  continue  so  as  long  the  said  reuerd  mr  brak¬ 
wel  remaine  with  us  but  we  are  full  persuaded  that  his  reamoual  from  us  would 
mouch  contributes  to  the  glory  of  God  among  us  and  to  the  restoration  of  the 
flouriching  and  prosperity  of  this  church  as  it  was  not  long  sense  and  if  so 
reuer’d  mr  brakwel  should  be  reamoued  from  us  we  wish  and  pray  that  his 
reamoual  may  be  to  his  satisfaction  and  confort  in  every  respect  for  we  do 
senserly  wish  his  prosperity  as  we  do  wish  our  own  for  we  are  fully  persuaded 
in  our  appreention  that  his  abyding  with  us  will  nighther  be  to  his  won  con- 
fort  nor  to  make  my  addition  to  the  groth  of  this  church  by  those  that  are 
from  without  but  it  will  rather  kawse  admiration  of  those  that  are  writhing  for 
we  see  a  great  deakays  of  our  desolate  church  more  and  more  every  sabbath 
day  for  in  steed  that  our  church  was  formly  all  must  full,  but  now  it  is  a  very 
thin  congregation  in  our  days  in  time  pas  we  had  both  discenters  and  church 
Men  to  set  the  psalms  but  now  we  have  niether  for  those  that  which  are  of  the 
church  have  been  very  bakward  to  perform  that  office  that  the  first  sabbath 
day  of  augus  they  did  absent  to  come  to  church  and  several  others  did  not 
come  so  that  sabbath  we  had  but  one  psalm  song  in  afternoon  and  in  the  scd. 
sabbath  day  we  had  non  at  all  for  there  was  no  psalm  bidden  to  be  song  tho 
there  was  at  church  then  which  did  use  to  set  the  psalme  but  it  is  reported 
they  will  not  do  it,  it  is  suposed  the  kaws  is  because  reuerand  M1.  brak- 


1 739-]  328 

wel  hath  chuse  a  nu  dark  and  he  hath  no  skeel  to  set  the  psalmes  do  he 
performs  the  other  part  of  his  office  uery  well  but  as  I  said  before  that  our 
congregation  is  uery  thin  for  the  must  part  they  do  stay  at  home  as  the 
manner  of  too  many  is,  by  this  maylancholy  realation  reurd  Sirs  you  may 
without  doupt  be  sensible  of  our  great  desolation  which  is  more  than  we  can 
well  expres  reuerd  Sirs  we  do  umbly  entreat  you  to  do  your  out  most  endeuers 
for  the  glory  of  God  to  preuent  the  outter  ruine  and  desolation  of  this  litle 
flax  which  is  under  anaminent  great  danger  if  God  in  his  enfinate  mersy 
dothn  preuent  it  by  your  feruent  zill  of  his  glory  and  to  the  honour  of  his 
church  and  to  the  confort  of  all  those  that  are  well  wishers  of  its  prosperity 
and  peace  to  the  worlds  end.  Amen. 

With  the  hope  of  your  tender  affection  towarsd  us  with  the  kaire  of  such 
affere  that  is  of  so  great  importance 

reurdd  Sirs, 

we  remain  your  most  submissiues 

and  humble  Servants,  the 
Church  wardens  of  St  Andrews  Church  in  Scituate 

SIMON  DELIS, 
JACOB  BAILEY. 


M\  PRICE  to  the  ARCHBISHOP  of  CANTERBURY. 

Boston,  May  27,  1739. 

May  it  please  your  Grace, 

I  suppose  your  Grace  is  not  unacquainted  with  the  state  of  the  Church  of 
England  in  this  province,  labouring  under  the  frowns  of  a  dissenting  Gov¬ 
ernor,  and  the  powerful  Opposition  of  the  whole  Legislature,  who  have  so 
ungratefully  abused  their  authority  as  to  deprive  the  members  of  our  Church 
not  only  of  just  privilege  they  think  themselves  entitled  to  as  one  Branch  of  a 
Church  established  by  the  laws  of  England,  but  even  of  the  common  priv- 
iledge  allowed  by  their  own  charter,  and  what  is  indeed  indulged  to  every 
petty  sect  among  them.  These  hardships  have  already  been  represented 
to  our  Right  Reverend  Diocesan,  who  after  many  endeavours  to  procure  a 
redress,  has  acknowledged  his  interest  at  court  too  weak  to  oppose  the  united 
attempts  of  the  Dissenting  party  against  us,  and  has  therefore  advised  us  to 


329 


[1739- 


apply  to  your  Grace  for  relief.  His  advice  and  your  Grace’s  known  Zeal  and 
affection  to  our  most  holy  Church,  have  emboldened  us  humbly  to  lay  our 
complaints  at  your  Grace’s  feet,  hoping  that  our  great  distance  from  the  foun¬ 
tain  of  Justice  will  plead  for  the  patronage  and  protection  of  the  General 
Father  of  the  Church,  from  whose  favour  alone,  under  God,  we  expect  a 
deliverance  from  the  evils  we  have  long  struggled  with,  and  without  some 
remedy  must  for  ever  languish  under, 

I  am,  may  it  please  your  Grace, 

Your  Grace’s  Most  Dutiful  Son, 

and  Obedient  Servant, 

ROGER  PRICE. 


Dr.  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary . 

Boston,  July  6,  1739. 

Sir, 

My  parishioners,  if  anything,  are  augmented  somewhat  above 
600,  the  number  I  fixed  them  at  in  my  last,  there  being  the  accession  of  a  few 
Dissenters  to  us.  I  have  Baptized  none  but  Infants,  to  the  number  of  24,  and 
six  are  added  to  our  communion. 

We  have,  as  I  formerly  said,  nine  Independent  congregations  in  this  town, 
a  smaller  one  of  Presbyterians,  and  yet  a  smaller  one  of  French,  of  anabap¬ 
tists  and  of  Quakers  severally.  Papists  we  have,  Foreigners  and  Inhabitants, 
in  no  small  number,  I  guess  ;  but  they  very  much  conceal  themselves  from  our 
notice.  Most  of  our  slaves  are  either  stupid  or  Infidels  in  religion,  and  we 
have  too  many  others,  with  Heretics,  that  cover  themselves  even  with  the 
name  of  Churchmen,  and  privately  Jest  at  and  oppose  Revelation  and  the 
sacred  Doctrines  of  the  Divinity  of  our  Saviour,  the  necessity  of  sacraments, 
the  usefulness  of  creeds,  &c.,  and  assisted  by  bad  books,  continually  imported 
among  us.  Peace  and  Harmony  is  yet  preserved  in  my  congregation,  and  I 
shall  ever  be  ambitious  of  them  in  the  next  place  to  Holiness,  of  which  I  hope 
we  are  not  utterly  forsaken  in  these  degenerate  times. 

I  beg  leave  also  with  the  account  of  my  own  church,  to  be  accepted  of  in 
my  intercession  for  the  church  at  Scituate,  for  the  present  without  a  resident 


42 


1 739-] 


330 


minister,  and  in  fears  of  losing  a  Mission  to  them.  I  hope  they  have  not  in¬ 
curred  the  Forfeiture  of  so  great  a  favor;  and  if  it  may  be  continued,  I  sin¬ 
cerely  believe  that,  under  the  blessing  of  God,  it  will  turn  out  to  the  great 
advantage  of  the  people  there,  and  the  great  enlargement  of  the  Interest  of 
Religion  and  the  Church  of  England  in  the  many  places  round  about  them. 

I  hope  ever  to  make  it  appear  that  I  am  devoted  to  the  service  of  God, 
under  the  conduct  and  influence  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the 
Gospel,  and  now  am 

Their  Most  thankful  and 

Obedient  Servant, 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


M".  CUTLER  to  the  BISHOP  of  LONDON. 

Boston,  July  6,  1739. 

May  it  please  your  Lordship, 

As  the  Revd  Dr.  Macksparran  is  now  appealing  from  the  Determination 
of  Rhode  Island  Government  in  his  Case  to  his  Majesty  in  Council,  I  do  at 
his  desire  join  with  him  humbly  to  request  your  Lordship’s  Countenance  of 
him  in  all  methods  Your  Wisdom  shall  deem  proper  for  bringing  it  to  a  just 
decision  ;  wishing  at  the  same  time  with  many  others,  that  he  were  present 
before  Your  Lordship,  and  that  High  Council  on  this  Important  occasion,  and 
I  presume  it  proper  to  observe  to  Your  Lordship,  That  the  Authority  with  all 
orders  and  Degrees  of  Men  in  our  three  Charter  Governments,  seems  at  this 
time,  in  a  very  particular  manner,  and  without  any  Provocation,  animated 
against  us,  and  half  espoused  the  opposite  case  to  Dr.  Macksparran  as  their 
own,  and  by  writing  and  other  Instances  give  fresh  vent  to  all  the  Bitterness 
of  a  Sectarian  Spirit. 

I  would  now  only  trouble  Your  Lordship  with  a  late  one  of  that  nature  in 
Harvard  College,  but  four  miles  distant  from  a  Church  of  England  where  the 
Episcopal  Students  are  much  discouraged  from  coming  to  our  Worship  on 
Sundays,  and  it  is  to  be  feared  will  be  restrained  on  this  only  pretence,  That 
they  are  hindered  in  their  Studies  by  it  for  which  there  appears  no  great  Zeal 
and  Exactness  in  other  Particulars  I  humbly  beg  Your  Lordship’s  Compassion 


331  [ 1 739* 

and  Prayers  for  myself,  and  my  Son  in  England  and  trust  in  God  we  shall  yet 
be  long  happy  in  Your  Pastoral  Care  of  us, 

I  am,  my  Lord 

Your  Lordship’s 
Most  Dutiful 

and  Obedient  Son, 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


Mr.  PRICE  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Boston,  July  9th,  1739. 

Revd  Sir, 

The  inclosed  is  an  account  of  the  income  of  several  Churches  in  New 
England,  taken  according  to  the  Societie’s  direction,  the  rest  have  omitted 
giving  in  theirs.  In  my  last  to  the  society  I  mentioned  Mr.  Brockwell’s  removal 
from  Scituate  to  Salem,  and  the  causes  of,  with  the  joint  approbation  of  the 
clergy  then  conven’d  where  he  still  continues  till  the  Societie’s  pleasure  be 
further  known.  I  think  it  will  be  a  great  injury  to  the  Church  in  general  to 
remand  to  his  first  care  where  his  congregation  was  very  insignificant,  and  his 
treatment  rude  from  a  very  numerous  audience  that  is  very  fond  of  him,  I 
have  continued  my  labours  at  Hopkinson  with  considerable  success  notwith¬ 
standing  many  wicked  methods  which  have  been  taken  by  Dissenting  teachers 
there  to  defeat  them.  I  don’t  mention  this  out  of  any  expectation  of  reward 
but  to  remove  any  prejudices  the  society  may  have  received  from  false  repre¬ 
sentations  which  I  am  suspicious  of,  I  shall  be  sufficiently  rewarded  if  they  will 
be  pleased  to  grant  the  petition  of  that  people,  which  I  will  venture  to  say  is 
as  well  grounded  as  any  of  the  present  petitioners,  which  are  not  a  few,  I  shall 
mention  particularly  Taunton,  consisting  of  about  thirty  families,  Brimfield 
and  Hebron,  the  same  there  are  many,  others  of  lesser  note  all  very  desirous 
of  a  Mission  and  worthy  of  it,  I  have  expressed  my  thoughts  to  the  Arch- 
Bishop  of  Canterbury,  concerning  the  new  Church  at  Boston,  which  I  am  in¬ 
formed  has  applied  for  some  assistance  which  in  short  are  that  neither  their 


332 


1 7  39-] 

behaviour  to  the  clergy  nor  their  own  inability  entitles  them  to  any  favours 
from  that  Honble  Board. 

I  am  Revd  Sir, 

Your  Most  Obliged  Humble  Servant, 

ROGER  PRICE. 


♦ 


M\  BROCKflEELL  to  the  Secretary . 


Sir, 


Salem,  Oct.  8,  1739. 


*  *  *  I  hope  they  will  revoke  the  cruel  order  of  stopping  my 

salary  from  the  time  I  was  driven  from  thence.  Consider  Sir,  the  long  and 
tedious  Illness  my  Wife  &  Self  have  labour’d  under,  how  they  of  consequence 
must  have  enhanced  my  Expenses,  then  Sir,  tho’  I  was  compel’d  to  quit 
Scituate,  yet  still  I  was  in  the  Society’s  service,  still  labouring,  tho’  in  a  larger 
and  more  likely  field  of  action  where  their  good  intentions  are  ten  to  one  better 
answer’d  than  they  could  have  ever  been  in  so  remote,  small  and  contentious 
a  place  as  Scituate,  and  for  this  must  I  be  punished  rather  than  rewarded  ?  I 
beg  Sir,  you  would  lay  this  before  the  board  and  let  me  not  be  oppress’d  for 
that  action  my  conscience  assures  me  is  just  and  praiseworthy.  If  150  or 
Two  Hundd  be  more  worthy  the  Society’s  care  than  twenty  or  thirty,  if  this 
metropolis  of  a  country  be  preferable  to  a  small  town,  if  a  sea  port  to  a  narrow 
Creek, 

I  am  Sir, 

Your  affectionate  Humble  Servant, 

CHA.  BROCKWELL. 


333 


[1739- 


Mr.  BR0CK1VELL  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Salem,  Oct.  io,  1739. 

Revd  Sir, 

*  *  *  I  think  some  antidotes  against  schism  and  independency  would 

turn  here  to  singular  advantage.  The  prejudices  against  the  church  are 
gradually  wearing  off,  and  a  few  Common  Prayer  Books,  with  the  weekly 
preparation  and  new  version  for  the  poorer  sort  of  the  People,  would  much 
contribute  to  their  spiritual  good  and  the  increase  of  the  church ;  many  who 
occasionally  come  thither  losing  the  beauty  of  the  poem  for  want  of  books, 
which,  had  I  any,  I  would  lend  by  the  Sexton  to  such  as  accidentally  or  occa¬ 
sionally  come  to  church.  As  Beaver  is  pretty  plentiful  here,  my  people  would 
beg  the  favour  of  your  acceptance  of  the  best  that  the  town  will  afford,  and 
therefore  devise  the  dimensions  of  your  Crown  and  Brim  now  worn.  This  is 
the  2d  Line  by  the  same  ship.  I  hope  you  will  excuse  the  interruption,  and 
believe  me,  Revd  Sir,  to  be 


Your  Most  Obe1,  Humble  Serv*, 

CHA.  BROCKWELL. 


- ♦ - 

M".  PRICE  to  the  BISHOP  of  LONDON. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Boston,  Nov.  20th,  1739. 

My  Lord, 

I  receiv’d  the  favor  of  Your  Lordship’s  Letter  and  Books,  which  I  have 
been  distributing  as  opportunity  offered,  according  to  Order.  As  to  the 
Charge  of  imposing  upon  the  Society  in  my  Representation  of  the  Church  at 
Hopkinton  which  the  Independent  Teacher  there  has  laid  against  me  before 
the  Society,  being  unacquainted  with  the  Particulars  I  can  only  say  in  general 
that  it  is  notoriously  false,  and  if  need  be,  I  can  prove  the  truth  of  my  Ac- 


1740.] 


334 


count  by  the  attestation  of  a  Sufficient  number  of  Credible  Witnesses,  and  the 
baseness  of  the  behaviour  towards  the  Church,  on  the  other  side.  I  have  had 
some  hint  here  of  such  a  Letter,  and  I  have  endeavoured  in  vain  to  procure  a 
Copy,  but  am  inform’d  that  Dr.  Colman  and  some  other  Boston  Teachers  are 
the  Principal  Authors  of  it.  As  the  Dissenters  are  apprehensive  of  their  being 
overpower’d  in  that  Town  by  the  Church,  they  have  taken  all  Methods  to 
suppress  it ;  and  indeed  now  the  most  effectual  one,  if  it  succeeds  of  stopping 
the  current  of  the  Society’s  Bounty  to  it,  which  must  infallibly  cut  off  every 
Country  Church  here  where  the  People  are  not  able  of  themselves  to  support 
a  Minister.  And  if  the  Society  is  influenced  by  such  vile,  malicious  accusa¬ 
tions,  it  will  discourage  all  further  endeavors  of  propagating  the  Church  of 
England  in  these  parts. 

- »  ■  - 

From  the  United  Vestries  to  the  Secretary, 

Boston,  Jany  5,  1 740. 

Reverend  Sir, 

We  the  subscribers,  a  committee  of  the  united  Vestries  appointed  by  the 
several  Episcopal  Churches  in  New  England,  to  defend  and  secure  their 
respective  Interests,  esteem  it  our  bounden  duty  to  recommend  the  present 
deplorable  state  of  the  Church  in  Scituate  to  the  compassionate  regards  of 
the  Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts,  which  we  now  most 
heartily  do,  as  being  in  our  humble  opinion  by  far  the  worthiest  object  of  their 
notice  within  this  province. 

We  are  sincerely  concerned  that  the  Society  should  have  reason  to  with¬ 
draw  their  assistance  from  this  virtuous  people,  because  we  are  prone  to 
think  that  if  an  impartial  account  of  all  the  circumstances  attending  their  late 
unhappy  differences  had  been  seasonably  offered,  a  Censure  or  admonition 
would  have  been  their  utmost  punishment.  We  have  heard  that  the  Clergy 
in  their  last  convention  were  induced  to  give  their  Voices  in  favour  of  a  small 
town  in  this  province,  known  by  the  name  of  Hopkinton.  This  at  first  sur¬ 
prized  us  not  a  little  till  we  recollected  that  this  meeting  was  held  at  New 
London,  in  Connecticutt,  a  hundred  miles  distant  from  it,  that  not  a  Cler¬ 
gyman  there  scarce  ever  heard  or  knew  of  it,  the  Gentleman  alone  excepted 


335 


[i74o. 


who  was  the  chief  in  that  convention,  whose  heart  and  treasure  is  buried  in 
that  obscure  Village,  and  whose  pompous  representation  of  it  was  the  sole 
cause  of  their  delusion. 

But  it  is  amazing  that  the  Commissary  could  forget  the  dying  church  at 
Scituate,  or  the  frequent  applications  of  Bridgewater  and  Taunton  for  his 
Mediation  with  the  Society  on  their  behalf,  and  venture  to  commend  an 
unknown  solitude  not  to  be  mentioned  with  those  other  great  towns. 

We  should  exceedingly  rejoice  to  see  the  Church  lifting  up  her  head  every 
where  around  us ;  but  it  would  be  for  a  triumph  to  our  Enemies  should  Hop- 
kinton  be  prefered  and  Scituate  neglected — a  town  of  such  note  and  conse¬ 
quence  that  truth  and  Justice  compel  us  to  say,  that  if  the  Society  have  any 
charity  to  bestow  this  way,  it  cannot  better  be  disposed  of  than  to  their  relief. 
These  are  our  unbiast  sentiments,  which  we  humbly  present  to  the  pious,  Just 
and  wise  consideration  of  that  Venerable  body,  and  because  we  have  no  other 
motive  in  writing  but  the  common  good  of  the  Church,  we  would  hope  they 
will  not  be  wholly  disregarded. 

We  are, 

Revd  Sir, 

the  Society’s  and  Your 

Most  Obe1  Humble  Servts, 

Robt  Auchmuty, 

George  Cradock, 

John  Gibbins, 

East  Apthorp, 

William  Speckman, 
William  Price. 

- + - 


D  .  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Boston,  Jany  28,  17^. 

Sir, 

*  *  Six  persons  have  presented  themselves  to  our  commun¬ 

ion,  one  of  them  to  appearance  a  becoming  Penitent,  two  Dissenters  and  all 


1740.] 


336 


of  them  worthy  to  be  encouraged.  One  of  these  Dissenters  had  been  a 
communicant  among  them  for  some  years  where  he  presented  an  unspoted 
Character,  and  hath  come  oft  to  us  under  the  power  of  conviction,  and  re¬ 
mains  with  us  innocently  and  inoffensively  much  regretted  by  them  and  much 
to  his  present  disadvantage  in  the  hurt  of  his  business  and  the  coarse  usage 
of  his  former  friends. 

Sober  persons  here  both  of  the  Church  and  Dissenters  bewail  the  spread 
of  Infidelity,  the  Freedom  of  Censuring  Creeds  in  general,  the  Nicene  and 
Athanasian  in  particular  and  in  opposing  the  certainty  and  necessity  of  Reve¬ 
lation  and  the  Books  which  contain  it. 

Besides  a  due  respect  to  yourself,  I  am  the  Society’s 

Most  thankful  and  Obedient  Servant, 

TIM.  CUTLER. 

-» ■ 


j Dr.  BEARCROFT  to  the  Right  Reverend  the  LORD 

BISHOP  of  OXFORD . 


Charterhouse,  Feby  3rd,  1740. 

My  Lord, 

I  have  nothing  more  to  add  to  your  Lordship’s  Queries  concerning  the 
Negroes,  and  as  to  letters  printed  and  said  to  be  written  from  an  Inhabitant  of 
our  Colonies  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  relating  to  the  designs  of  the  Society, 
I  know  of  none  such,  and  I  have  examined  the  Catalogue  of  the  Society’s 
Books  for  them  without  any  success.  As  to  the  Pensylvania  Papers  the 
printed  Case  as  it  hath  been  represented  by  the  Governor  of  Pensylvania,  to 
the  Duke  of  Newcastle,  attends  you  with  this.  I  believe  there  is  scarce  occa¬ 
sion  to  observe  upon  it,  that  the  three  thousand  pound,  voted  by  the  assembly 
on  the  9th  of  August  for  his  Majesty’s  use,  was  a  mere  artifice  to  procure 
themselves  satisfactions  for  the  Servants  inlisted,  whom  they  compute  at  the 
number  of  300  and  value  at  £10  head,  the  exact  sum  of  ^3000  they  vote 
for  his  Majesty’s  service,  Provided  the  Servants  inlisted  be  first  returned  to 
their  Masters  free  of  all  charges.  The  complaint  from  New  England  stands 
thus : 


337 


[1740. 


The  Revd  Roger  Price  Commissary  of  the  Episcopal  Churches,  Robert 
Auchmuty  (since  if  I  mistake  not,  promoted  to  the  Deanery  of  Armagh)  and 
others  in  a  Memorial  enclosed  in  a  letter  to  his  Grace  of  Canterbury,  dated 
May  27th,  1739,  set  forth — 

That  the  members  of  our  most  holy  and  orthodox  Church  have  ever  since 
the  first  rise  of  it  in  those  parts  continually  struggled  under  difficulties  from 
the  Partiality  and  oppression  of  their  Dissenting  Brethren,  among  whom 
they  dwell  notwithstanding  that  is  is  expressly  provided  by  the  royal  Charter 
granted  by  King  William  and  Queen  Mary,  that  a  liberty  of  Conscience  shall 
be  allowed  therein  the  Worship  of  God  to  all  Christians  except  Papists. 
But  however  that  they  were  not  distinguished  by  any  particular  hardships 
from  other  Members  of  the  Community,  who  differed  from  the  Congregation- 
alists  or  Independants  settled  there,  till  the  time  of  the  present  Govr  Jonathan 
Belcher,  Esqr,  who  in  the  year  1731  was  pleased  to  recommend  it  to  the 
General  Court  of  the  Province,  to  make  good  Protestants  of  all  denominations 
easy  in  their  way  of  Worshiping  God  and  particularly  pointed  out  the  Quakers 
to  their  favour,  whereupon  a  bill  was  brought  in  and  a  law  enacted  to  exempt 
Quakers  from  the  paying  of  any  rates  towards  the  support  of  the  Ministers, 
(the  Independent  Ministers)  of  the  Towns  where  they  resided.  That  pending 
that  Bill  Mr.  Commissary  Price  in  the  name  of  the  Episcopal  Churches 
presented  to  the  Governor  and  to  the  General  Court  a  petition  praying  the 
same  relief  for  the  members  of  the  Church  of  England.  But  that  the  Gover¬ 
nor  and  General  Court  were  pleased  to  negative  that  petition  and  thereby 
refuse  the  members  of  the  Church  of  England  that  relief  which  they  granted 
to  the  Quakers  unasked  and  to  the  Anabaptists  upon  their  asking  for  it,  all 
which  most  evidently  appears  from  the  Province  Law  Book,  p.  432  and  p. 
469,  and  that  the  Quakers  and  Anabaptists  to  that  time  enjoyed  that  exemp¬ 
tion,  while  many  of  the  members  of  the  Episcopal  Church  have  had  their 
Estates  distrained  and  their  bodies  imprisoned  for  the  non-payment  of  the 
said  rates. 

I  cannot  undertake  to  give  the  exact  number  of  Churches  built  since  Dr. 
Humphrey’s  account  in  1728,  but  it  is  considerable  and  particularly  in  New 
England  where  Trinity  Church  at  Boston,  a  Church  at  Salem,  at  Scituate,  at 
N.  London,  at  Newtown,  at  Hopkinton,  at  Warwick,  at  Kittery,  at  North 
Groton,  at  Newhaven,  and  several  Chapels  have  been  since  erected  and  some 

Churches  and  Chapels  in  all  the  other  Provinces. 

43 


338 


1 740.] 

The  benefactions  this  year  amount  to  the  sum  of  ^2493  11s  2d  and  the 
payments  of  members  to  the  sum  of  ^608  1  Is  2d  so  that  upon  the  whole  there 
would  have  been  a  very  little  deficiency  in  the  Society’s  charge  this  year  on 
the  general  account,  had  not  a  thousand  pounds  of  the  benefactions  been  ap¬ 
propriated  by  the  donor  towards  a  fund  for  the  instruction  of  Negroes,  and 
that  will  make  it  considerable,  to  the  amount  of  ^1228  14s  iod  or  thereabouts, 
for  the  auditors  having  not  quite  finished  their  accounts,  this  doth  not  yet  to 
exactness  appear.  If  your  Lordship  hath  any  further  commands, 

I  am  my  Lord, 

Your  most  Obedient  Servant, 

PHILIP  BEARCROFT. 


Letter  from  D\  BEARCROFT  to  the  BISHOP  of  OX¬ 
FORD  about  the  public  money  raised  by  the  Pensylvanian 
Quakers  and  the  treatment  of  the  Members  of  the  Church 
of  England  by  the  Dissenters, 


Charterhouse,  March  14,  1740. 

My  Lord, 

In  answer  to  the  first  Query,  I  have  consulted  Mr.  Paris  one  of  the  Mem¬ 
bers  of  the  Society  and  Agent  here  for  the  Government  of  Pensylvania,  and 
he  assures  me  that  at  the  date  of  the  last  letters  from  Pensylvania,  there  had 
not  been  one  penny  of  the  public  money  paid,  nor  could  be  because  the 
Servants  were  not  nor  could  be  discharged  and  because  there  was  not  the 
King’s  personal  order  for  the  Money.  As  to  the  second  Question,  whether  all 
theanembers  of  our  Church  in  New  England  are  rated  by  the  Government 
there  towards  the  support  of  their  Churches,  I  cannot  be  so  full  as  I  could 
wish,  having  not  the  Province  Lawson  that  subject;  there  are  as  I  understand 
it,  four  distinct  Governments  in  New  England,  that  of  Massachusetts  Bay  (in 
which  the  chief  City,  Boston,  is),  that  of  Connecticut,  that  of  New  Hamp¬ 
shire,  and  that  of  Rhode  Island,  each  of  which,  as  I  take  it,  make  laws  for 
themselves.  In  some  of  them,  I  apprehend  only  those  that  are  at  such  a 


339 


[1740. 


prescribed  distance  from  that  particular  form  of  Worship  they  choose,  are 
obliged  to  pay  to  what  they  call  the  established  religion,  in  other  places  per¬ 
haps  without  distinction  ;  but  I  think  it  may  be  depended  on,  from  the  repre 
sentation  of  the  Clergy  at  Boston  of  May  27,  17.39,  that  the  government  of 
Massachusetts  Bay  have  refused  to  relieve  the  members  of  the  Church  of 
England  there  from  an  hardship  upon  their  petition  in  the  very  same  assem¬ 
bly  in  which  they  granted  that  relief  to  the  Quakers  without  a  petition,  and  to 
the  Anabaptists  upon  their  Petition  which  whether  it  will  not  justify  what  your 
Lordship  hath  mentioned  in  your  Sermon,  I  must  humbly  submit  to  your 
superior  Judgment,  and  am, 

My  Lord, 

Your  most  obedient  humble  Serv1, 

PHILIP  BEARCROLT. 


M\  PRICE  to  the  ARCHBISHOP  of  CANTERBURY . 

Boston,  May  9,  1 740. 

May  it  please  your  Grace, 

I  hope  your  grace  will  pardon  the  liberty  I  take  of  mentioning  an  affair 
which  we  think  of  great  importance  to  the  Church  of  England  in  this  province. 
The  Church  has  long  labour’d  under  many  difficulties  here  from  several  un¬ 
just  laws  enacted  by  the  legislature,  and  as  we  have  good  reason  to  think 
promoted  and  continued  by  the  governor,  who  has  upon  all  occasions  ex¬ 
pressed  a  bitter  enmity  to  the  church,  and  once  in  so  flagrant  a  manner  as  to 
pass  a  law  in  the  General  Court  obliging  the  members  of  the  Church  of  Eng¬ 
land  to  pay  a  Ministerial  Rate  in  the  several  towns  they  live  in,  which  is  often 
applied  either  to  build  a  meeting  or  Support  a  Dissenting  Teacher,  when  at 
the  same  time  the  Quakers,  with  whom  we  were  Petitioners  for  an  Exemp¬ 
tion,  were  wholly  discharged  by  an  act  in  their  favour.  And  it  very  nearly 
affects  us  to  hear  that  the  Quakers  by  their  Interest  in  England  are  able  to 
continue  him  in  his  Station,  in  spite  of  several  heavy  complaints  now  exhibi¬ 
ted  against  him,  and  that  partiality  and  Injustice  should  be  the  means  of  estab- 


1 740.] 


340 


lishing  his  Authority.  We  flatter  ourselves  that  your  Grace,  as  our  Common 
Father,  will  not  be  quite  insensible  of  our  Sufferings. 

I  am,  may  it  please  your  Grace, 

Your  Grace’s  Most  Dutiful  Son, 

and  Obedient  Servant, 

ROGER  PRICE. 

- + - 


Mr.  PRICE  to  the  BISHOP  of  LONDON. 

Boston,  May  9th,  1740. 

My  Lord, 

Mr.  Whitfield,  who  is  the  occasion  of  much  debate  and  enquiry  among  us, 
is  expected  here  the  next  fall.  I  should  be  glad  to  receive  Your  Lordship’s 
directions  for  my  behaviour  towards  him.  The  troubles  of  my  Church  daily 
increase,  and  my  desire  of  quitting  this  Station  increases  with  them.  There 
is  at  present  a  warm  contest  in  my  congregation  relating  to  the  Sale  of  the 
Pews  belonging  to  the  Members  of  the  New  Church,  who  still  continue  to 
vote  and  thereby  ferment  quarrels  in  mine.  The  consequence  of  this  despute 
(as  indeed  of  most  others  in  the  Church)  is  the  no7ipayment  of  my  Salary,  the 
dissatisfied  party  commonly  withdrawing  their  Contribution  ;  for  which  I  have 
no  remedy  but  Patience.  If  Your  Lordship  would  please  to  express  such  a 
disapprobation  of  this  irregularity  as  to  allow  me  to  hold  both  places  in  the 
Church,  till  the  Minister' s  Salary  is  fix' d  upon  some  sure  Basis,  and  to  ac¬ 
quaint  the  People  with  the  reason  of  this  Indidgence,  I  believe  I  should  be 
able  by  this  means  to  establish  the  State  of  this  Church  and  Salary  for  the 
Luture,  which  will  hardly  be  effected  when  they  have  no  favor  to  ask,  and  an¬ 
other  Minister  to  officiate,  and  indeed  in  this  case  my  very  Enemies  would 
assist  in  it. 

We  received  not  long  ago  the  agreeable  news  of  a  New  Governor,  and 
that  Mr.  Shirley,  a  very  Worthy  Gentleman,  and  a  Member  of  the  Church  of 
England,  now  residing  among  us,  was  the  Person  appointed,  but  our  hopes  are 
something  damp’d  by  a  late  account  which  informs  us  that  the  present  is  like 
to  be  continued  by  a  strong  Interest  the  Quakers  have  made  for  him.  This 
disappointment  in  our  expectations  is  the  more  grievous  inasmuch  as  the 


34i 


[x  740- 


interest  that  keeps  him  in  was  purchas’d  at  the  expence  of  the  Privelege  and just 
rights  of  the  Church  of  England  in  this  Province ,  and  by  meanly  recommending 
the  Quakers  to  the  Favor  of  the  General  Court  by  which  they  obtained  a  Law 
to  exempt  them  from  paying  any  ministerial  Rate  which  was  denied  to  the 
members  of  the  Episcopal  Churches  then  Petitioning  for  the  same  Liberty.  I 
hope  my  Lord  such  a  distinguishing  contempt  of  the  National  Church  does  not 
pass  for  Merit  at  Home,  at  least  that  the  Church  here  has  some  Friends  in 
England  that  will  not  behold  such  unworthy  treatment  of  their  Brethren  ap¬ 
proved  of  and  rewarded  without  some  notice  and  resentment. 

I  am, 

My  Lord, 

Your  Lordship’s 

Most  Dutiful  Son, 

&  Obedient  Servant, 

ROGER  PRICE. 


M\  PRICE  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Boston,  July  28,  1740. 

Revd  Sir, 

*  *  *  In  a  former  letter  which  I  suppose  you  have  by  this  time  receiv’d, 
I  gave  you  my  sentiments  relating  to  the  convertion  of  negro  slaves,  which  in 
short  I  look  upon  as  an  attempt  almost  impracticable  in  the  present  state  of 
religion,  and  till  masters  can  be  persuaded  to  have  a  greater  value  for  their 
own  souls,  we  have  but  small  hopes  they  will  be  very  anxious  about  the  salva¬ 
tion  of  their  negroes.  I  shall  take  the  first  opportunity  of  acquainting  the  de¬ 
linquent  Gentlemen  of  their  neglect. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir, 

Your  Most  Obliged  Humble  Serv1, 

ROGER  PRICE. 


1 740.] 


342 


M\  THOMAS  CO  RAM  to  the  Secretary . 

London,  i  8th  Septr,  1 740. 

Reverend  Sir, 

I  request  you  will  be  pleased  to  acquaint  the  Revd  and  HonbIe  the  Incorpo¬ 
rated  Society  for  Propogating  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts,  with  a  benefaction  of 
59  acres  of  fine  land,  excellently  well  situated,  given  near  forty  years  past  to 
a  Church  in  America,  but  by  wilful  prejudice  and  mismanagement  has,  I  be¬ 
lieve  been  wholly  neglected  and  hitherto  lost.  The  matter  is,  they  which  shall 
endeavour  to  set  forth  in  as  clear  a  light  as  I  can,  viz.  : 

In  the  reign  of  King  William  and  Queen  Mary  I  went  from  hence  to  reside 
in  the  Province  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  in  New  England  where  I  remained 
ten  years  and  built  Ships  at  Boston,  and  also  at  a  place  40  miles  or  more 
South  of  it,  called  Taunton,  on  a  navigable  river  in  the  County  of  Bristol, 
where  I  suffered  many  injuries  and  heavy  oppressions  very  illegally  from  the 
corrupt  and  basely  partial,  mean,  inferior  Judges  and  Juries  of  the  Court  of 
Common  Pleas  of  that  County,  prompted  to  it  by  a  wicked  man  named  By¬ 
field,  of  unreasonable  influence  in  the  said  County,  but  I  complaining  of  one 
of  those  Intolerable  Oppressions  and  barberous  Plunderings  committed  in  the 
begining  of  the  Year  1701  by  illegal  executions,  To  the  General  Assembly  of 
the  Province  then  sitting  at  Boston  of  those  Illegal  and  base  proceedings  of 
the  inferior  Court  of  the  County  of  Bristol  and  praying  the  said  general  as¬ 
sembly  to  grant  me  relief,  they  thereupon  ordered  the  said  Judges  to  attend 
them,  And  passed  a  special  Act  requiring  all  my  Estate  and  effects  so  illegally 
taken  to  be  restored  In  statu  quo ,  And  the  causes  to  be  tried  and  adjudged 
before  the  Judges  of  the  Superior  Court  of  Judicature,  who  soon  after  reversed 
every  thing  of  it,  And  the  same  Act  enabled  me  to  bring  my  action  or  actions 
of  trespass  against  any  Person  or  Persons  who  should  refuse  to  yield  obedience 
to  the  said  Act.  Upon  this  my  House  and  Land,  two  New  Ships,  one  of 
them  with  the  Sails  to  the  Yards  ready  for  the  Sea,  and  some  other  effects, 
which  had  been  so  taken  from  me  were  immediately  restored.  But  there  was 
a  malicious,  vile  man  named  Abel  Burt  of  Taunton  aforesaid,  a  creature  of 
the  said  Byfield’s,  who  had  procured  himself  to  be  the  Sheriff’s  deputy,  on 
purpose  only  to  levy  the  said  illegal  execution,  and  he  did  it  in  a  most  mali¬ 
cious,  barberous,  and  cruel  manner.  Depending  on  the  Interest  of  the  said 


343 


[1740. 


Byfield  to  screen  him,  he  refused  notwithstanding  the  Act  that  had  passed,  to 
deliver  up  any  of  my  household  Furniture,  Stores,  Goods,  and  Effects  of  con¬ 
siderable  value  which  he  resolved  to  withhold  on  pretence  of  Fees  for  his  levy¬ 
ing  the  said  execution.  Whereupon  I  prosecuted  him  as  the  Law  directed, 
and  recovered  Judgment  against  him,  and  execution  was  thereupon  granted 
against  him,  his  estate  and  effects,  he  absconded,  the  Sherifflevyed  the  Execu¬ 
tion  on  his  Fenced  Land  and  delivered  me  the  same  as  far  as  59  acres  of  it 
should  contain,  with  Turf  and  Twigg  as  the  Maneries  there,  in  full  satisfac¬ 
tion  for  my  demand  and  charges,  and  made  his  return  of  the  same,  with  its 
Buttrings  and  Boundings  accordingly  into  the  Court  at  Bristol  where  the  rec¬ 
ords  if  not  falsefied  will  always  shew  it  plainly.  The  said  59  acres  so  deliv¬ 
ered  to  me  by  the  Sheriff,  is  as  good  land  as  any  in  that  Country  ;  it  is  bounded 
by  the  great  river  of  Taunton  on  the  West,  and  is  the  full  length  North  and 
South  of  the  land  the  said  Abel  Burt  had,  I  forgot  the  name  of  the  person 
whose  Land  bounded  it  on  the  North,  it  is  bounded  on  the  South  by  the  land 

of - Phillips,  and  on  the  east  by  the  said  Abel  Burt’s  land,  a  little  distance 

within  a  Worm  Fence  so  called  that  then  ranged  by  the  said  Burt’s  Dwelling 
House,  on  the  West  side  of  and  parrelel  to  the  highway  from  Taunton  Town 
to  Free  Town.  It  was  not  thought  proper  to  take  the  man’s  house  in  execu¬ 
tion  as  there  was  land  enough  to  satisfy  it  without. 

Permit  me  here  to  make  the  following  digression,  viz.:  That  though  the 
said  Abel  Burt  absconded  to  avoid  the  Execution,  and  it  was  reported  he  was 
gon  out  of  the  Country,  yet  when  I  was  riding  with  the  Sheriff  pretty  swift 
through  a  thicket  in  his  way  to  levy  the  execution,  he,  the  said  Burt,  fired  off 
his  Gun  at  me  out  of  the  Bushes  where  he  lay  hid.  The  shot  narrowly  missed 
me,  and  in  a  Week  or  Two  afterwards  he  met  me  in  a  by  Place,  seized  and 
got  me  down  on  the  ground  with  intent  to  murder  me  and  would  have  done 
it  had  it  not  been  for  a  Man  coming  by  accidentally.  I  complained  of  this  to 
Mr.  Leonard  the  Taunton  Justice,  and  desired  security  of  the  Peace  against 
Burt,  but  the  said  Justice,  fearing  Byfield,  refused  to  grant  a  Warrant  against 
Burt.  I  then  complained  to  the  Govr,  Josph  Dudley,  Esqr,  at  Boston,  who 
thereupon  ordered  the  said  Justice  to  attend  him  on  a  day  appointed,  and  or¬ 
dered  me  to  come  also.  When  I  came  the  Governor  shewed  me  a  letter  he 
had  received  from  the  said  Byfield,  desiring  his  Excellency  not  to  expect  the 
said  Justice  to  attend,  nor  to  have  any  regard  to  my  complaint  against  him, 
for  that  he  was  a  good  man  in  Town  and  Church  (that  was  his  Cant).  I  said  to 


1 740.] 


344 


the  Govr  I  came  to  his  Excellency  for  Justice  and  I  expected  it  notwithstand¬ 
ing  that  insignificant  letter,  which  I  hoped  would  have  no  weight  with  his  Ex¬ 
cellency,  he  thereupon  told  me  he  should  have  a  due  regard  to  what  Cap1 
Byfield  had  writ.  This  I  mention  to  shew  what  sort  of  Justice  I  had  from  the 
prevailing  men  at  that  time  in  New  England. 

As  I  was  shortly  after  to  return  for  England,  I  intended  by  deed  of  Gift  to 
leave  the  said  59  acres  of  land  in  Taunton  to  the  Church  in  Boston,  there 
being  then  no  other  of  the  Church  of  England,  but  that  one,  in  the  whole 
province.  I  therefore  got  and  employed  Mr.  Attorney  General  Newton  at 
Boston  to  prepare  a  proper  deed  of  Gift  of  the  said  59  acres  of  Land,  amply 
strong  and  in  due  form,  that  none  of  the  crafty  New  Englanders  might  ever 
find  a  flaw  in  it,  I  knowing  too  well  what  sort  of  folks  the  major  part  of  the 
Inhabitants  of  Taunton  then  were.  Do  well  remember  I  had  the  following 
clause  inserted  in  the  Deed,  viz.  : 

That  in  case  the  Inhabitants  of  the  Townships  of  Taunton  should  hereafter 
be  more  civilized  than  now  they  are,  and  that  upon  a  Petition  of  any  40  rate¬ 
able  persons  of  the  said  Township  to  the  Vestry  of  the  Church  in  Boston, 
desiring  any  part  of  the  said  Land  for  building  thereon  a  Church  for  the  wor¬ 
ship  of  Almighty  God  therein  according  to  the  Liturgy  of  the  Church  of  Eng¬ 
land,  or  for  building  a  School  house  for  the  education  of  youth  in  that  way,  it 
shall  then  be  in  the  power  of  the  said  Vestry  to  give  any  part  or  parts  of  the 
said  Land  for  the  above  said  uses.  Provided  they  have  the  approbation  of 
the  Lord  Bishop  of  London  for  the  time  being  under  his  hand  for  their  so 
doing.  I  executed  the  said  Deed  some  time  in  the  year  1703  I  think,  and 
lodged  it  for  the  use  of  the  Vestry  of  the  said  Church  of  Boston  in  the  hand 
of  Mr.  Bridge,  a  Missionary  who  had  been  sometime  there.  I  liked  him  better 
than  I  did  Mr.  Miles,  the  Senior  Minister,  who  was  I  think  the  Bishop’s  com¬ 
missary.  But  there  happened  about  this  time  an  unhappy  difference,  hurtful 
to  the  Church  and  prevented  many  from  coming  to  it.  The  said  Mr.  Bridge 
was  a  sober  man,  well  esteemed  and  had  married  a  sober,  virtuous,  and  well- 
bred  young  Lady,  out  of  one  of  the  best  families  in  that  Country,  at  which  the 
Church  were  highly  pleased  and  made  her  a  handsome  present  of  Plate.  At 
which  Mrs.  Miles,  the  other  Minister’s  Wife,  who  was  not  so  well  respected, 
was  filled  with  resentment,  and  she  incensed  her  husband,  who  was  a  very 
fiery  man,  against  Mr.  Bridge,  who  came  soon  after  for  England,  in  the  be- 
gining  of  the  year  1709,  for  a  short  time  and  then  Mr.  Miles,  by  his  Interest 


345 


[1740. 


with  Mr.  Hall,  Secy  to  Bishop  Compton,  prevailed  with  his  Lordship  to  order 
Mr.  Bridge  to  remove  from  Boston,  first  to  one  place  then  to  another,  in  some 
remote  parts  of  the  Country,  where  he  and  I  think  his  Wife  died.  I  believe 
Mr.  Miles  disrespected  the  said  deed  of  Gift,  because  it  was  put  into  Mr. 
Bridge’s  hand.  I  apply’d  some  few  years  after  to  the  Bishop,  after  I  had  made 
the  best  inquiry  I  could  possibly  otherwise.  Bishop  Compton  and  his  Secy, 
Mr.  Hall,  both  writ  to  Mr.  Miles  about  it,  but  he  never  gave  either  any  an¬ 
swer.  I  think  Mr.  Miles  prevented  the  Vestry  from  taking  any  notice  of  the 
said  deed. 

As  they  have  not  yet  done  it,  they  probably  never  will,  Wherefore  I  would 
humbly  propose,  that  the  revd  and  honble  Corporation  would  be  pleased  if  they 
think  fit,  to  give  order  by  some  of  the  Ships  now  going  for  Boston,  to  such  of 
their  Missionaries  in  New  England  as  they  shall  judge  most  proper  to  exam¬ 
ine  well  into  this  matter  at  the  Vestry  of  the  then  only  Church  in  Boston,  and  the 
decree  of  the  Court  and  the  Sheriff’s  return,  in  or  about  1702  at  Bristol,  and 
report  thereon,  how  they  shall  find  it,  and  if  the  Vestry  of  the  Church  at  Bos¬ 
ton  to  whom  I  gave  the  said  59  acres  of  Land  should  reject  it,  let  them  make 
the  deed  over  to  the  Corporation,  who  may  perhaps  think  fit  to  place  a  Mis¬ 
sionary  there.  I  am  persuaded  the  present  Inhabitants  of  Taunton  will  not 
adventure  to  play  their  tricks  with  the  Corpo"  as  the  last  Generation  of  Vipers 
there  did  with  me. 

Your  Obedient  and  humble  Serv1, 

THOMAS  CORAM. 

♦ - 


M\  CUTLER  to  the  BISHOP  of  LONDON. 


Boston,  New  England,  Decr  5th,  1 740. 

My  Lord, 

At  Your  Lordship’s  commands  I  presented  You  with  the  best  Account  I 
could  of  our  Northampton  Enthusiasts,  a  considerable  time  ago ;  and  tho’  I 
am  not  honor’d  with  that  motive  now,  I  beg  leave  to  second  it  with  the  Pro¬ 
gress  of  another  Enthusiast  who  has  received  Your  Lordship’s  Animadver¬ 
sions,  much  to  the  advantage  of  the  Church.  The  General  Expectations  of  Mr. 

44 


1 


1 740.] 


346 


Whitefield  were  much  raised  by  the  large  Encomiums  the  Dissenters  bestowed 
on  him  ;  Dr.  Colman  &  Mr.  Cooper  stile  him  the  Wonder  of  the  Age.  Before 
that  Panegyric  I  presume  to  lay  before  Your  Lordship,  the  Dissenters  invited 
him  here,  and  accordingly  was  He  lodged  in  Town  at  Dr.  Cohnan’s  Brother’s. 

His  first  landing  in  New  England  was  at  Rhode  Island,  Sept.  14.  From 
thence,  after  a  few  days,  he  rode  to  Bristol,  where  in  the  Revd  Mr.  Usher’s 
absence,  He  was  by  the  Church  Wardens  invited  into  the  Church,  but  refused 
from  a  Preingagement  by  the  Dissenters  there,  in  whose  Meeting  House  He 
Prayed,  extempore ,  and  Preached ;  the  Inferior  Court,  then  sitting,  adjourning 
to  attend  him 

By  Thursday  night  following  He  came  to  this  Town,  welcomed  by  all  our 
Teachers.  The  next  Morning  the  Secretary  of  the  Province,  a  Dissenter, 
waited  on  Him  to  conduct  him  to  the  Revd  the  Commissary’s ;  but  under¬ 
standing  He  was  not  at  home,  He  found  him  at  11  O’Clock,  at  Prayers  in  his 
Church,  where  were  present  5  more  Clergymen  of  us.  After  Prayers  he 
saluted  us  all,  whom  with  him  the  Commissary  invited  to  his  House,  where  we 
had  not  been  long  before  he  entered  on  Invectives  against  the  Corruptions 
and  Errors  of  the  Church,  but  was  more  temperate  in  the  use  of  that  Talent 
than  he  commonly  is;  and  we  lightly  traversed  over  all  these  subjects:  A 
Call  to  the  Ministry  ;  Regeneration  ;  the  Indwelling  of  the  Spirit ;  Justifica¬ 
tion  ;  Perseverance ;  and  in  every  one  he  contradicted  himself,  the  Church, 
and  whatever  Your  Lordship  has  delivered  on  these  Heads.  He  made  no 
Motion  for  our  Pulpits,  nor  did  we  offer  them ;  and  after  a  very  civil  Inter¬ 
course  on  all  sides,  Dinner  being  at  hand,  He  took  his  leave  of  us,  excusing 
himself  from  the  Commissary’s  Invitation  by  one  prior  to  it.  Nor  did  he  ever 
visit  our  Persons  or  our  Churches  more,  tho’  He  was  in  Town  3  Sundays,  where 
we  had  two  successive  Sacraments,  and  he  was  twice  an  hearer  in  Dissenting 
Congregations. 

Between  3  &  4  O’clock  he  left  us,  he  was  in  Dr.  Colman’s  Pulpit,  in  his 
Gown,  (which  he  constantly  wore  in  Town),  before  a  large  Audience  of 
Teachers  and  People,  Praying,  extempore ,  and  Preaching;  commending  the 
Faith  and  Purity  of  this  Country,  the  Design  and  Lives  of  our  Forefathers 
who  settled  it,  And  this  was  a  Topic  he  never  forgot  upon  all  Public  Occa¬ 
sions.  He  also  reproved  the  People  for  their  slack  attendance  on  the  Weekly 
Dissenters’  Lectures — assign’d  it  to  the  late  Fashionable  Preaching  among 
us.  He  also  reproached  the  Church  universally  for  her  Corruptions  in  the 


347 


[T  740- 


Faith  and  Deviation  from  her  Articles ;  faulted  the  scholars  at  Cambridge  for 
reading  the  most  celebrated  Writers  of  our  Church,  and  recommended  to 
them  Willard's  Body  of  Divinity ,  Shepherd' s  Sound  Believer ,  and  Stoddard' s 
Safety  of  Appearing  in  the  Righteousness  of  Christ.  He  taxed  the  Persecut¬ 
ing  Spirit  in  England,  never  more  so  than  now,  which  he  expected  to  feel 
and  was  ready  to  submit  to ;  and  in  his  farewell  Sermon,  expressed  his  doubt 
whether  his  Enemies  would  spare  his  Life  that  he  might  Return  to  them. 

He  scarce  ever  omitted  preaching  twice  a  day,  besides  frequent  Expound¬ 
ing  in  the  Family,  and  some  time  after  that,  Family  Prayer,  with  Multitudes 
that  attended  him  and  joined  with  him,  within  doors  and  without.  He  preach’d 
in  this  Town  and  many  of  the  Towns  adjacent,  in  Conventicles,  Commons, 
and  open  Places,  where  he  was  always  thronged,  and  seldom  by  less  than 
Thousands  2,  5,  8,  and  at  his  Farewell,  by  not  less  than  20,000.  Before  his 
departure  he  made  one  excursion  of  60  miles,  Preaching  all  the  way  going 
and  coming.  He  always  minded  us  of  the  Orphan  House  at  Georgia,  and 
obtain’d  a  Collection  in  one  Place  and  another  of  above  ^300  this  Currency. 

He  departed  from  us  to  Northampton,  about  100  miles  off,  Preaching  all 
the  way  to  Multitudes  flocking  to  him.  When  he  got  into  those  parts  He 
could  operate  but  little,  the  main  body  of  the  People  having  been  converted  a 
few  Years  ago,  and  the  Teachers  present  discoursing  with  him  upon  points  he 
had  delivered  in  their  hearing,  and  receiv’d  not  the  satisfaction  they  desir’d. 
When  he  came  to  New  Haven,  in  Connecticut,  he  preached  there  often, 
and  in  the  Hearing  of  the  Gen1  Court,  but  with  little  esteem.  He  had  no 
Encouragement  to  ask  a  Collection,  but  would  force  one  on,  and  gain’d  but 
35  this  Currency. 

The  Occurrence  of  his  further  Progress  I  believe  Your  Lordship  will 
receive  from  the  Commissaries  and  Clergy  of  the  other  Districts. 

While  he  was  here,  the  face  of  things  was  quite  altered ;  little  Business 
went  forward,  People  were  always  flocking  to  him,  and  he  was  the  subject  of 
all  our  Talk,  and  to  speak  against  him  was  neither  credible  nor  scarce  safe. 
Governor  &  Council,  and  all  Authority,  Teachers  &  People,  tryed  to  excel  in 
showing  Respect  to  him,  nor  do  I  know  when  things  will  subside  into  that  easy 
condition  they  were  in  before  he  came. 

The  Variance  he  has  caused  remain  in  too  great  a  degree.  I  tho’t  it  my 
Duty,  as  mildly  as  I  could,  to  bear  witness  against  his  opinion  and  Practices, 
and  had  no  thanks  from  many  within  and  without  the  Church,  tho’  I  hope  the 


1740.] 


348 


Ferment  is  somewhat  allay’d.  Indeed  the  bitterest  Zeal  about  him  is  among 
the  Dissenting  Laity,  who  are  for  him  by  a  vast  majority.  The  Ruling  part 
of  the  Clergy  are  for  him  almost  every  where,  but  the  Major  Part  only  in  this 
Town.  Throughout  the  Province,  they  say  Iths  are  against  Him.  An  Evening 
Weekly  Lecture  is  set  up  on  his  Acco4  by  6  Teachers,  from  which  many  fear 
bad  consequences.  While  some  appear  in  his  Favor,  others  Venture  on  the 
contrary,  I  beg  leave  to  present  Your  Lordship  with  a  Specimen  of  both. 

It  is  to  be  feared,  my  Lord,  that  Antinomian  Principle  will  be  greatly 
reviv’d,  and  spread  by  Mr.  Whitefield’s  Means.  His  Journals,  Sermons  and 
Pamphlets  are  reprinted  and  eagerly  bought  here,  and  our  Pulpits  &  Presses 
are  never  free  from  such  Doctrines.  Your  Lords  may  see  something  of  that 
horrible  nature  in  page  26,  line  26  of  Dr.  Colman’s  Sermon.  We  must  caution 
our  People  against  them,  but  want  further  assistance.  Your  Lordship’s  Letter 
hath  had  an  hearty  Welcome,  and  been  very  beneficial  where  it  has  reached, 
but  the  Copies  of  it  are  very  rare. 

It  is  high  time  now  that  I  ask  Your  Lordship’s  Pardon  for  this  great 
Trespass,  tho’  it  be  joined  with  the  highest  Veneration  and  my  best  wishes 
and  Prayers,  and  with  Your  Lordship’s  Forgiveness,  I  hope  to  obtain  Your 
Blessing  on  myself  and  my  only  Son,  now  in  England. 

I  am,  My  Lord, 

Your  Lordship’s  Most  Dutiful 

&  Obed1  Son  and  Servant, 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


M\  TIMOTHY  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary. 


Boston,  New  England,  December  11th,  1740. 

Sir, 

*  *  The  number  of  my  Parishioners  is  pretty  near  at  a  Stand, 

somewhat  exceeding  600.  I  have  baptized  41  Persons — a  man  and  a  woman, 
Adults — to  appearance  attending  the  ordinance  from  due  awakenings  and  a 
due  sense  of  the  great  importance  and  Obligations  of  it;  37  Infants,  30  of 
which  were  Negro  Slaves.  I  have  received  10  to  our  Communion,  one  under 


349  [1740- 

great  penitence  for  the  Irregularities  of  his  life,  and  two  soberly  departing 
from  the  dissenters  to  us. 

Our  dissenting  Congregations  are  not  encreased  in  number.  They  are, 
Independent  ones,  a  small  one  of  Presbyterian,  a  smaller  still  of  the  French, 
another  of  Anabaptists,  and  another  of  Quakers  ;  some  few  Papists  among  us 
we  know  the  most,  and  I  believe  a  great  many  of  them,  are  concealed.  Our 
Slaves  are  most  of  them  stupid  and  unconcerned  about  Religion,  and  very 
deficient  in  moral  virtue,  but  some  of  them  are  serious  and  sober  Christians, 
Baptized  and  Communicants. 

My  Church  is  in  a  quiet  and  peaceable  state  ;  our  affairs  are  generally  pro¬ 
moted  with  unanimity.  In  this  manner  did  we,  the  last  summer,  erect  and 
finish  a  Steeple,  handsome  and  tall,  which  I  believe  cost  near  £2000  of  this 
Currency,  tho’  the  charges  are  not  yet  wholly  defrayed. 

The  whole  Church  in  this  Town  and  the  adjacent  parts,  with  all  the 
Church  both  at  home  and  abroad,  hath  felt  the  ill  effects  of  Mr.  Whitefield’s 
visits.  Our  sufferings  here  are  very  particular,  being  but  an  handful  to  the  dis¬ 
senters,  who  of  all  orders  and  degrees  were  highly  fond  of  his  coming,  and 
gave  him  a  most  hearty  and  distinguishing  welcome,  and  strived  to  excell  one 
another  in  it,  and  to  be  cold  or  differently  effected  is  with  them  a  pretty  strong 
mark  of  reprobation.  The  clergy  of  this  Town  never  invited  him  into  their  Pul¬ 
pits,  nor  did  he  ask  them,  nor  ever  attended  any  one  of  our  Churches,  saving 
one  Friday  at  Prayers,  upon  his  first  entrance,  to  make  himself  known  to  us, 
tho’  he  tarried  over  three  Sundays  in  Town,  daily  preaching  in  our  Meeting 
Houses,  and  in  open  places,  and  was  an  hearer  among  the  Dissenters  on  one 
part  of  two  Sundays.  Bishops,  Divines,  Churchmen  and  Christians  are  with  us, 
good  or  bad,  as  he  describes  them,  and  nothing  but  a  conformity  to  his  notions 
and  rules  will  give  us  a  shining  character.  The  Idea  he  gives  us  of  the 
present  Church  (and  too  many  receive  it)  is  Heterodoxy,  Falsehood  to  our 
articles  and  rules,  Persecution,  and  never  more  so.  The  principals,  and  books 
and  practices  of  this  Country  are  applauded  and  preferred  to  every  thing  now 
in  the  Church,  and  People  are  exhorted  to  adhere  to  their  Dissenting 
Pastors. 

Too  many  unhappy  Feuds  and  Debates  are  owing  to  Mr.  Whitefield’s  being 
among  us ;  and  we  have  even  disobliged  the  Dissenters  in  suffering  them  to 
engross  him,  but  I  hope  the  Fury  and  Ferment  is  subsiding,  and  that  we  shall 
at  length  be  tolerably  sweetened  towards  one  another.  What  may  hinder  it 


i74i.] 


350 


are  the  enthusiastic  Notions  very  much  kindled  among  us  and  like  to  be 
propagated  by  his  Writings,  dispersed  every  where,  with  Antinomianism  re¬ 
vived,  and  I  fear  also,  Infidel  and  Libertine  Principles,  which  some  express  a 
particular  fondness  for  at  this  time.  Our  labours  among  our  people  would  be 
very  much  assisted  by  suitable  Books  on  these  subjects,  and  the  Society’s 
bounty  in  this  kind  never  wants  good  effects,  tho’  not  so  large  as  good 
men  wish. 

While  my  slender  abilities  are  continued  to  me,  they  will  be  faithfully  em¬ 
ployed  in  the  Work  the  Society  has  sent  me  here  for,  and  while  my  life  lasts  I 
shall  be  their 

Very  thankful  and  Obedient,  humble  Servant, 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


M\  CUTLER  to  the  BISHOP  of  LONDON. 


Boston,  New  England,  Jany  14,  174*. 

My  Lord, 

I  presume  once  more  to  lay  before  Your  Lordship  the  State  and  Progress 
of  Enthusiasm  in  these  parts ;  and  beg  leave  to  do  it  in  the  Terms  of  the 
enclos’d  Extract  of  a  Letter  handed  about  among  us.  Indeed  I  know  not  the 
Person  who  wrote  the  Letter,  nor  to  whom.  He  wrote  it ;  But  it  is  generally 
received  among  us  as  true  without  an  Hyperbole,  and  with  a  great  deal  of 
Reason,  my  Lord,  it  is  so ;  For  every  thing  strange  and  uncommon  in  it  is 
exemplify ed  in  other  Places. 

Since  the  Date  of  that  Letter  Enthusiasm  has  swell’d  to  much  higher 
degrees  of  madness ;  and  nothing  is  too  bad  wherewith  to  stigmatize  those 
who  disapprove  of  it  so  that  should  the  Friends  of  it  encrease  much  more,  their 
Bitterness,  Fury  &  Rage  might  well  make  us  tremble.  They  assemble  People 
in  Towns  and  frequently  enter  Meeting  Houses  without  the  knowledge  or 
Liking  of  the  Proper  Teachers,  who  commonly  think  it  safest  for  them  to 
stifle  their  Resentments.  Those  who  could  not  act  that  Prudence  have  many 
of  them  had  Parties  made  among  them  to  their  great  Vexation,  and  some 
Laymen  or  other  have  started  up,  and  Strengthened  the  Schism  in  the  Ex- 


35i 


[1741. 


ercise  of  their  Gifts  of  Praying  and  Preaching,  and  indeed  the  Times  are 
fruitful  of  many  such  Ruling  Elders,  Deacons,  and  other  illiterate  Mechanics, 
who  neglect  or  lay  aside  their  callings  for  this  Purpose,  and  are  much  admired 
and  followed  by  the  People.  Two  of  them  have  enter’d  this  Town  and 
affected  multitudes  ;  and  one  of  them  has  had  the  Liberty  of  sundry  Dissent¬ 
ing  Pulpits;  here  as  well  as  elsewhere,  we  have  new  Lectures  in  abundance, 
stated  and  occasional,  by  Day  and  Night.  Here  Children  and  Servants  stroll, 
withdrawing  themselves  from  Family  care  and  Subjection  ;  and  Day  Labour¬ 
ers  spend  much  of  their  Time,  expecting  notwithstanding  full  Wages.  In 
some  Places  (this  Town  not  excepted),  Lectures,  especially  Evening  ones,  are 
attended  with  hideous  Yellings,  and  shameful  Revels,  continuing  till  Midnight, 
and  till  Break  of  Day,  and  much  Wickedness  is  justly  feared  to  be  the  Con¬ 
sequence  of  Them. 

Connecticut  is  a  most  lamentable  Scene  of  Disorder.  To  remedy  it  sundry 
of  the  Teachers  did  lately  petition  their  General  Assembly  to  countenance 
their  Meeting  in  a  Synod,  which  they  did  notwithstanding  the  happy  Curb  this 
Province  received,  on  the  like  Design,  from  Your  Lordship’s  good  offices, 
about  15  or  16  Years  ago.  But  the  Result  of  that  Synod  is  not  like  to 
Answer  the  Ends  aimed  at. 

This  Ferment  might  subside,  were  it  not  for  the  Zeal  of  those  of 
our  Teachers  who  assisted  Mr.  Whitefield  to  raise  it ;  and  they  redouble 
their  Efforts,  where  they  apprehend  any  Danger  of  it  is  subsiding.  Mr. 
Edwards’s  Book,  which  I  now  trouble  Your  Lordship  with,  is  an  unpleasant 
Instance  of  that  kind  ;  and  Mr.  Cooper  who  prefaced  it,  Teacher  in  this  Town, 
lately  went  to  New  Hampshire  at  the  Invitation  of  these  Fanciful  People,  and 
notwithstanding  the  Dislike  of  their  worthy  Governor  Wentworth  had  too 
much  confirmed  them,  and  Brings  back  a  Report,  as  they  say,  of  100  Converts 
that  he  has  made. 

My  Church  is  within  a  Cluster  of  these  deluded  People,  whereby  some  are 
Lost,  and  others  hurt ;  but  I  don’t  see  my  Congregation  the  less  for  it  and  do 
believe  that  my  Congregat"  with  others  of  the  Church,  will  be  gainers  in  the 
long  Run  ;  if  Infidelity  find  not  advantage  to  detach  great  Numbers  to  it. 

All  Sober  People  that  read  Your  Lordship’s  Pastoral  Letter,  and  know 
Your  Lordship’s  Character,  are  sensible  how  highly  we  are  indebted  to  Your 
Vigilance  and  good  Instructions  ;  and  may  God  bless  us  long  with  the  Benefit 
of  them.  The  Account  will  I  hope  strengthen  our  Interest  in  Your  Lord- 


i74i.] 


352 


ship’s  Prayers  and  be  followed  with  a  Pardon  to  him,  who  is,  with  all  possible 
Veneration  and  Respect, 

My  Lord, 

Your  Lordship’s 

Most  humble 

&  Most  Obed1  Serv1, 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 

My  Lord, 

When  I  had  finished  this  Letter  I  found  printed  the  Resolves  of  the  Synod 
or  General  Consosociation  in  Connecticut,  which  I  mentioned  and  beg  leave 
also  to  enclose  it  to  Your  Lordship. 


Mr.  PRICE  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Boston,  Jany  29,  174*. 

Revd  Sir, 

Our  whole  attention  is  now  taken  up  with  the  strange  effects  produced  by 
the  new  Doctrines  lately  revived  by  Mr.  Whitfield  in  these  parts  and  indus¬ 
triously  propogated  by  his  followers  since,  by  whose  labours  they  are  become 
almost  universal ;  this  madness  prevails  chiefly  in  the  Country  Towns  tho’ 
there  are  many  appearances  of  it  in  Boston,  and  no  pains  wanting  to  excite  it. 
The  Church  of  England  has  escaped  beyond  our  expectation,  but  we  are  not 
without  our  fear  and  danger.  *  *  * 

I  am,  Revd  Sir, 

Your  most  Obed1  Humble  Serv1, 

ROGER  PRICE. 


M  .  BROCKIFELL  to  the  Secretary . 


Revd  Sir, 


(EXTRACT.) 


Salem,  Feby  1 8,  174*. 


It  is  impossible  to  relate  the  convulsions  into  which  the 
whole  Country  is  thrown  by  a  set  of  Enthusiasts  yl  strole  about  harangueing 
the  admiring  Vulgar  in  extempore  nonsense,  nor  is  it  confined  to  these  only, 
for  Men,  Women,  Children,  Servants,  &  Nigros  are  now  become  (as  they 
phrase  it)  Exhorters.  Their  behaviour  is  indeed  as  shocking,  as  uncomon, 
their  groans,  cries,  screams,  &  agonies  must  affect  the  Spectators  were  they 
never  so  obdurate  &  draw  tears  even  from  ye  most  resolute,  whilst  the  ridicu¬ 
lous  &  frantic  gestures  of  others  cannot  but  excite  both  laughter  &  contempt, 
some  leaping,  some  laughing,  some  singing,  some  clapping  one  another  upon 
the  back,  &c.  The  tragic  scene  is  performed  by  such  as  are  entering  into  the 
pangs  of  ye  New  Birth;  the  comic  by  those  who  are  got  thro’  and  those  are 
so  truly  enthusiastic,  yl  they  tell  you  they  saw  ye  Joys  of  Heaven,  can  describe 
its  situation,  inhabitants,  employments,  &  have  seen  their  names  entered  into 
the  Book  of  Life  &  can  point  out  the  writer,  character  &  pen.  And  like 
the  Papists  support  their  fraud  by  recommending  every  dream  as  a  Divine 
Vision  &  every  idle  untruth  as  a  revelation  to  the  admiring  multitude.  Their 
works  may  justly  be  called  ye  works  of  darkness  as  acted  in  the  Night  &  often 
continued  to  the  noon  of  ye  next  day  &  ye  sleep  of  children  depriv’d  of  their 
natural  rest  is  called  a  trance,  &  their  uncouth  dreams  (occasion’d  from  the 
awfulness  of  the  place,  the  number  of  Lights,  the  variety  of  action  among  the 
People,  some  praying,  some  exhorting,  some  swooning,  &c)  are  deemed  no 
less  than  heavenly  discoveries.  In  Connecticut,  the  next  Government,  ’tis  said 
many  have  laid  their  Bibles  aside ;  and  some  have  burnt  them,  as  useless  to 
those  who  are  so  plenteously  fill’d  with  the  Spirit,  as  to  cry  out  Enough  Lord  ! 
In  short  Sir,  such  confusion,  disorder,  &  irregularity  Eye  never  beheld.  The 
illusion  of  the  French  Prophets,  A0  1707,  was  nothing  to  this,  &  unless  as  to 
that,  some  unexpected  accident  put  a  period  to  this,  I  know  not  but  this  year 
for  Enthusiasm  may  be  as  memorable  as  was  1692  for  witchcraft  for  the  con¬ 
verted  cry  out  upon  the  unregenerated,  as  the  afflicted  did  then  upon  the 


I741-] 


354 


poor  innocent  wretches  yl  unjustly  suffered.  Rogers  of  Ipswich  one  of  this 
Pseudo  Apostled  displayed  his  talent  in  ye  Town  on  Sunday  ye  24th  Jany  & 
continued  here  so  doing  until  y®  Thursday  following,  when  he  left  his  auditory 
in  charge  to  one  Elvins  a  Baker,  who  holds  forth  every  Thursday,  and  tho’  a 
fellow  of  consummate  ignorance  is  nevertheless  followed  by  great  multitudes 
and  much  cried  up.  But  I  thank  God  that  few  of  my  Church  went  to  hear 
either  of  them,  and  those  yl  did  wholly  disliked  them.  I  having  taken  true 
pains,  both  in  publick  &  private  to  arm  ym  against  y®  approaching  danger 
which  was  like  to  beset  them  on  either  side. 

Provisions  of  all  sorts  have  doubled  the  price  on  account  of  the  War,  & 
the  immemorable  severity  of  the  last  Winter  so  that  it  is  impossible  for  me  to 
subsist  on  my  present  Salary  especially  as  Trading  is  now  so  decay’d  that  my 
People  cannot  punctually  comply  with  their  contract.  But  of  this  I  shall  give 
you  a  further  account  when  I  have  the  happiness  of  seeing  you,  for  which  I 
only  wait  the  Societie’s  leave.  I  beg  you  would  be  pleased  to  present  my  duty 
to  the  Society  and  my  Father  and  believe  me  to  be, 

Revd  Sir, 

Your  most  obliged  Humble  Serv1, 

CHA.  BROCKWELL. 

P.  S.  A  noted  Teacher  in  this  Town  is  suspected  of  Forgery,  of  which  if 
he  next  July  Court  should  be  found  guilty,  I  am  pretty  confident  many  of  his 
Congregation  will  draw  off  to  the  Church  of  England  &  those  of  y®  better  sort. 


Mr.  TIMOTHY  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary. 


Boston,  New  England,  June  11th,  1741. 

Sir, 

From  the  11th  of  last  Decr  to  this  time,  I  am  able  to  inform  this  Honbl® 
Society  of  no  more  than  28  Infants  baptized  by  me,  one  of  them  a  Negro,  and 
of  three  new  communicants,  Persons  of  worthy  Character,  offering  themselves 


355  [i 741 • 

to  our  Communion  with  all  becoming  seriousness  and  due  profession  of  their 
Faith  and  resolutions. 

I  think  the  number  of  my  Parishioners  is  somewhat  above  600,  neither 
encreased  of  late  nor  decreased  by  sundry  deaths  among  us. 

Our  Dissenting  Congregations  are  as  they  have  been  for  some  years  9 
Independent,  a  smaller  one  of  the  French,  one  likewise  of  the  Anabaptists, 
and  one  of  the  Quakers.  They  encrease  but  little  by  the  accession  of  Stran¬ 
gers  to  them,  and  where  one  Congregation  swells,  it  is  mostly  by  deduction 
from  another.  For  of  late,  since  Mr.  Whitefield  has  been  known  among  us, 
they  have  remarkably  dissented,  not  only  from  our  Church,  but  from  them¬ 
selves  upon  religious  considerations  and  party  matters  much  revived  at  this 
juncture. 

The  ill  effects  of  Mr.  Whitefield’s  visit  to  us  mDht  in  some  measure  have 

o 

been  worn  off,  could  we  have  been  preserved  from  his  Writings,  and  those  of 
his  Converts  and  Followers  now  spread  all  over  our  Country,  with  no  suffi¬ 
cient  number  of  the  excellent  and  various  antidotes  that  England  is  furnished 
with  and  from  those  who  with  his  spirit  have  since  carried  on  his  designs  with 
too  great  success,  I  need  mention  only  one  Gilbert  Tennent  a  teacher  living 
to  the  southward  of  us  who  visited  us  the  last  Winter,  and  afflicted  us  more 
than  the  most  intense  Cold  and  Snow  that  ever  was  known  among  us,  and 
kept  even  the  most  tender  people  travelling  night  and  day,  to  hear  the  most 
vulgar,  crude  and  boisterous  things  from  him,  to  the  ruin  of  the  health  of 
many,  and  the  poisoning  of  more  with  unsound  Divinity,  so  that  Charity  is 
much  extinguished,  Order  violated.  Vissionaries  young  and  old  abound  and 
think  themselves  obliged  to  exhibit  their  gifts  of  praying  and  expounding  to 
all  that  will  attend  them. 

I  believe  the  Episcopal  Clergy  are  generally  guarding  against  these  incon¬ 
veniences  and  dangers,  and  hope  not  to  fail  on  my  part,  as  I  would  not  by  the 
grace  of  God,  in  any  other  point  of  duty,  remembering  among  other  consid¬ 
erations  the  expectations  of  that  Society,  to  whose  goodness  my  subsistance 
is  so  much  owing,  ever  to  be  acknowledged  with  all  thankfulness  while  I  can 
subscribe  myself,  as  I  now  sincerely  do, 

Their  most  obliged 

And  obedient  Servant, 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


I741-] 


356 


M\  BROGKWELL  to  the  BISHOP  of  LONDON . 


Boston,  N.  Engld,  June  15,  1741. 

My  Lord, 

I  can  no  otherwise  for  my  troubling  you  with  this  letter,  than  by  honestly 
assuring  you,  nothing  but  the  sincerest  regard  for  the  Church  &  the  highest 
deference  to  your  Lordship  could  have  induced  me  to  it;  we  are  here  in  great 
straights,  Whitfield  &  Tennant  have  considerably  injured  the  Church,  before 
labouring  under  high  discouragements  from  enemies  in  Power  who  have 
gladly  embraced  this  opportunity  of  shewing  themselves.  But  now  a  more 
melancholy  scene  seems  to  open  upon  us,  the  Wesleys  are  expected  in  the 
fall,  Men  every  way  superior  to  those  have  already  appeared  &  therefore  (if 
Enemies)  still  capable  of  greater  mischief.  Conscious  my  Lord  of  my  own 
weakness,  not  daring  to  rely  on  my  own  shallow  Judgment,  I  humbly  crave 
your  Lordship’s  direction.  Believe  me,  in  a  young  (I  may  say  as  yet  unsettled) 
Church,  much  depends  upon  my  deportment  in  this  critical  Juncture,  which 
makes  me  thus  pressingly  intreat  your  Lordship’s  direction  whether  to  receive 
them  as  brother  Clergymen  into  my  Church  or  Pulpit,  or  to  reject  them  as 
those  that  are  under  the  censure  or  displeasure  of  my  Diocesan,  many  things 
pass  in  Europe,  we  Poor  Exiles  know  little  of  &  therefore  ’ tis  I  am  enforced 
to  sue  to  your  Lordship,  whose  commands  in  this  &  all  other  cases  shall  meet 
with  the  utmost  obedience  from,  My  Lord, 

Your  most  dutiful  Son  &  Obd1  Pfumble  Servant, 

RD  BROCKWELL. 


Mr.  BROCKIVELL  to  the  Secretary . 


Revd  Sir, 


Salem,  New  England,  June  15th,  1741. 


The  distractions  Whitefield  and  Tenent  have  made  in 
these  Parts  are  very  great,  some  labouring  under  a  high  spirit  of  enthusiasm, 


357 


[i  74i • 


others  of  Antinomianism,  and  others  under  despair,  and  what  is  yet  stranger 
the  very  Children  are  affected  by  their  Parents’  uneasiness  and  talk  nothing 
less  than  they  of  renovation,  regeneration,  conviction  and  conversion,  tho’ 
neither  Children  nor  Parents  understand  the  meaning  of  the  terms  they  con¬ 
tinually  cant  about.  And  even  from  8  years  old  to  12  or  13  they  assemble  in 
bodies  to  vent  the  imaginary  profusions  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  disorderly  pray¬ 
ing  and  preaching  ;  nay  the  very  Servants  and  Slaves  pretend  to  extraordinary 
inspiration,  and  under  the  veil  thereof  cherish  their  idle  dispositions  and  in 
lieu  of  dutifully  minding  their  respective  businesses,  run  rambling  about  to 
utter  their  enthusiastic  nonsense.  The  Westleys  and  Whitefield  are  expected 
here  in  the  fall.  We  universally  dread  the  consequences  of  their  coming  and 
I  am  sure  as  to  myself  I  should  be  glad  of  the  Society’s  direction  how  to 
behave  in  such  perilous  times.  The  two  former  if  enemies  are  powerful  ones, 
Men  of  great  capacities  and  fortify’d  by  a  large  fund  of  learning,  Whereof 
Whitefield  is  destitute  and  therefore  the  Victory  over  him  is  neither  difficult 
nor  glorious  however  he  may  boast  in  his  lying  and  scandalous  Journals.  If 
the  venerable  Society  please  to  favour  us  with  their  instructions,  how  we  are 
to  treat  these  itinerent  Preachers,  the  sooner  the  better  that  we  may  be  armed 
against  the  approach  of  (I  fear)  these  enemies  to  our  Church  and  Constitu¬ 
tion. 

The  state  of  my  Church  is  the  same  as  I  informed  you  in  mine  of  Jany  19th, 
1 740,  save  only  that  my  people  have  paid  the  deficient  contribution  for  fear 
of  my  application  to  the  Society. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir, 

Your  most  obedient  humble  Servant, 

H.  A.  BROCKWELL. 


M'.  TIMOTHY  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary. 


Revd  Sir, 

books  they 
fusions  Mr. 


Boston,  Sepr  25th,  1741. 

The  Society  do  much  oblige  their  Missionaries  by  the  good 
send  them,  especially  those  occasioned  by  the  disorders  and  con- 
Whitefield  and  his  Disciples  have  wrought  among  us.  It  would 


i74i.] 


358 


be  happier  still  had  we  greater  numbers  to  disperse,  to  allay  the  dismal  ferment 
now  raised.  For  though  at  present  the  operations  of  reason  are  stifled  in 
thousands,  and  many  Families  and  Places  are  perfect  Bedlams,  yet  there  are 
some  whom  good  books  and  arguments  are  welcome  to,  and  are  ready  to 
benefit  others  at  any  lucid  interval.  I  am  able  to  pronounce  upon  the  good 
effects  of  sundry  books  sent  to  us,  but  one  we  have  not  had  before  viz. : 
“The  Trial  of  Mr.  Whitefield’s  Spirit,”  and  there  being  but  two  sets,  it  cannot 
he  much  communicated.  My  opinion  is  that  it  would  highly  serve  us  were  it 
spread  abroad  ;  but  modesty  will  not  allow  me  to  deliver  it  to  the  Society 
without  Facts  to  strengthen  it. 

Revd  Sir, 

Your  most  obedient,  humble  Servant, 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 

- ♦ - 

Mr.  DAVENPORT  to  the  BISHOP  of  LONDON. 


Boston,  N.  England,  Oct.  6th,  1741. 

My  Lord, 

The  principal  design  I  have  in  paying  my  duty  to  your  Lordship  at  this  time 
is  to  communicate  the  Desires  of  Mr.  Jonathan  Simpson  (the  Bearer)  for  the 
benefit  of  confirmation,  which  I  believe  your  Lordship  will  readily  grant,  when 
your  Lordship  may  be  assured  that  this  Gentleman,  from  a  love  to  truth  & 
against  many  secular  inducements,  has  dared  singly  to  step  out  of  his  father’s 
house  (where  he  had  been  educated  after  the  strictest  manner  among  the 
independents),  &  openly  embraced  the  Church  of  Engld,  which  ever  since  he 
has  adorned  with  an  exemplary  conversation.  He  is  now  one  of  the  Vestry 
of  Trinity  Church,  8c  is  able  to  give  your  Lordship  a  perfect  Acc1  of  all  things 
relating  to  it,  8c  how  God  Almighty  has  been  pleased  to  own  8c  prosper  it. 
He  is  also  very  capable  of  informing  your  Lordship  what  a  sad  8c  General 
confusion  Whitfield  has  brought  this  Town  8c  Country  into,  or  in  any  other 
matter  your  Lordship  may  think  proper  to  enquire  concerning  N.  Engld. 

Worldly  business  (in  which  he  has  been  abundantly  successful)  now  carries 
him  to  Engld,  but  as  he  is  above  all  things  Solicitous  that  his  Soul  may  be  in 


359 


[1741- 


health  &  prosper,  I  do  for  that  great  end,  as  his  more  immediate  Pastor,  hum¬ 
bly  present  him  to  your  Lordship  for  your  Episcopal  benediction  in  the 
manner  he  is  now  seeking  this  favor,  a  favor  which  many  here  would  rejoice 
to  Share  with  him.  I  earnestly  beg  an  interest  in  your  Lordship’s  prayers  & 
blessing  for  the  good  people  of  Trinity  Church,  as  well  as  for, 

My  Lord, 

Your  Lordship’s  most  dutiful  and 

obliged  Son  &  Servant, 
ADDINGTEN  DAVENPORT. 


D\  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Boston,  N.  E.,  Decr  31,  1741. 

Sir, 

*  *  *  An  accession  also  hath  been  made  to  our  Communion  of  12 

persons,  well  apprised  of  the  nature  of  that  Ordinance,  ornamental  to  their 
profession,  and  I  believe,  conscientiously  mindful  of  the  duties  of  it.  Eight  of 
them  were  Dissenters  by  Education,  &  have  inoffensively  come  into  the  bosom 
of  the  Church,  of  whom  6  belong  to  a  Town  called  Sudbury,  at  the  distance 
of  about  20  Miles  from  this  place,  where  the  3  Clergymen  of' this  Town  have 
preached  at  the  request  of  many,  and  to  good  acceptance,  and  are  like  to 
continue  this  service ;  and  I  hope  this  will  increase  an  affection  to  the  Church 
there,  &  spread  it  in  the  parts  adjacent,  &  prepare  numbers  for  the  settled 
advantage  of  the  Ordinances  of  it,  especially  if  their  good  beginnings  may 
have  the  countenance  &  assistance  of  the  Honorable  Society.  I  commonly 
deliver  the  Communion  to  about  70  Persons,  but  am  not  able  to  say  that  my 
Parishioners  are  in  number  much  above  600. 

There  is  peace,  and  I  hope,  edification  too,  in  my  Church.  The  greatest 
interruption  to  it  at  present  here  and  elsewhere,  is  the  Enthusiasm  Mr.  Whit¬ 
field  hath  sowed  among  us,  and  which  now  in  his  absence,  puts  itself  forth  in 
dismal  fruits  throughout  the  Country.  There  are  enough  to  cherish  the  ill 


1742.] 


36o 


work  begun  by  him ;  among  others  many  illiterate  Tradesmen  are  helping  it 
forward,  pretending  a  Call  to  the  public  exercise  of  their  Gifts  of  Praying  and 
Preaching,  and  are  now  vying  with,  &  probably  will  jostle  out  sundry  of  their 
Teachers  in  one  place  or  other.  The  Teachers  disaffected  to  our  present 
commotions  are  afraid  of  stemming  the  popular  fury,  observing  in  some  of 
their  Brethren  the  ill  consequences  of  it.  Connecticut  is  reported  to  be  a 
scene  of  most  dreadful  disorders  at  this  time.  They  have  lately  attempted  a 
remedy  of  them  by  a  Synod,  notwithstanding  this  Province  was  rebuked, 
about  15  years  agoe,  for  pretending  to  such  a  power;  but  the  result  of  this 
Connecticut  Synod  has  not  been  effectual  to  this  purpose. 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


Mr.  MILLER  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 


Revd  Sir, 


Braintree  in  N.  England,  Jany  17,  1742. 


*  A  few  days  ago  a  Committee  from  those  of  the  Church 
of  England  in  Taunton,  were  with  me  to  request  me  to  come  &  preach  among 
them  which  I  have  engaged  to  do  next  Sunday;  they  are  in  great  confusion  on 
account  of  the  New  Light  as  they  call  it,  and  I  am  informed  that  some  of  the 
most  considerable  Dissenters  are  inclined  to  come  into  the  Church  of  Eng¬ 
land  if  they  may  be  favoured  with  a  Minister.  When  I  have  been  there  I 
shall  be  better  able  to  acquaint  you  &  the  Society  with  their  circumstances, 
which  I  shall  not  fail  to  do. 


I  am,  Sir,  Your  most  humble  Serv1, 

EBENR  MILLER. 


36i 


[1742. 


M’\  PRICE  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Boston,  May  3,  1742. 

Rev®  Sir, 

*  *  I  very  much  approve  of  Doctor  Mac  Sparran’s  scheme, 

and  lament  that  the  Society  did  not  fall  into  his  method  at  their  first  establish¬ 
ing  Missions  in  America  when  Lands  might  have  been  purchased  at  a  small 
value,  such  Glebes  under  proper  improvement  might  at  this  day  have  been  a 
tolerable  support  to  the  Ministers  and  eas’d  the  Society  of  a  considerable  part 
of  the  charge  they  now  labour  under;  whereas  all  the  Missions  in  this  part  of 
the  Continent  are  as  far  from  subsisting  upon  any  support  arising  here  as  at 
their  first  settling,  except  in  Boston  &  Rhode  Island,  where  the  Congregations 
are  large  &  wealthy.  This  would  prevent  an  imposition  too  frequently  put 
upon  the  Society  of  promising  more  towards  procuring  a  Missionary  than 
the  Subscribers  are  afterwards  willing  to  give  towards  his  support ;  which 
generally  occasions  a  quarrel  between  the  Minister  &  People  as  was  the  case 
of  Scituate  for  which  the  Society  justly  withdrew  their  bounty  from  them. 
This  would  likewise  prevent  a  dependency  of  the  Clergy  upon  the  People, 
which  is  a  great  obstruction  to  the  progress  of  the  Church  here  and  Religion 
in  general,  and  by  this  means  we  might  hope  in  another  age  to  have  the 
Church  of  England  settled  here  upon  a  Foundation  that  may  be  perpetual 
and  the  Society  at  liberty  to  apply  their  benefaction  to  other  places  as  new 
occasions  shall  require. 

I  was  so  sensible  and  fully  convinced  of  the  usefulness  &  necessity  of  this 
course,  that  I  set  out  upon  it  at  Hopkinton  &  procured  with  much  pains  & 
expence  to  myself  a  very  good  Farm  for  a  Glebe  there  containing  better  than 
a  hundred  acres  to  which  50  more  will  soon  be  added  with  a  House  &  Barn 
upon  it ;  the  most  valuable  thing  of  that  kind  in  New  England.  This  founda¬ 
tion  for  a  Church  drew  many  of  that  persuasion  to  settle  here  so  as  to  exceed 
the  numbers  of  several  establish’d  Missions,  not  doubting  but  that  such  a 
beginning  as  this  would  be  particularly  taken  notice  of  and  engage  the 
Societie’s  Favour,  but  unhappily  they  petitioned  at  an  unfortunate  juncture  and 

are  still  pouring  out  their  Prayers  for  some  relief.  I  have  sent  herein  inclosed 
46 


1742.] 


362 


Mr.  Coram’s  Deed  which  has  not  yet  taken  place,  by  reason  of  defect  in  the 
Title.  Our  Religious  confusions  still  prevail  in  several  parts  of  the  Country, 
the  Town  of  Boston  has  been  hitherto  freest  from  the  infatuation.  We  are 
threatened  very  soon  with  a  visit  from  Mr.  Whitfield,  the  consequence  of 
which  I  much  dread.  I  pray  God  preserve  to  us  our  senses  and  the  true 
Religion. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir, 

Your  Affectionate  Brother  &  H’ble  Serv1, 

ROGER  PRICE. 

We  have  lately  entered  upon  a  Subscription  here  for  building  a  New 
Church  in  the  place  of  King’s  Chapel  now  very  much  decay’d.  Our  Gover- 
nour  is  at  the  head  of  this  undertaking  and  I  hope  by  his  influence  here  &  at 
home  we  shall  be  able  to  effect  it. 


D\  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary . 


Boston,  New  England,  June  30,  1742. 

Sir, 

Not  long  since  I  received  your  very  kind  Letter  of  Feby  8th  with  a  Parcel 
of  Books,  *  *  *  *  those  against  Enthusiasm  are  very  season¬ 

able  and  have  had  very  good  effects  ;  but  they  oppose  a  mighty  torrent, 
whereby  in  many  places  all  sense,  and  reason,  and  scripture,  and  counsel,  and 
order  have  been  borne  down.  We  have  had  in  our  Conventicles  and  Streets 
everything  wild  &  inconsistent ;  in  our  Towns,  Families  &  Neighbourhoods 
discord  &  distraction  which  has  ended  the  Lives  of  some  and  the  usefulness 
of  others,  and  stagnated  Trade  &  Industry.  Connecticut  Government  has 
groan’d  much  under  this  burden,  made  Laws  against  it,  and  sent  out  of  their 
Government  one  Davenport  a  very  troublesome  person  in  this  kind.  He  is 
come  into  this  Government  &  the  28th  instant  entered  this  great  Town  &  with 
considerable  company  sang  Hymns  in  a  Procession  to  his  Lodgings,  and  in 
the  like  manner  went  the  next  day  the  space  of  near  half  a  mile  into  our  com¬ 
mon  and  held  forth  to  many  thousands,  and  after  promising  them  the  like 


363 


[J  742- 


service  this  day,  he  returned  as  he  went,  all  which  is  like  to  continue  and  en- 
crease  the  lamentable  disorders  &  confusions  now  among  us.  But  thro’ 
Divine  goodness  our  Churches  tho’  not  free  from  trouble  are  comparatively  in 
a  good  degree  of  quiet  &  many  Dissenters  have  observed  our  happiness  in  it 
and  we  hope  will  see  reason  to  come  to  us. 

Since  December  31,  I  have  baptized  19  Persons,  one  Adult  Man  earnestly 
concerned  for  it  on  his  death  bed  &  lamenting  his  past  neglects  of  that 
Ordinance.  Our  Communion  is  encreased  by  7  persons  justly  recommending 
themselves  by  their  knowledge,  sobriety  &  good  characters,  three  of  them  are 
Dissenters  :  One  living  at  Sudbury  about  20  miles  off,  from  whence  I  expect 
more  to  our  Communion,  and  indeed  the  many  new  Proselytes  there  do  sub¬ 
ject  themselves  to  my  particular  care  &  will  be  an  encrease  of  my  labours, 
which  they  are  very  welcome  to  :  Another  is  a  Man  belonging  to  Needham  a 
Town  11  or  12  Miles  off,  Another  of  my  Communicants  is  a  Negroe  Slave, 
one  both  Religious  &  Faithful  and  acceptable  to  her  Mistress.  There  are 
ordinarily  about  70  at  our  Communion  and  the  Parishioners  are  somewhat 
more  than  600. 

We  have  in  this  Town  10  Independant  Congregations,  the  number  being 
increased  by  the  division  of  one  Society  upon  differences  that  arose  about  one 
of  their  Teachers  who  now  hath  a  new  Conventicle  erected  for  him,  and  there 
are  three  smaller  Congregations  of  French,  Anabaptists  &  Quakers — Papists 
I  believe  we  have  many,  but  they  are  so  dispersed,  disguised  &  concealed  that 
it  is  next  to  impossible  to  enumerate  them. 

I  thank  God  the  good  harmony  of  my  Congregation  is  not  interrupted  and  I 
serve  them  with  a  good  will  and  I  trust  in  Him  to  some  good  effect,  tho’ 
greatly  and  for  a  long  time  disadvantaged  by  these  impoverishing  times. 

I  desire  the  Prayers  and  Countenance  of  the  worthy  venerable  Society 
while  I  remain  their 

Most  thankful  &  obedient  Servant, 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


1742.] 


364 


M\  PLANT  to  the  Secretary . 


New  England,  Newbury,  July  23,  1742. 

Revd  Doctor, 

In  my  last  to  you  of  March  ye  2d,  I  hinted  to  you  something  of  the  com¬ 
motion  &  new  scheme  of  methodism  made  amongst  us.  I  was  under  a 
great  surprize  at  yl  time  for  I  thought  that  all  my  People  would  have  with¬ 
drawn  from  Church  for  they  began  to  flock  after  these  Itinerants  &  told  me 
in  a  full  body  that  if  they  did  not  get  good  by  them,  it  was  because  they  had 
bad  hearts,  but  how  strangely  is  the  scene  changed,  there  is  not  one  of  my 
Congregation  but  who  is  perfectly  asham’d  of  himself  for  ever  attending  at 
their  Sermons  &  are  fully  convinced  from  what  I  observed  to  them,  that  the 
method  they  are  pursuing  leads  to  confusion  &  that  Religion  is  not  founded 
upon  such  sudden  impulses  &  raving  expressions  but  upon  faith  and  sincere 
obedience  upon  which  subjects  I  very  much  enlarged  (as  they  afterwards  told 
me)  to  their  very  great  satisfaction  ;  we  have  erected  a  fine  New  Church 
about  3  miles  from  where  I  live.  I  preach  in  it  every  other  Sunday. 

I  am,  Revd  Doctor, 

Your  most  humble  Send, 

MATT.  PLANT. 

March  ye  27,  1742.  About  a  quarter  before  7  in  the  Morning  the  noise  of 
ye  Earthquake  was  very  loud  but  it  did  not  shake  ye  Earth  as  we  could  per¬ 
ceive. 


M\  ROE  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Reverend  Sir, 

*  *  My  Duty  as  Lecturer  of  the  King’s  Chapel  has  led  me 

to  attend  his  Excellency  the  Governor  of  this  Province  (who  is,  blessed  be 
God,  a  Member  of  our  Church)  wth  a  Committee  of  ye  Council  &  Assembly 


365 


[i742. 


as  Chaplain,  in  a  progress  thro’  the  North  East  parts  of  ye  province,  to  ye 
distance  of  50  or  60  Leagues  by  Sea  &  Land  in  order  to  renew  &  establish  a 
Treaty  of  Peace  &  Commerce  wth  ye  Indian  Tribes  in  those  parts  ;  I  found 
many  Families  of  his  Majesty’s  Subjects  chiefly  Irish  Protestants,  scattered 
there  who  were  baptized  &  bred  in  our  Chh’s  Doctrine  &  Worship,  but  for 
want  of  the  Ordinances  of  the  Gospel  by  an  Orthodox  Minister  are  in  danger 
of  falling  away  either  into  schism  &  Enthusiasm  (for  some  Vagrant  Enthusi¬ 
asts  have  been  among  them)  or  into  profaneness  imorality  &  indifference  to 
all  Religion. 

It  must  be  owned  the  prevailing  Sect  of  this  Province  (viz1  the  Indepen¬ 
dants)  are  Zealous  enough  to  send  their  own  Teachers  among  them,  for  they 
have  no  fort  even  of  10  men,  without  a  chaplain  ;  nor  any  Township  granted 
&  settled  without  certain  provision  for  Minister  &  School  Master,  an  example 
wch  I  wish  those  Provinces  would  come  up  to,  where  our  excellent  Church  is 
establish’d  by  their  own  Laws,  &  I  grieve  to  think  they  do  not,  tho’  it  must  be 
owned  they  cannot  so  easily  be  supplyed  without  ye  Episcopal  power  of  Ordi¬ 
nation  being  present  among  us  which  the  Sects  assume  to  themselves. 

But  while  we  were  in  this  progress  sev1  Settlers  serious  &  sober  Per¬ 
sons  desired  me  to  Minister  to  them  for  the  present  &  to  think  on  them  for 
a  future  supply,  by  recommending  their  case  to  the  Governor  Commiss7  and 
Clergy  &  by  them  to  the  venerable  Society  in  wch  method  application  will 
probably  be  made. 

In  one  place  only  where  I  had  time  to  preach  to,  instruct  and  examine 
them  (during  the  conference  with  ye  Indians),  I  had  15  Communicants  viz1  at 
Saint  George’s  River  the  most  distant  Settlement. 

I  beg  leave  to  mention  y1  ye  Indians  (above  400)  at  the  conference  had 
most  of  them  small  brazen  crucifixes  about  their  Necks,  tho’  in  other  respects 
of  habit,  manners,  way  of  Life  they  appeared  very  Savages  ;  this  of  course  led 
me  to  enquire  w1  they  understood  or  believed  relating  to  the  crucifix,  warn¬ 
ing  them  against  Image  Worship  or  Prayers  to  Saints  &  Angels  to  which  one 
of  their  Young  Men  wth  a  Gun  on  his  Shoulders  being  half  French  by  blood 
smartly  replied  chacun  garde  sa — Religion ,  what  Religion  they  have  is 
Popery.  The  French  Missionaries  live  among  them  and  some  French  inter¬ 
marry  with  them ;  to  which  two  causes  the  success  of  Popery  above  ye 
Protestant  Religion  (if  any  attempts  have  been  made  to  propogate  it  among 
them)  may  be  ascribed.  The  English  continue  to  trade  with  them  for  Skins, 


i742-]  3^6 

Furs,  &c.,  and  have  purchased  Lands  from  them  on  which  an  Indian  made  the 
remark  to  one  of  our  Settlers  from  whom  I  had  it  that  the  English  love  their 
Lands,  but  the  French  love  their  Souls. 

I  mention  these  facts  only  to  shew  that  our  Church  is  in  danger  of  being 
extinguished  and  excluded  in  those  parts  by  the  superior  Zeal  both  of  Dissen¬ 
ters  and  Papists. 

Revd  Sir, 

Your  most  Obed1  Humble  Serv1, 

STEPH.  ROE. 

Boston,  N.  E.,  Aug1  28,  1742. 


D\  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Boston,  N.  E.,  Decr  30,  1742. 

Sir, 

*  *  *  From  June  30,  to  this  instant  I  have  baptized  32  Infants 

and  received  6  persons  to  our  communion,  one  of  them  has  given  all  reason¬ 
able  tokens  of  sincere  penitence  for  former  irregularities  &  miscarriages. 
Another  belongs  to  Sudbury  about  22  miles  off,  from  which  Town  numbers 
have  submitted  to  my  care.  Two  of  them  have  come  from  the  Dissenters, 
one  living  at  Glocester  near  30  miles  from  us.  Thro’  the  difficulty  of  the 
Season  my  communicants  at  Christmas  were  but  74,  a  number  little  beyond 
what  present  themselves  at  some  other  times  my  Parishioners  may  be  near 
620  or  630. 

In  this  Town  there  are  three  Episcopal  Churches,  ten  Independent  Con¬ 
gregations  three  smaller  Congregations  (according  to  the  Genevian  Model), 
Anabaptists  and  Quakers.  Papists  I  believe  are  many  but  much  concealed. 

The  Dissenting  Interest  now  suffers  greatly  from  ye  animosity  &  confusion 
which  enthusiasm  has  spread  all  over  this  Town  &  Country  and  a  prevailing 
cry  among  them  is  for  sounder  Doctrine  and  regenerate  converted  Ministers; 
this  multiplies  separations,  and  many  have  forsaken  their  stated  places  of 


367 


C1 742- 


Worship  &  their  former  Teachers,  &  heaped  up  others  gifted  Men  &  Women 
whom  they  attend  on  in  the  Sundays  in  Private  Houses  ;  besides  that  several 
new  Congregations  are  formed  by  it,  and  it  is  probable  that  by  such  private 
Meetings  in  this  Town  we  may  have  a  new  Anabaptist  Conventicle  set  up,  if 
not  some  others. 

Thro’  the  goodness  of  God,  the  quiet  order  and  number  of  the  People  of 
our  several  Churches  in  this  Town  is  preserved  and  we  are  rather  on  the 
gaining  hand,  and  should  Itinerants  from  whom  we  have  been  delivered  for  a 
pretty  while  be  again  let  loose  upon  us  we  are  little  apprehensive  of  any 
troublesome  effects  from  them,  and  we  would  hope  that  the  loss  of  any  would 
be  only  an  exchange  to  advantage,  as  it  has  been  for  our  Teachers  have 
difficulty  enough  to  detain  many  of  their  soberest  and  discreet  hearers  from 
us. 

However  there  is  reason  sufficient  for  us  all  to  be  weary  of  these  things ; 
the  inconveniences  are  general  &  may  reach  many  succeeding  generations : 
Order,  Peace,  Justice,  and  Relative  Duties  become  very  low  prized  ;  Relligion 
is  corrupted  in  Theory  &  Practice  &  we  fear  many  will  be  tempted  to  lay  all 
aside — Books  of  this  unhappy  tendency,  Books  Calvinistic,  Enthusiastical,  & 
Antinomian  do  abound  ;  the  Press  here  never  had  so  full  employ  before,  nor 
were  People  ever  so  busy  in  reading.  Our  Antidotes  to  them  are  mostly  from 
Dissenters,  without  proper  guards  and  limitations  and  consequently  one  error 
is  assaulted  by  another.  I  therefore  humbly  wish  for  the  assistance  of  the 
honorable  Society  in  Books  adapted  to  our  present  case. 

Since  my  last  I  have  upon  request  been  twice  in  the  country ;  once  at 
Dedham  about  15  miles  off  where  I  preached  to  a  considerable  Audience  & 
administred  the  Sacrament  to  sundry  persons  ;  at  Sudbury  likewise  where  I 
preached  to  a  large  Assembly,  of  some  originally  Churchmen,  others  honest 
Proselytes  and  others  appearing  very  tractable  and  teachable,  and  I  expect  to 
be  in  the  service  of  these  People  (not  including  any  others  that  may  call  for 
me)  as  long  as  I  am  able. 

The  duty  &  importance  of  my  calling  and  my  great  obligations  to  the 
Society  hitherto,  are  motives  sufficient  with  me  to  do  what  I  can.  But  not¬ 
withstanding  my  distinguishing  Salary  from  them,  I  beg  they  would  allow  me 
to  say  that  from  the  War  hard  Winters  &  other  circumstances,  my  Incomes  in 
the  Church’s  service,  the  only  means  of  my  support  fall  much  short  of  my 
Expences,  tho’  managed  with  the  utmost  frugality  and  self  denyal,  so  that  my 


1 743-] 


363 

Family  cares  exhaust  much  more  of  my  time  &  thought  than  is  convenient ; 
&  that  little  is  to  be  expected  from  my  church  at  this  time,  just  after  the  build¬ 
ing  of  a  Spire,  and  now  upon  the  projection  of  getting  a  Ring  of  Bells,  A 
consideration  therefore  from  the  Society  in  any  kind  or  degree  at  this  time, 
the  first  of  any  favours  in  this  manner  would  be  true  compassion  and  I  hope 
resented  as  their  pious  County  ought  to  be.  At  least  I  beg  I  may  not  want 
their  candour  and  forgiveness  towards  an  Address  derived  from  pure  necessity 
and  no  lucrative  temper  in  their 

Most  thankful  &  Obed1  Serv1 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


Letter  from  Mr.  PLANT  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Newbury,  N.  England,  Feb.  15,  1743. 

Revd  Doctor, 

Since  my  last  of  July  23rd,  1742,  There  is  erected  a  new  meeting  house  by 
those  People  called  the  new  lights,  and  that  Dissenting  teacher,  who  receiv’d 
53  into  Communion  in  one  day  of  those  who  were  of  that  way  of  thinking. 
He  also  (at  that  time  going  their  visionary  lengths),  has  now  one  part  of  his 
congregation  withdrawn,  and  especially  of  those  sudden  Converts.  This 
account  I  told  you  in  my  letter  of  March  2nd,  1 74*.  In  a  word,  this  part  of  the 
Country  is  all  in  Confusion  about  Religion,  and  nobody  is  esteemed  a  Chris¬ 
tian  by  them  but  who  embraces  their  tenets.  However,  I  can  assure  you, 
That  I  have  not  as  yet  lost  one  Person,  and  am  in  no  great  danger,  and  peace 
is  only  found  in  my  Church.  In  another  Parish  (in  which  I  am  included) 
There  is  withdrawn  from  the  Communion  about  forty. 


369 


*743- 


Letter  from  Mr.  PLANT  to  the  Secretary. 


Newbury,  N.  E.,  Feb.  22d,  1743. 

Revd  Doctor, 

Since  my  last  of  Novr  28,  1 743, 1  can  only  inform  you  that  I  have  Baptized  two 
infants,  one  of  them  a  Deacon’s  Child,  who  fairly  pleaded  with  the  Dissenting 
Teacher  the  affair  of  his  irregular  ordination,  which  answers  of  that  teacher’s 
being  no  ways  satisfactory,  and  he  oftentimes  before  attending  divine  service 
at  my  Church,  applied  to  me  to  Baptize  his  Child.  This  new  Scheme,  first 
contrived  and  brought  on  here  to  root  out  the  Church,  has  given  the  Dis¬ 
senters  of  all  Denominations  a  fatal  Blow  (as  they  call  it)  ;  but  I  tell  them  that 
God  intended  it  for  their  good — let  not  them  kick  against  the  Light.  How 
many  have  I,  since  this  happened  amongst  them,  who  before  complained  of 
the  Church  as  Popery,  wish  for  some  of  our  good  old  Bishops  out  of  England  ! 
The  want  of  them  and  the  Discipline  of  the  Church  is  daily  and  will  be  more 
and  more  every  year  felt,  till  the  Church  is  triumphant  in  these  parts. 

I  am,  Revd  Doctor, 

Your  most  humble  servant, 

MATTW  PLANT. 

To  the  Revd  Dr.  Bancroft. 

I  have  drawn  for  my  Lady-day’s  Bill. 


Doctor  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary. 


Sir, 

I  am  now  in  Course  to  present  the  worthy  Society  with  the  state  of  my 
Parish ;  and  from  Decr  30  to  this  time  I  have  baptized  37  infants  and  3  Adults. 
One  of  the  latter  was  an  Indian  woman,  native  of  this  country,  who  received 
this  ordinance  upon  her  death-Bed,  with  great  desire  and  in  a  very  sensible, 
becoming  manner.  The  other  two  were  Negroes,  both  giving  all  evidence  of 
their  sincere  engagement  to  a  Christian  life,  even  in  instances  very  opposite 
47 


1 743-] 


370 


to  their  former  Practice,  and  the  one  signally  penitent  and  reformed,  after 
habitual  miscarriages,  as  his  master  informs  me.  I  have  not  the  satisfaction 
to  report  above  3  new  comers  to  our  communion  ;  two  are  persons  of  vir¬ 
tuous,  unspotted  character;  the  third  came  at  the  last  hour — an  unhappy 
woman,  since  executed  for  the  Murder  of  her  bastard  Child. 

My  Parishioners  are  near  about  620  or  630.  In  this  Town  there  are  3 
Episcopal  Churches,  all  I  think  reaping  some  good  fruits  from  the  ferment 
around  us;  10  Independent  Congregations ;  three  smaller  Congregations  of 
French,  according  to  the  Genevian  model  of  Anabaptists  and  Quakers.  Papists 
are  doubtless  many,  but  concealed. 

I  know  not  whether  our  visionary  Feuds  are  at  the  Height,  or  when  they 
will  end ;  but,  thank  God,  they  are  much  kept  in  the  bounds  of  those  who 
began  them ;  this  the  Soberest  people  see,  lamenting  their  unhappiness  com¬ 
pared  with  ours,  and  many  are  perfectly  bewildered  and  in  anxious  uncer¬ 
tainty  when  they  see  their  Teachers  with  their  Testimonies  and  Counter 
Testimonies  (a  copy  of  such  I  now  trouble  the  honorable  Society  with),  dis¬ 
puting  and  contending  with,  accusing  and  excusing  one  another  in  Pulpit, 
Print  and  Conversation,  and  those  of  either  side  in  several  places,  scarce  able 
to  keep  their  Congregations ;  and  when,  to  an  impartial  view,  notwithstanding 
all  that  is  pretended  Morality  and  Peace,  are  sensibly  decaying  and  departing 
from  us ;  and  as  to  our  Country  Towns,  many  of  them  are  every  now  and 
then  rioting  in  their  enthusiasms. 

I  have  been  once  this  Summer  at  Dedham,  about  1 5  Miles  off,  where  I 
preached  to  a  considerable  congregation,  and  administered  Baptism  and  the 
Ford’s  Supper. 

Sir,  Since  I  sent  my  acknowledgments  of  the  Society’s  great  generosity 
to  me,  I  received  the  Books  whereof  you  advised  me  in  your  letter,  and  now 
return  my  humblest  thanks  for  the  same.  I  hope  the  Society  will  forgive  me 
if  I  add,  That  some  Bibles  of  a  larger  size  might  prove  more  useful  to  per¬ 
sons  of  a  weak  sight,  and  that  a  larger  quantity  of  such  excellent  practical 
Books  as  they  have  sent  over  will  be  of  immediate  Benefit,  whenever  they 
shall  please  to  send  them. 

Their  most  sincerely  thankful  and 

obed1,  humble  Servant, 

TIMOTHY  CUTFER. 


Boston,  N.  Engld,  June  30,  1743. 


37i 


C1 743- 


From  A.  MALCOLM  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

As  to  the  state  of  the  Parish,  there  has  happened  nothing  new  that’s 
remarkable.  We  have,  God  be  thank’d,  kept  perfectly  clear  of  the  disorders 
occasioned  by  the  enthusiasm  sown  here  by  Mr.  Whitfield,  which  has  done 
much  mischief  in  some  parts  of  the  Country  among  the  Dissenters. 


M’\  IV.  SHIRLEY  to  the  Secretary. 


Boston,  N.  England,  July  8th,  1743. 

Revd  Sir, 

I  shall  esteem  it  in  a  particular  manner  my  Duty  to  do  everything  in  my 
power  for  promoting  the  prosperity  of  the  Episcopal  Church  in  this  province, 
in  doing  which  I  have  made  a  beginning  since  my  coming  to  the  administra¬ 
tion  of  this  Government,  by  procuring  a  perpetual  Act  to  be  passed  by  the 
Gen1  Assembly  for  exempting  the  Members  of  the  Church  of  England  from 
paying  Taxes  towards  the  settlement  of  any  Congregational  Minister,  and  the 
building  of  the  Meeting  Houses,  for  want  of  which  they  had  been  often  har- 
rass’d  before. 

The  Schools  and  College  in  this  province  are  very  deficient  in  Classic 
Learning ;  And  I  am  very  much  of  opinion  with  the  late  Dean  Berkley  (now  I 
think,  Lord  Bishop  of  Cloyne)  who,  when  Resident  in  New  England,  ob¬ 
serv’d,  that  nothing  would  have  so  great  a  Tendency  to  discountenance  and 
banish  out  of  the  two  Colleges  there  any  Antiquated  Jargon  of  the  Schoolmen 
and  Calvinistical  Tenets,  which  may  fortify  the  minds  of  the  Students  against 
receiving  the  Doctrines  and  Discipline  of  the  Church  of  England,  as  introducing 
a  just  Taste  of  Classic  Learning  among  ’em  ;  and  I  should  think  that  a  School 
founded  at  Boston  by  the  Society,  and  assisted  by  other  Benefactions,  (which 
I  hope  would  be  the  case),  might,  under  the  Directions  of  Masters  qualify’d 


1 743-] 


372 


with  proper  Talents  to  conduct  it,  (such  as  I  take  Mr.  Roe  to  be  from  the  Con¬ 
versation  I  have  had  with  him,  which  I  look  upon  to  be  sufficient  for  me  to  form 
a  certain  Judgment  of  him  upon),  make  in  time  such  a  proficiency  in  cultivating 
a  right  Genius  and  Taste  of  Classic  Learning,  that  the  youths  which  go  from 
thence  into  Harvard  College  would  by  the  advantages  which  they  would  have 
over  the  other  young  Students  there,  have  a  great  Influence  to  beget  a  dis¬ 
like  and  contempt  of  the  above  mentioned  Notions  and  Learning,  if  any  such 
should  prevail  among  ’em,  and  whilst  those  Students  were  imitating  them  in 
their  Attainments  of  Polite  Literature,  to  reconcile  ’em  by  degrees  of  their 
Religious  principles. 

Such  a  School  at  Boston  would  I  am  persuaded,  under  the  Blessing  of 
God,  prove  a  usefull  Seminary  of  Religion,  as  well  as  of  good  Literature, 
throughout  the  province;  And  the  Youths  who  should  go  from  thence  to  the 
College  now  settled  here — as  it  is  very  much  the  Custom  for  the  people  of 
this  country  to  send  their  Sons  to  College  for  Education,  tho’  they  are  de¬ 
sign’d  to  be  Bred  up  in  Trade  and  Business — would  by  their  mingling  with 
the  other  Students  in  the  principal  Seat  of  their  Studies  and  at  the  most 
Critical  Time  of  life  for  principling  the  mind,  have  a  proper  Effect  for  destroy¬ 
ing  all  Seeds  of  Enthusiasm  and  Bigotry  which  might  be  implanted  in  the 
minds  of  those  youths  who  had  been  bred  up  under  Calvinistical  parents,  and 
recommend  the  principles  of  the  Church  of  England  with  great  advantage 
and  Success.  And  I  don’t  think  there  would  be  much  Danger  that  the  youths 
going  from  this  School  into  a  College  govern’d  by  Dissenters  would  be  tinc¬ 
tured  with  their  principles,  having  never  heard  of  any  Instance  of  a  Church  of 
England  youth’s  being  alter’d  in  his  Religious  principles  by  his  Education  in 
Harvard  College,  tho’  Sons  of  Church  parents  are  frequently  sent  there, 
unless  a  Son  in  Law  of  the  late  Govr  Belcher,  who  was  bred  up  at  that  Col¬ 
lege,  may  be  reckoned  one,  with  whom  Mr.  Belcher  made  it  a  preliminary 
Article  to  his  marriage  with  his  Daughter  that  he  should  never  attend  Divine 
Service  in  an  Episcopal  Church  after  he  should  be  married,  and  which  was 
comply’d  with,  I  believe  more  for  the  sake  of  the  young  Lady  and  her  Favour 
than  from  any  Impression  he  received  in  College. 

I  am,  with  great  Respect, 

Revd  Sir, 

Your  Obedient,  Humble  Servant, 

W.  SHIRLEY. 


C 1 743- 


0/0 


Letter  from  J.  MACKSP ARRAN  to  the  Secretary. 

Boston,  Oct.  8th,  1743. 

Revd  Sir, 

On  the  3d  of  Aug1  last  I  wrote  the  Society,  as  you  directed,  and  by  one 
Mr.  Gibbs.  I  find  since  my  arrival  here  that  that  letter  is  not  gone,  and  it 
comes  herein  inclosed.  As  the  Bearer  is  my  wife’s  brother,  viz.,  Dr.  Sylvester 
Gardiner,  I  desire  a  caution  be  given  the  members  of  the  venerable  board  that 
nothing  may  drop  from  relating  the  inclos’d  Devise,  least  it  should  cause  an 
uneasiness  to  arise  from  them  to  me. 

When  I  sent  an  account  of  the  number  of  souls  in  Connecticut,  I  took  that 
account  from  one  Mr.  Josiah  Arnold,  for  whom,  upon  account  of  an  incestuous 
commerce  with  his  Brother’s  widow,  the  church  since  that  time  is  become 
(as  he  concludes  from  my  leaving  the  matter)  too  hot  for  him,  and  at 
present  he  has  turned  his  back  upon  her  worship,  which  he  did  first  upon  a 
difference  with  one  of  his  neighbours  about  a  matter  of  property,  according 
to  my  informations,  (and  I  believe  they  are  good).  Mr.  Honeyman,  by  himself 
or  son,  shewed  him  the  Society’s  printed  abstract  of  that  matter,  and  great 
pains  have  been  taken  to  represent  me  as  one  that  magnified  things  too  much 
to  my  Patrons.  For  this  reason  I  was  at  the  Expence  of  hiring  a  man  to 
number  the  people,  and  his  return,  under  his  own  hand,  I  here  inclose  for  my 
own  Justification ;  and  there  are  about  30  people  less  on  that  place  now  than 
was  when  I  received  the  former  account.  I  have  great  need  of  patience 
where  even  my  best  designs  and  intentions  are  turned  against  me,  and  by 
those  who  should  rather  be  workers  together  with  me  in  the  good  but  arduous 
undertaking  of  propagating  Religion  among  a  people  whose  minds  are  not  a 
Tabula  vaga,  but  filled  with  error  and  prejudice.  In  one  word,  it  will  not  be 
easy  much  longer  to  keep  the  Church  here  in  peace  and  good  order  with¬ 
out  a  Bishop  to  preside  over  us.  I  beg  the  Society’s  Prayers  and  favor,  and 
am  their  and 

Revd  Sir, 

Your  most  obedient,  humble  Servant, 

JAMES  MACKSPARRAN. 


1 743.] 


374 


Letter  from  M'\  PRICK  to  the  Secretary . 

Revd  Sir, 

I  think  the  inclosed  were  omitted  in  the  last  general  account.  I  am  sorry 
to  inform  you  that  there  is  a  great  dissatisfaction  in  the  Church  of  Newbury 
and  New  London;  in  the  former,  the  most  considerable  part  of  the  Congre¬ 
gation  living  in  the  Town,  which  is  a  place  of  great  resort,  and  two  Miles 
distant  from  the  Church,  were  advised  by  Mr.  Plant  to  build  a  Church  more 
commodious  for  them ;  and  for  their  encouragement,  he  proposed  to  allow  a 
Minister  that  should  officiate  there  Thirty  Pounds  of  his  Salary  per  Ann.,  if 
the  Society  would  not  allow  any  thing  for  this  use,  and  Twenty  if  the  Society 
should  allow  Ten,  to  which  the  People  have  promised  to  add  about  Thirty 
Pounds  SterP  Per  Annm  more.  The  Church  is  now  so  far  finished  as  to  be  fit 
for  use  and  has  cost  a  large  sum  of  Money  ;  but  Mr.  Plant  refuses  to  afford  them 
any  assistance.  This  breach  of  Promise,  with  some  other  irregularities  in  Mr. 
Plant’s  conduct,  has  mightily  exasperated  the  People,  and  threatens  the  ruin  of 
that  Church,  which  has  otherwise  the  prospect  of  being  very  flourishing.  This 
promise  of  Mr.  Plant’s  was  so  often  and  publicly  made,  and  being  a  great 
motive  to  their  expending  their  money  in  a  new  Church,  is  thought  here  to  be 
a  just  debt.  Mr.  Plant  at  the  same  time  complains  of  ill  treatment  from  these 
people.  The  quarrel  was  so  hot  that  I  thought  it  necessary  to  visit  them  in 
order  to  reconcile  the  difference ;  but  when  I  came  there,  Mr.  Plant  could  not 
be  persuaded  to  meet  them,  tho’  much  intreated.  The  People  of  New  London 
are  full  of  Complaints  against  Mr.  Morris,  and  charge  him  with  being  fre¬ 
quently  disguised  with  strong  Liquors.  If  he  be  innocent  of  this  crime,  which 
I  shall  soon  enquire  into,  yet  it  is  my  opinion  he  has  not  discretion  enough  to 
be  of  great  service  in  that  Town,  which  is  a  place  of  considerable  importance. 
The  Society  will  soon  be  sensible  of  the  good  effects  of  their  late  order  for 
insisting  on  a  Glebe.  The  People  of  Simsbury  have  purchased  one ;  Taunton 
and  Hebron  are  preparing  to  do  the  same.  These  Glebes  in  a^Short  time,  if 
not  suffered  to  run  too  low,  will  be  found  of  more  use  than  a  precarious  Con¬ 
tribution,  which  is  generally  attended  with  disputes.  It  is  likewise  my  humble 
opinion  that  an  enquiry  here,  before  the  removal  of  a  Missionary  to  a  new 
Church,  might  prevent  some  inconveniences. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  Your  affectionate  brother,  and  humble  Servant, 
Boston,  Octr  17,  1743.  ROG.  PRICE. 


375 


C1 743- 


M' .  E  A IV 'EON  S  Deed  of  Gift . 


all  men  fog  tijese  presents,  That  I,  Christopher  Jacob  Lawton,  of 
Leicester,  in  the  County  of  Worcester,  in  the  Province  of  the  Massachusetts 
Bay,  in  New  England,  for  the  good  will  I  have  for  the  Church  established  by 
Law,  to  wit,  the  Episcopal  Church  of  England,  give  and  grant  the  Farm  within 
mentioned  in  trust  with  the  Revd  Roger  Price,  of  Boston,  for  the  use  of  an 
Episcopal  Minister  of  the  Church  of  England,  which  Minister  to  be  appointed 
by  the  Society  for  the  propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  parts  during  the 
term  they  shall  allow  a  mission  there ;  and  when  the  Mission  is  withdrawn, 
the  Choice  of  a  Minister  to  revert  to  the  Trustee  and  his  heirs  for  ever;  and 
in  case  of  the  failure  of  heirs  in  his  family,  the  Choice  to  be  in  the  Bishop 
that  shall  preside  over  the  Churches  in  this  Province ;  and  upon  his  omis¬ 
sion  for  twelve  Months,  to  be  in  the  Episcopal  Church  of  that  Town,  or  in  the 
Episcopal  Ministers  of  the  Town  of  Boston  :  to  the  which  I  bind  myself,  my 
Heirs,  Executors,  Administrators  and  Assigns.  As  witness  my  hand  and  seal, 
this  28th  of  August,  in  the  Year  of  our  Lord  1739. 

CH.  JA.  LAWTON. 

Signed,  sealed  and  delivered  f  Barrat  Dyre, 
in  the  presence  of  us,  }  Eliz.  Dyre. 


M\  BEARCROFT  to  M\  JOHN  MEADOWS. 

-  Novr  6th,  1 743. 

Sir, 

If  you  please  to  look  unto  ye  Charter  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation 
of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts,  (an  abstract  of  it  is  given  at  the  End  of  the 
Anniversary  Sermon)  you  will  find  the  first  and  principal  Design  of  it  to  be, 
to  provide  a  maintenance  for  a  Orthodox  Clergy,  for  the  administration  of 
God’s  word  and  Sacraments  to  the  Subjects  of  Great  Britain  in  our  Planta¬ 
tions  Colonies  and  Factories  beyond  the  Seas  and  therefore  upon  the  earnest 


1 743-] 


376 


and  repeated  Petitions  of  those  of  ye  Episcopal  Persuasion  in  New  England, 
and  upon  their  having  previously  built  Churches  for  the  administration  of 
God’s  Word,  and  Sacraments  according  to  their  best  abilities  towards  the 
Support  of  an  Orthodox  Clergy,  the  Society  hath  launched  out  so  far,  as  give 
Salaries  to  Seventeen  Clergymen  of  the  Church  of  England  through  a  large 
tract  of  Lands  containing  little  less  than  200,000  Souls  two  thirds  at  least  in 
number  of  all  the  British  Subjects  on  the  Continent  of  North  America,  Surely 
this  small,  are  the  Inhabitants  of  New  England  of  the  Episcopal  Persuasion 
is  by  no  means  doing  too  much  for  them;  in  some  of  the  Governments  of  New 
England  they  lie  under  peculiar  burdens  not  to  say  oppressions,  wch  others 
tho’  equally  Dissenters  from  the  Majority,  do  not,  and  do  they  not  seem  in- 
titled  to  some  assistance  from  us  in  return.  But  the  Government  of  Massa¬ 
chusetts  Bay,  they  have  lately  rated  the  members  of  the  Church  of  England, 
to  the  Support  of  what  the  Independents  call  the  Established  Church,  when 
the  Anabaptists  on  their  Petition,  and  the  Quakers  without  a  Petition,  were 
exempted  from  the  rate,  their  Petition  alone  was  denied,  and  in  Connecticut 
Government  there  now  are,  or  at  least  very  lately  were  several  Members  of 
our  Communion  in  Gaol  for  non  payment  of  such  Rates.  This  Sir,  will  I 
hope  satisfy  you  and  every  unprejudiced  Person  that  the  Society  hath  acted 
upon  just  Grounds  and  within  the  direction  of  their  Charter  in  sending  Mis¬ 
sionaries  to  New  England. 

I  remain, 

Your  most  Humble  Servant, 

PHILIP  BEARCROFT,  Secretary. 


Letter  from  M\  PLANT  to  the  Secretary . 


Newbury,  New  England,  Nov.  28,  1742. 

Revd  Doctor, 

My  Christmas  Bill  is  drawn  lor  Mr.  Nathaniel  Castor  of  Newbury,  Mer¬ 
chant. 

There  was  last  week  a  Council  of  Dissenting  Teachers  met  here  at  the 


377 


C1  743- 


request  of  those  people  called  the  new  light  to  deal  with  their  dysenting 
teacher  whose  name  is  Christopher  Toppan,  a  Gent  upwards  of  70.  Two  of 
those  Teachers  in  his  presence  wrung  their  hands,  with  tears  flowing  from 
their  eyes,  and  told  him  it  would  break  their  hearts,  if  he  still  went  on  in  his 
usual  method  opposing  the  good  work,  but  he  bid  them  get  home  to  their 
several  parishes  and  mind  their  own  flock  and  not  come  to  disturb  him,  and 
his  Church.  I  thought  it  might  not  be  amiss  to  give  you  this  short  hint  (as  it 
was  related  to  me)  how  affairs  stand  with  us  in  the  several  Dissenting  Con¬ 
gregations. 

I  am,  Revd  Doctor, 

Your  most  humble  Servant, 

MATTW  PLANT. 


My  little  flock  is  entirely  free  from  the  Contagion. 


- ♦ - 

Mr.  TIMY  CUTLER  to  the  ARCHBISHOP  of  CAN¬ 
TERBURY. 


(EXTRACT.) 

In  this  Town  there  are  three  Episcopal  Churches,  ten  independant  Con¬ 
gregations,  three  smaller  ones  of  French  according  to  the  Model  of  Geneva,  of 
Anabaptists,  and  Quakers.  Papists  are  many  but  I  know  not  how  to  come  at 
their  numbers.  Thro’  the  enthusiasm  of  the  times,  two  separate  Congrega¬ 
tions  are  forming,  to  which  I  am  told  there  belong  500  persons  of  this  town 
and  neighbourhood,  the  one  is  of  Anabaptists,  who  have  ordained  an  illiterate 
man  for  their  teacher  and  at  present  meet  in  a  private  house,  several  have 
already  received  immersion  from  him,  and  it  is  credibly  reported  that  a  con¬ 
siderable  number  more  are  to  receive  it  in  a  week  or  two,  the  other  is  a 
seperate  independant  Congregation.  Owing  to  a  Zeal  for  converted  ministers, 
they  have  accommodated  a  barn  for  the  purpose  of  their  meeting,  which  is 
only  opened  when  a  strolling  exhorter  comes  among  us,  otherwise  they  meet 
in  a  private  house,  for  want  of  a  Gifted  person  to  appear  openly. 

48 


1 744-] 


378 


The  numbers  and  the  reputation  of  the  Church  increases  by  these  means, 
and  my  church  has  a  moderate  share  in  this  benefit ;  however,  infidelity  seems 
also  to  lift  up  its  head  with  greater  courage  at  the  same  time,  much  pains 
are  taken  to  continue  these  disorders  and  to  bad  effect,  tho’  the  Zealots  find 
harder  work  and  less  credit  under  all.  A  Cargo  of  books  in  their  favor, 
whose  freight  comes  to  45  of  this  currency  is  just  now  imported  from  London 
to  this  Town,  and  another  (perhaps  Equal)  into  Philadelphia.  I  hope  not  to 
be  wanting  in  pressing  the  true  doctrines  of  the  Scriptures  and  our  excellent 
Church  and  desire  in  everything  as  God  shall  enable  me  to  comport  myself  to 
the  expectations  of  the  Honorable  Society  to  whose  countenance  and  favor  I 
am  so  much  indebted  and  for  which  I  am  now  and  always 

Their  most  thankful 

humble  Servant, 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 

Boston,  N.  Engld,  Decr  26,  1743. 


Mr.  CHEC  KEEY  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Providence  in  N.  England,  Jany  ist,  1744. 

The  public  Fasts  and  Thanksgiving  in  the  Province  of  the  Massachusetts 
are  always  upon  a  Sunday,  Wherefore  (without  interfering  with  my  stated 
Duty  at  Providence)  I  have  supply’d  that  Church  occasionally  for  some  years 
past  at  the  Desire  of  the  Commissary,  and  the  earnest  desire  of  the  people, 
particularly  upon  the  28th  of  June  last  being  a  General  Fast  to  implore  Success 
upon  his  Majesty’s  Arms. 


379 


[:  744- 


Churchwardens  of  Sf.  Paul' s,  Newbury ,  New  England,  to 

the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 


Newbury,  New  England,  Feby,  1744. 


Revd  Sir, 

The  present  Distraction  amongst  the  Dissenters  Occasioned  by  Whitfield 
and  his  followers  Inclines  great  numbers  of  the  Discreetest  amongst  them  to 
Declare  for  the  Church  and  nothing  Retards  its  Growth  and  Increase  but  the 
want  of  a  Good  Minister  Which  We  pray  Almighty  God  to  Incline  the  Hearts 
of  the  Revd  and  Veneble  Society  to  send  us. 

Your  Most  Obedient, 

Jos.  Atkins,  1  Church 
B.  Harris,  J  Wardens. 


Mr.  MALCOLM  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 


Revd  Sir, 


Marblehead,  i  6th  April,  1 744. 


*  *  *  As  to  the  Number  of  Dissenters  in  this  Place,  I  find  it 

difficult  to  get  an  Exact  acc1  of  it.  But  they  are  Vastley  Superior  to  us. 
They  make  2  Large  Congregations.  The  place  grows  in  Md  of  Inhabitants, 
not  by  Strangers  Settling  here,  But  by  their  own  Natural  Encrease  and  being 
Sufficiently  biggotted  in  their  way  We  can  expect  few  prosylites  as  to  what 
we  might  expect  By  Intermarriages,  We  rather  Lose  than  Gain.  In  general 
The  Church  people  are  Steady,  orderly  and  Sober,  and  deserve  the  Society’s 
Countenance. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir, 

Your  Affec1  Brother  and  most  Humble  Servant, 


ALEXR  MALCOLM. 


1 744-] 


380 


Dr.  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary . 


Boston,  N.  England,  May  3d,  1744. 

Revd  Sir, 

I  presume  to  appear  an  Intercessor  for  Simsbury  and  for  Mr.  William 
Gibbs  the  bearer  of  this  whose  Service  they  desire.  The  Town  is  in  Connec¬ 
ticut  Colony  near  to  the  River  of  that  name  and  to  many  large  Towns  but  50 
miles  distance  from  any  Church  of  England,  Enthusiasm  has  had  a  long  Run 
there  and  the  parts  adjacent  before  Mr.  Whitefield’s  arrival  so  that  many  are 
tired  of  it,  and  if  the  Door  were  open  would  take  Refuge  in  our  Church  from 
Error  and  Disorder.  I  have  been  acquainted  with  Mr„  Gibbs  for  these  twenty 
years  and  never  heard  of  any  dark  Imputation  on  him  or  saw  reason  for  it,  he 
has  always  been  of  my  Church  and  a  Communicant  for  many  years  ever  ap¬ 
pearing  sober,  vertuous  and  religious  and  a  good  Subject  to  his  present 
Majesty  King  George,  and  I  believe  will  give  Contentment  to  the  Society  by 
showing  himself  as  faithful  and  regular  a  Missionary  as  he  has  been  a  Chris¬ 
tian,  if  the  Society  shall  please  to  honour  him  with  that  Trust. 

I  am  in  Duty  and  Gratitude  The  Society’s 

Most  obedient  humble  Servant, 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


Commissary  PRICE  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Boston,  May  5,  1744. 

Revd  Sir, 

I  recd  the  favour  of  yours  by  Dr.  Gardiner,  wherein  you  remark  that  the 
Society,  out  of  regard  to  the  favour  Governor  Shirley  show’d  the  Church  and 
promises  to  do,  and  at  his  request  hath  Resolved  to  appoint  Mr.  Roe  School¬ 
master  in  Boston,  which  has  not  a  little  surprised  me  and  many  others.  I  am 
at  a  loss  to  know  what  favour  the  Governor  has  hitherto  shew’d  the  Church 
more  than  his  predecessor.  If  he  refers  to  the  Law  which  exempts  the  Mem- 


381 


C1  744- 


bers  of  the  Episcopal  Church  from  paying  rates  to  the  Dissenting  Teachers, 
we  esteem  the  remedy  little  more  advantagious  than  the  evil,  as  it  obliges  us 
to  hold  our  priviledges  by  the  consent  of  the  Legislature  here,  whereby  we 
acknowledge  an  Ecclesiastical  power  in  them  over  the  Church.  But  even  this 
Law  was  not  obtain’d  at  the  Governor’s  Motion,  and  his  approbation  not  with¬ 
out  some  importunity;  and  if  I  may  Judge  by  what  is  past,  I  will  presume  to 
say  that  all  the  benefit  the  Church  will  receive  by  the  Governor’s  favour  will 
no  way  counterbalance  the  diverting  so  considerable  a  sum  of  the  Society’s 
Stock  into  a  Channel  not  only  useless  in  the  present  methods,  but  prejudicial 
to  the  Church,  and  bestowing  it  upon  a  person  whose  characters  when  pub- 
lickly  known  must  be  infamous ;  and  indeed  the  Governor  declar’d  to  me  that 
he  thought  Mr.  Roe’s  behaviour  with  regard  to  his  marriage  and  courtship 
was  excusable.  I  may  add  that  it  is  very  discouraging  to  the  elder  Ministers 
in  this  province,  who  have  labour’d  many  years  with  great  pains  in  the  Service 
of  the  Church  and  unwilling  to  be  burdensome  to  the  Society,  to  see  a  person 
with  no  uncommon  qualifications  but  the  art  of  inveigling, — forced  out  of  his 
own  Country  by  guilt  and  shame, — just  landed  among  us, — thus  distinguished 
with  an  uncommon  share  of  the  Society’s  bounty  and  favours. 

The  person  who  gave  the  Glebe  at  Hopkinton  is  not  capable  of  transacting 
any  affair ;  but  as  the  land  is  without  any  limitation  in  my  possession,  I  must 
be  the  conveyancer  myself,  and  shall  settle  this  affair  as  soon  as  possible 
according  to  the  Society’s  directions.  The  Land  may  be  depended  upon,  and  is 
the  most  valuable  of  this  kind  that  has  yet  been  given  even  to  the  Church,  and 
in  all  probability  will  be  for  many  years,  for  which  reason  I  hope  there  will  be  no 
delay  in  the  Mission,  the  circumstances  of  that  place  very  much  requiring  a 
Church,  and  the  expectations  of  the  People  having  been  retarded  upwards  of 
six  years.  I  have  had  many  troubles  in  my  present  station,  and  expect  still 
greater.  I  do,  therefore,  again  beg  the  Society  to  grant  me  the  Mission  at 
Hopkinton.  I  have  raised  that  Congregation  from  a  small  beginning  to  be 
very  considerable,  and  have  kept  up  a  monthly  Lecture  there  during  the 
Summer  season,  and  in  the  winter  as  often  as  my  business  in  town  and  the 
Weather  would  permit,  these  six  years,  at  a  great  expence  both  of  time  & 
money,  and  have  travil’d  many  hundred  miles  to  give  life  to  the  first  Motions 
of  a  Church ;  and  for  the  fifteen  years  I  have  been  in  this  Country  my  labours 
have  been  equal  in  planting  Churches  to  any  Minister’s,  and  my  expence  ex¬ 
ceeded.  For  which  reason  I  hope  to  be  put  upon  a  footing  of  the  Eldest  Mis- 


1 744-] 


382 

sionaries,  without  soliciting  the  Governor’s  interest,  or  any  particular  person 
here.  In  short,  I  am  desirous  of  a  more  quiet  Life,  which  if  I  cannot  obtain 
in  this,  I  must  seek  for  in  my  native  Country. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir, 

Your  Affectionate  Brother, 

and  most  Humble  Servant, 

ROG.  PRICE. 


D\  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 


Sir, 


Boston,  N.  England,  June  7th,  1744. 


*  *  In  these  parts  Enthusiasm  (hurtful  indeed  to  Religion  in 

general)  has  added  more  to  the  Reputation  than  the  numbers  of  our  Churches, 
tho’  I  think  the  latter  also  visible  to  an  attentive  Eye,  and  we  are  scarce 
at  all  apprehensive  of  ill  consequences  of  any  other  Visit  which  Mr.  White- 
field  or  any  under  him  or  like  him  may  make  to  us.  I  have  the  satisfaction  to 
be  sanguine  upon  this  head  respecting  my  own  Church,  when  I  shall  lay  out  all 
my  strength,  both  from  conscience  towards  God  and  Gratitude  to  the  Society 
to  which  I  am  strongly  obliged  to  be 

Their  Very  Faithful  and  Obedient  Servant, 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


333 


[1744- 


Mr.  BROCKJEELL  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 


Revd  Sir, 


Salem,  N.  England,  July  4th,  1744. 


*  *  On  the  3  June  ult,  we  had  a  most  terrible  shock  of  an 

Earthquake,  (which  lasted  abl  a  minute),  at  about  10  minutes  after  Ten,  A.M. 
It  was  repeated  an  about  3  and  5  the  next  morning  but  not  so  loud,  nor  violent 
as  before,  on  the  13  another  Shock  abl  Noon,  but  not  violent,  and  on  the  28 
about  10  at  night  just  perceivable  :  These  have  had  such  effects  upon  a  sort 
of  Enthusiasm  prevailing  here,  Called  New  Lights  as  yl,  they  Kiss  Crosses 
they  make  in  the  Dust,  Lick  up  the  Dust  in  token  of  Humility,  and  as  a 
badge  of  their  Esteem  for  the  Holy  Trinity,  Drink  a  Health  to  it  in  Cold 
Water.  This  Relation  I  had  good  hands  from  Ipswick  abl  10  miles  distant 
from  thence. 


I  am,  Revd  Sir, 

Your  most  Humble  Servant, 


CHA.  BROCKWELL. 


M’\  Commissary  PRICE  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 


Boston,  July  16th,  1744. 


Revd  Sir, 

*  *  *  The  town  of  Newberry  is  a  place  where  the  Church 

would  flourish  under  a  prudent  Minister.  Taunton  promises  a  large  increase, 
Hopkinton  daily  gains  grounds  tho’  under  the  dissadvantage  of  being  at  the 
greatest  distance  from  a  Settled  Church ;  the  new  lights  have  made  great  dis¬ 
turbances  there  but  with  no  other  effect  than  dividing  the  Independent  Con¬ 
gregation,  two  of  the  ring  leaders  are  now  in  Jail  for  the  disorders  they  have 
been  guilty  of,  you  will  please  to  observe  that  the  places  I  have  mentioned  are 


1 744-]  384 

nearest  the  Center  of  Schism  where  the  greatest  efforts  are  made  against  the 
Church. 


Mr.  B ROCKWELL  to  the  Secretary. 

Salem,  July  28th,  1744. 

Revd  Sir, 

At  the  Convention  of  our  Clergy  which  was  this  year  held  at  Boston,  May 
ye  24,  Mr.  Prince  late  a  Fellow  and  Professor  of  the  Mathematicks  at  Harvard 
College,  offered  himself,  to  be  by  us  Reccommended  to  our  Diocesan  for  Holy 
Orders  and  to  the  Honble  &  Venerable  Society  for  preferment.  He  is 
Certainly  an  ingenious  and  learned  man,  but  withall  of  so  immoral  and  scan¬ 
dalous  a  life,  as  caused  his  Publick  expulsion  from  ye  Society  aforesaid ;  and 
as  to  any  Reformation  (in  my  humble  opinion)  his  evidence  thereof  have 
been  as  yet  too  slender  and  unsatisfactory  to  entitle  him  to  any  favour  from 
any  one  who  is  steadily  attached  to  ye  Cause  of  Religion,  or  Interests  of  the 
Church ;  Moreover  a  pamphlet  he  wrote  abl  10  Years  since,  against  the  three 
Creeds  was  another  strong  motive  to  my  dissenting  from  some  of  my  Breth¬ 
ren,  unless  he  wd  write  and  Publish  a  Solemn  Recantation  of  his  former  Error 
and  so  diffuse  ye  antidote  as  universally  as  he  had  ye  poyson.  I  thought  my¬ 
self  in  Duty  to  God,  to  the  Society,  and  to  my  own  Conscience,  bound  to  act 
as  I  did  and  to  lay  this  before  you  and  at  the  same  time  I  must  assure  you  wl 
I  write  is  strictly  true,  without  any  addition  or  aggravation,  having  my  author¬ 
ity  from  the  College. 

As  to  my  Church,  I  am  glad  I  can  still  inform  you  of  a  very  considerable 
access  thereunto  since  my  last  acc‘  sent  ye  25  March,  1743,  to  this  day,  I  have 
baptized  25  Infants,  and  one  Negro  Boy  of  about  10  years  of  age.  My  num¬ 
ber  of  Communicants  is  encreased  to  25,  a  small  addition,  considering  ye  pains 
I  have  taken  in  Publick  preaching  as  well  as  private  Conversation,  to  invite 
them  to  their  duty  in  that  essential  as  well  as  important  part  of  it.  Enthusi¬ 
asm  is  so  exceedingly  prevalent  in  this  neighbourhood,  that  they  stop  not  at 
Blasphemy  in  a  very  high  degree  and  drink  health  to  God  the  Father,  Son, 
and  Holy  Ghost,  as  frequent  as  they  do  to  one  another.  My  church  is  I 
thank  God  perfectly  free  from  ye  Contagion  and  I  hope  by  God’s  Grace  so  to 


385 


[i  744- 


preserve  it.  Nay  I  must  own  ye  steadiness  thereof,  in  these  times  of  delusion, 
have  been  the  Cause  of  its  encreasing  so  considerably.  The  R4  Honble 
Speaker  of  the  House  of  Commons,  has  presented  a  most  beautiful  Common 
Prayer  Book  to  the  Church  thro’  the  Interest  of  Mr.  Coram,  which  is  used  in 
ye  Service  at  the  Table  only :  But  my  Desk  is  only  supplied  with  an  old  one  I 
brought  with  me,  and  the  Clark’s  with  a  small  one  of  his  own,  and  therefore 
ye  Church  beg  leave  to  renew  their  Petition  in  that  behalf.  I  likewise  desire 
a  supply  of  plain  Catechisms  ag4  next  Lent  if  possible.  As  also  some  tracts, 
particularly  ye  Seaman’s  Monitor,  Sick  Xtian’s  Companion,  &  Common  Prayer 
books  best  Companion. 

N.  B.  The  Church  has  cleared  all  her  debts. 

I  must  now  Sir  once  more  beg  leave  to  throw  myself  at  the  Society’s  feet 
and  implore  their  aid  in  my  present  great  necessity.  The  Sufferings  I  labour 
under,  are  wholy  owing  to  ye  reduction  of  my  Salary,  and  more  especially  so, 
when  I  have  twenty  pounds  ^  Ann.  less,  and  thro’  ye  badness  of  their  medium, 
every  necessary  of  life  is  advanced  25  per  cent.  In  the  Most  Suppliant  man¬ 
ner  I  humbly  brought  the  Honble  and  Venerable  Society  in  my  letter  of  the  6th 
Octr.,  1743,  to  be  so  Charitable  as  to  pay  ye  £ 20  they  had  protested  by  I 
Know  not  w4  unhappy  mistake,  Intimating  at  ye  same  time  my  Hopes  and 
Designs  of  never  agn  troubling  them  on  ye  like  occasion.  But  their  continu¬ 
ing  inexorable,  and  refusing  my  request,  has  exposed  me  to  ruin  :  For  Mr. 
McNeal’s  Patience  being  quite  exhausted  on  the  second  refusal  of  payment,  I 
was  on  the  19th  June,  serv’d  with  a  Writ ;  unable  to  pay  the  debt  (as  God 
Knows  I  really  am),  ye  Consequence  will  be,  that  on  ye  21st  of  Aug4,  an 
Execution  for  body  and  Goods  will  come  out  a g4  me,  which  if  not  satisfied  by 
April  next  ensuing,  I  must  to  Goal,  for  I  assure  you,  I  have  no  way  to  pre¬ 
vent  it  unless  by  making  sale  of  the  little  I  have,  so  as  not  to  leave  myself  a 
bed  to  lie  on  ;  I  therefore  humbly  rely  on,  and  for  Xt’s  sake  beg  the  Charitable 
Assistance  of  the  Society.  O  may  they  consider  the  Fatal  Consequences  that 
may  attend  my  Separation,  or  detention  from  this  Young  and  growing  Church 
and  pity  to  them  Compassionate  me  ;  May  they  Remember  with  what  Integrity 
and  Zeal  I  have  endeavoured  to  serve  and  promote  it  &  encourage  my  La¬ 
bours.  And  lastly  May  my  Character  hitherto  sustained  without  Reproach, 
move  them  to  Commiserate  my  unfortunate  Situation.  Heaven’s  Chastisments 
are  intended  for  our  amendment,  not  destruction.  And  may  that  great  God 


49 


1 744-] 


386 


whose  interest  on  earth  it  is  their  study  to  promote  and  Defend,  incline  their 
hearts  in  great  distress,  to  pity  and  Relieve,  but  not  destroy, 

Revd  Sir,  Their  &  Your 

Most  Dutyful  Humble  Servant, 

CHA.  BROCKWELL. 
Amen !  Amen. 


- + - 

Salem,  July  28th,  1744. 

Revd  Sir, 

By  way  of  Postscript,  might  I  presume  to  offer  my  sentiments  on  a  very 
important  point.  It  is  plain,  too  great  a  partiality  to  their  Countrey  byasses 
most  of  the  Clergy  educated  therein.  Else  no  such  recommendations  cd  pre¬ 
vail  as  are  now  (instanced  in  the  Letter)  and  have  heretofore  been  made 
Affinity,  Alliance  by  Marriages,  and  such  like,  have,  and  will  bear  a  sway. 
As  we  have  a  Convention  annually  on  the  Wednesday  after  Trinity  Sunday,  I 
cannot  but  think  then  wd  be  the  most  seasonable  time  to  recommend  Candi¬ 
dates,  and  hear  Proposals  to  be  transmitted  to  the  Society,  and  if  Vacancies 
shd  happen  in  the  intervals,  the  Itinerant  Missionaries  and  neighbouring  Clergy 
might  supply  them.  I  apprehend  this  might  prevent  all  sinister  attempts  and  if 
some  inconveniences  might  accrue  from  the  distance  of  time,  I  am  sure  far 
greater  wd  be  prevented.  I  hope  good  Sir,  You  will  pardon  my  freedom  or 
rather  presumption  in  this,  since  nothing  is  hereby  intended  but  ye  Good  of 
the  Church,  which  must  in  a  great  measure  depend  on  ye  character  and  be¬ 
haviour  of  her  Ministry.  Had,  However  some  have  been  represented,  I  am 
positive  their  faults  are  in  no  wise  to  be  compared  with  those  of  Mr.  Prince, 
whose  cause  by  some  has  been  so  warmly  espoused.  As  my  Father  thro’ 
Your  Good  offices  Revd  Sir  is  admitted  into  your  Society,  I  beg  Leave  by 
this  opportunity  to  send  him  my  duty  and  Enquire  of  his  Health.  I  have 
wrote  sev1  Letters  to  him,  but  recd  none  from  him  upwards  of  three  years, 
which  I  fear  may  be  occasioned  by  some  infirmity  consequent  to  his  great  age. 
As  in  all  probability,  We  shall  never  meet  in  this  world,  the  greater  wd  be  the 
satisfaction  of  Hearing  from  him  or  of  him  during  the  short  remain  of  his 
ebbing  sands.  I  humbly  entreat  Good  Sir  a  continuance  of  your  kindness  to 
him  and  that  you  would  contribute  a  little  of  your  Interest  to  the  cause  of 

Revd  Sir,  Yours,  &c. 


387 


[i744- 


Aug1  ist,  1744. 

Revd  Sir, 

Since  the  above  I  have  recd  the  following  Acc1  of  the  disorders  at  Ipswich. 
Woodbury  and  Gillman,  two  illiterate  and  disorderly  persons  (countenanced  by 
the  two  Rogers  teachers,  in  what  they  call  the  first  Church  at  Ipswich)  pretend 
to  be  immediately  sent  &  commissioned  to  perform  great  and  Wonderful  things. 
Upon  which  they  usurp  to  themselves  a  power  of  revealing  secret  things  and 
denouncing  temporal  and  eternal  curses ;  nay,  they  arrogate  to  themselves  a 
power  to  bless  and  curse  eternally  whom  they  please.  Woodbury,  being  gravely 
questioned  on  acc1  of  this  extraordinary  behaviour,  with  strange  Emotion  and 
Violent  Agitation,  Rowling  abl  ye  Ground,  Cryed  out,  You  have  crucified  Xt 
in  wch  you  have  said,  to  add  no  more.  These  wretches  repeatedly  drink 
health  in  variouse  phraise,  some  times  to  King  Jesus,  at  other  times  to  ye  King 
of  Kings  and  Lord  of  Lords.  Nay,  the  unhappy  tragedy  of  1692  Seems  to  be 
entering  again  upon  the  Stage  to  be  re-acted ;  for,  at  Barrington,  they  have 
not  Scrupled  to  Accuse’d  a  poor  Creature  of  Witchcraft,  on  Acc1  of  the  death 
of  two  horses  and  Sickness  of  a  Cow.  Such  is  the  shocking  proceedings  and 
such  the  extravagant  behaviour  of  these  Enthusiasts. 


Dr.  C  UTLER  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

t  Boston,  New  England,  Decr  26,  1744. 

Sir, 

Our  Communicants  yesterday  were  72,  and  many  were  hin¬ 
dered  Attendance  by  unseasonable  Weather,  but  our  Congregation  was 
throng’d,  and  we  had  many  Hundreds  of  Dissenters,  all  reverend  and  atten¬ 
tion.  A  Sunday  seldom  passes  over  without  the  Company  of  some  of  them, 
which  often  has  a  lasting  good  effect.  I  think  my  Parishioners  are  upwards 
of  600,  and  that  we  are  continually  improving  upon  that  number. 

There  are  three  Episcopal  Congregations  in  this  town,  ten  indepen¬ 
dant  Congregations,  three  smaller  Congregations,  one  of  them  of  French, 


1 745-] 


388 


according  to  the  Genevian  Model,  another  of  Anabaptists,  and  another  of 
Quakers.  Papists  are  in  no  small  number,  but  they  are  too  conceal’d  for 
me  to  come  at  it.  Two  new  Congregations  of  Separatists  are  owing  to  En¬ 
thusiasm,  the  one  of  Anabaptists,  the  other  of  Independants,  who  are  both 
encreasing  and  much  heartened  by  Mr.  Whitefield’s  arrival. 

Enthusiasm  might  have  subsided  sooner  if  He  had  not  renewed  his  Visits. 
He  has  bro4  Town  and  Country  into  Trouble.  Multitudes  flock  after  him,  but 
without  that  Fervency  and  Fury  as  heretofore.  For  some  are  ashamed  of 
what  is  past;  others,  both  of  Teachers  and  People,  made  loud  opposition, 
being  sadly  hurt  by  the  Animosities,  Divisions,  and  Separations  that  have 
ensued  upon  it,  and  the  sad  Intermissions  of  Labour  and  Business  ;  and  ob¬ 
serving  Libertine  Principles  and  Practises  advancing  on  it,  and  the  Church 
little  ruffled  by  such  general  Disorders,  but  growing  in  numbers  and  Reputa¬ 
tion,  Mr.  Whitefield  keeps  distant  from  the  Episcopal  clergy,  and  they  from 
him,  labouring  all  the  while  to  keep  their  Flocks  from  the  devious  Path  he 
would  entice  them  into — and  I  hope  with  good  success.  Multitudes  are  now 
enclined  to  examine  and  to  look  into  both  sides  of  a  Question,  which  few  com¬ 
paratively  could  be  persuaded  to  heretofore ;  and  had  we  more  small  Tracts 
to  disperse  they  would  have  an  hearty  Welcome. 

I  ever  preserve  my  dutiful  and  thankful  Regard  to  the  honourable  Society, 
and  am 

Their  most  humble  Servant, 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


Churchwardens  and  Vestrymen  to  the  Society. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Salem,  Feby  24th,  1745. 

*  *  *  We  doubt  not  but  that  you  have  had  a  satisfactory  acc4  from 

Mr.  Brockwell  of  the  state  of  our  Church,  as  also  of  the  great  Expence  we 
have  been  at  in  raising  and  finishing  a  house  suitable  for  the  Worship  of  the 
Supream  Being.  When  we  say  great  Expence,  it  is  so,  Indeed,  considering 
the  small  Number  which  Engaged  in  the  affair,  and  has  at  last  Compleated  the 


389 


C1 745- 


same.  And  as  this  Town  is  the  Shire  Town  of  the  County,  and  the  next 
Market  Town  to  Boston  in  New  England,  you  cannot  but  Conclude  our  Op¬ 
position  has  been  great  (having  what  the  world  calls  great  men  our  Antag¬ 
onists).  But  thanks  to  heaven,  they  have  at  last  great  reasons  to  applaud 
our  System,  (and  we  hope  ere  long  they  will  Join  with  us  in  the  Established 
Form),  They  having  had  Monstrous  divisions  in  most  of  their  Societys  Occa¬ 
sioned  by  Mr.  Whitefield  and  his  Successors,  which  has  opened  the  Eyes  of 
some  so  as  to  see  the  Beauty  of  our  Church. 


M\  MILLER  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 


Braintree  in  New  England,  June  26th,  1745. 


Revd  Sir, 

Mr.  Whitefield,  a  few  days  since,  took  his  Leave  of  Boston, 
and  is  travelling  to  the  Southern  Colonies.  His  influence  has  been  but  small 
compar’d  with  what  it  was  when  here  four  years  ago.  Few,  if  any,  of  the 
Church  have  been  carried  astray  by  him.  On  the  other  hand,  many  have 
come  into  the  Church  on  the  Account  of  the  Feuds  &  Contentions  he  has 
raised,  and  the  wild,  enthusiastick  Notions  He  has  propagated  among  the  dis¬ 
senters.  I  am  afraid  this  Scene  of  Enthusiasm  will  be  followed  by  one  of 
Scepticism  and  Licentiousness.  I  pray  God  to  prevent  it. 

I  am,  Your  Affectionate  Brother 

in  Christ  Jesus, 


E.  MILLER. 


1 745-] 


390 


Mr.  MALCOLM  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 


Marblehead,  July  30th,  1745. 


Revd  Sir, 

*  *  *  Our  people  are  Sober  and  Orderly,  And  have  been  very 

Steady  in  the  Midst  of  all  the  Confusions  occasioned  here  Lately  By  the  En¬ 
thusiasts.  It  would  be  a  great  pleasure  to  me  To  be  able  to  inform  you  of 
any  person  or  families  brought  over  to  the  Church  Lately  ;  But,  considering 
the  Bigotry  remarkable  in  this  place,  There  is  Little  to  be  expected  of  that 
Kind.  The  Church  here  is  composed  of  Families  from  Great  Britain  and  the 
Island  of  Jersey,  Brought  up  Originally  in  the  Communion  of  the  Church.  We 
are  indeed  somewhat  encreased  since  I  have  been  here  By  Young  Families 
rising  up  from  our  Stock ;  And  except  One  man  carried  away  by  the  flood  of 
Enthusiasm,  There  has  not  been  one  dissenter  from  the  Church  Since  my 
being  here,  nor,  I  hope,  never  shall  thro’  any  fault  or  Negligence  of  Mine; 
And  I  can  further  say,  with  truth,  That  several  of  the  dissenters  come  now 
and  then  to  Church  Who  never  were  there  before,  And  in  great  Multitudes, 
When  I  take  any  occasional  Sermons,  which  I  hope  will  by  degrees  Lessen 
their  Bigotry.  Even  their  Teachers  come  to  Church  upon  these  Occasions  ; 
Tho’  I  do  assure  you  I  never  return  them  the  Compliment,  Only  that  I  Live  in 
a  Civil  and  peacable  Neighbourliness  with  them,  which  I  hope  will  give  no 
offence. 


I  am,  Revd  Sir, 

Your  most  Obedient,  humble  Servant, 


ALEXR  MALCOLM. 


39i 


E1 745* 


M’\  PRINCE  to  the  Secretary. 


Boston  in  New  England,  Aug.  29,  1745. 

Revd  Sir, 

Be  pleased  in  your  Goodness  to  read  the  following  letter  from  an  utter 
Stranger.  The  occasion  of  it  is  as  necessary  as  it  is  uncommon.  I  have  had 
certain  Information  that  some  person  in  this  Country  has  written  over  to  the 
Society  against  me,  the  Subscriber,  that  I  had  published  “a  Pamphlet  against 
the  three  Creeds ;  that  I  was  expelled  the  Independent  College  in  this 
Country  ”  for  Immoralities  ;  and  that  for  these  reasons  the  Clergy  of  the 
Church  of  England  in  Convention  here  refused  to  recommend  me  for  orders. 

If  these  charges  are  true,  The  person  who  informed  against  me  Did  an 
Act  of  duty  to  God  and  the  Church  in  so  doing,  And  if  I  know  my  own 
Heart,  I  am  so  far  from  resenting  such  a  Treatment  of  me  that  I  could  wish  the 
Society  always  had  such  Informers.  But,  if  these  Charges  are  without  proper 
Grounds,  I  hope,  Sir,  you  will  not  be  offended,  that  a  Stranger  laies  before 
You  his  just  vindication,  Since  you  have  already  heard  the  charge  against 
Him.  It  has,  Sir,  been  represented  to  you : 

1  st.  That  I  had  written  and  published  a  Pamphlet  against  the  three  Creeds. 
To  which  I  can  truly  say,  that  I  have  never  heard  or  read  of  any  such  Pam¬ 
phlet,  nor  do  I  believe  that  such  a  Pamphlet  ever  had  a  being  in  Nature. 
The  Ground  of  this  report  against  me  can  be  only  this,  viz.,  that,  ten  or 
Twelve  years  ago,  when  I  was  a  Dissenter,  I  published  an  Essay  to  Solve  the 
Difficulties  attending  the  Gospel  Accounts  of  our  Saviour’s  Resurrection. 
This  discourse,  while  imperfect,  got  into  the  Bookseller’s  and  Printer’s  hand, 
who  run  it  off  before  I  could  finish  or  revise  it,  and  for  that  Reason  ’tis  now 
sunk  and  no  more  heard  of,  unless  on  this  Occasion  against  me.  In  this 
Essay  I  considered  One  Objection  relating  to  our  Saviour’s  Burial,  and  pro¬ 
posed  to  show  that  it  was  not  compleated,  because  that  Mary  Magdalene  and 
other  Women  came  the  third  day  after  with  Spice  &  Ointments  to  anoint  his 
Body,  and  that  the  Term  used  by  St.  John  to  express  the  Interment  favoured 
this  sense,  it  being  “  ivzapdhew,”  which  is  an  inceptive  or  diminutive,  and  de¬ 
notes  the  entering  upon  the  Action,  rather  than  the  compleating  of  it.  To 
this  it  was  said  in  Conversation  (while  my  Essay  was  in  Manuscript)  that  the 


1 745-] 


392 


Creed  was  express  that  he  was  Buried.  This  was  the  reason  that  in  that 
Essay,  When  I  answered  this  Objection,  I  inserted  (in  a  Parenthesis  consisting 
of  but  two  short  sentences)  a  Passage  wherein  I  termed  “  Creeds  to  be  Vain" ; 
viz.,  in  a  sense  opposite  to  Scripture,  and  imposed  on  our  Belief  as  such. 
This  half  of  a  Parenthesis  is  all  that  ever  I  wrote  against  any  Creeds  whatso¬ 
ever ;  And  now,  Sir,  by  what  Figure  of  Speech  in  any  Language  in  the  World, 
can  a  single  sentence  (included  in  a  Parenthesis  in  a  discourse  on  our  Saviour’s 
resurrection)  be  called  “a  Pamphlet  written  against  the  Three  Creeds”? 

But  I  would  not  stop  here  :  I  chuse  to  go  on,  and  freely  acknowledge  that 
such  an  Epithet  as  vain  ought  not  to  be  joined  to  the  Creeds  of  the  Christian 
Church.  It  was  irreverent  Treatment  of  Them,  for  which  I  have  been  heartily 
concerned  and  sorry — sorry  ever  since  I  ceased  to  be  a  Dissenter.  I  was  a 
Dissenter  when  I  wrote  that  Piece,  and  then  lived  at  a  Dissenting  College,  in 
which  (at  that  Time)  The  Latitudinarian  Scheme  prevailed,  and  accordingly  I 
was  then  against  imposing  all  Creeds  whatever.  But  This  was  Twelve  years 
ago,  while  I  was  young  and  had  not  sufficiently  considered  the  fatal  Tendency 
of  such  loose  Principles.  Experience  at  length  convinced  me  of  the  Neces¬ 
sity  of  a  Centre  of  Unity,  when  the  Times  of  Dessolation  were  brought  on 
this  Country  by  Whitfield  and  Company,  in  which  lamentable  Seasons  I  was 
let  to  see  that  all  That  Chaos  of  disorderly  opinions  &  Practices  among  us 
was  the  natural  result  of  leaving  the  ancient  standards  of  the  Primitive 
Church,  and  that  the  returning  to  those  standards  again  would  be  the  only 
End  we  should  ever  find  to  such  Confusions.  I  alwaies,  Sir,  believed  the  Ar¬ 
ticles  of  the  three  Christian  Creeds.  I  was  brought  up  in  that  Belief,  though 
a  Dissenter ;  But  I  was  not  reconciled  to  their  being  enjoined  till  I  see  with 
mine  Eyes  the  wild  disorders  which  in  this  Land  followed  from  leaving  such 
important  things  at  a  Loose.  This  fully  satisfied  me  that  the  Publick  Symbols 
of  the  Primitive  Church  were  necessary  to  Preserve  that  faith  which  was 
once  deliver'd  to  the  Saints ;  nor  can  I  think  that  any  thing  (under  God)  has 
kept  the  Members  of  the  Church  of  England  in  this  Country  so  steady  and 
firm  in  the  late  times  of  Distraction  as  the  Creeds,  the  Lord’s  Prayer,  and  the 
Commandments,  being  constantly  repeated  to  them  every  Sunday  throughout 
the  year.  This  Practise  of  our  Church  make  such  deep  and  lasting  Impres¬ 
sions  on  all  her  attentive  Members  as  to  keep  them  in  the  Old  Faith,  and  does 
not  suffer  them  to  be  like  Children  tossed  to  and fro  with  every  wind  of  Doc¬ 
trine.  ’Tis  thus  that  I  now  think  of  the  Christian  Creeds  (and  have  thought 


393  [1745- 

so  for  several  years  past),  Whatever  I  thought  of  them  Twelve  years  ago 
when  I  was  a  Dissenter,  young  and  unexperienced. 

2.  It  has  been  represented  that  “  I  was  expelled  the  Independent  College  in 
this  Country  for  Immorality There  is  something,  Sir,  more  gross  than  Intem¬ 
perance  itself  suggested  to  the  mind,  when  ’tis  said  that  Person  is  condemned  for 
Immoralities ;  Whereas  I  never  was  charged  before  the  Government  of  that  Col¬ 
lege  with  any  thing  immoral,  but  only  with  one  or  two  Acts  of  Intemperance 
during  fifteen  years’  run  of  their  lascivious  Commencements  and  other  publick 
Entertainments ;  And  this  Charge  I  could  have  defended  myself  against  if  the 
unhappy  State  of  that  College  would  have  permitted,  which  in  Brief,  was  this : 
There  has  been  a  long  Contest  between  the  two  Branches  of  its  Government. 
One  Branch,  which  consists  in  great  part  of  Independent  Teachers,  have  set 
themselves  up  for  Visitors  of  said  College,  And  as  such,  have  excluded  all  the 
Clergy  of  the  Church  of  England  from  having  any  thing  to  do  with  that  Col¬ 
lege  ;  Though  ’tis  Evident  from  the  Constitution  of  said  College  that  the 
Clergy  of  the  Church  of  England  have  as  much  a  right  to  the  Government  of 
it  as  the  Independent  Teachers  have.  This  one  branch  laid  hold  of  the  above 
mentioned  reports  against  me  and  cited  me  before  them  as  Visitors,  Which 
appeared  to  me  so  contrary  to  their  Charter,  that  I  could  not  in  fidelity  to  the 
Constitution  of  said  College  Submitt  to  them  as  Visitors  ;  And  on  my  final 
refusal  to  own  their  Jurisdiction,  I  fell  before  their  Resentment.  This  was  the 
true  reason  of  their  treating  me  as  they  did.  They  know  it  was,  And  several 
of  their  chief  Members  have  owned  it  to  me,  And  said,  f  if  I  would  have 
made  a  Slight  Acknowledgmt  to  them  (and  so  have  owned  their  authority), 
They  all  would  have  embraced  me  in  their  Arms.  This  is  the  sum  of  what  I 
can  say  on  a  case  which  happened  near  five  years  ago ;  But  if  Since  that  time 
I  could  not  bring  attested  Accounts  from  Clergymen  of  the  Church  of  Eng¬ 
land  (who  have  been  particularly  acquainted  with  me  for  two  or  three  years 
past)  that  my  Conversation  and  conduct  has  been  unexceptionable,  I  would 
then  be  content  to  be  thought  an  immoral  Person. 

3.  It  has  been  represented  that  for  the  above  reason  the  Clergy  of  the 
Church  in  Convention  here  refuse  to  recommend  me  for  Orders.  On  which  I 
beg  leave  to  prevent  a  mistake  that  may  arise  from  the  Ambiguity  of  the 
expression.  The  Fact  was  this :  the  Clergy  of  the  Church  of  England  here 
Suspended  their  recommendation  of  me  for  the  present ,  and  in  that  sense 

refused  to  recommend  me.  But  they  were  so  far  from  absolutely  refusing  to 
50 


1 745-] 


394 


recommend  me  that  the  very  last  words  that  Mr.  Commissary  said  in  the  Con¬ 
vention  on  my  affair  were  these,  “  I  believe  we  had  better  Defer  it  to  the 
next  Convention  ”  ;  viz.,  Because  the  Contest  against  me  at  the  Independent 
College  in  this  Country  had  made  such  a  noise  that  it  was  thought  better  to 
have  it  blow  over  before  I  was  recommended  for  Orders.  Mr.  Commissary 
himself  has  read  what  I  now  write,  and  makes  no  Objection  to  it,  as  if  it  were 
not  the  truth  of  the  Case. 

Thus,  reverend  Sir,  I  have  taken  the  Liberty  to  represent  the  Grounds  of 
the  Information  you  have  received  against  me.  I  have  done  it  plainly  &  up¬ 
rightly,  And  Cannot  help  thinking  that  the  person  who  informed  you  Might 
receive  such  reports  against  me  without  fully  examining  into  their  truth,  and 
be  led  into  a  Belief  of  them  Somewhat  too  soon.  I  hope  that  what  I  have 
now  written  may  in  some  Measure  make  this  appear ;  But  whatever  be  the 
event  of  this  affair  respecting  me,  A  poor  American,  May  God  bless  the 
Church  of  England,  and  preserve  her  pure  &  uncorrupt;  May  She  Succeed 
the  pious  Endeavours  of  the  Society’s  in  propagating  the  gospel  in  these 
remote  parts  of  the  Earth;  And  may  the  Missionaries  employed  for  that 
End,  by  their  life  &  Doctrine ,  set  forth  his  Glory,  and  set  forward  the  Salva¬ 
tion  of  Men ;  Which  is  the  Sincere,  fervent  Prayer  of, 

Revd  Sir, 

Yours,  &c.,  &c., 

NATHAN  PRINCE. 


♦ 


Dr .  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary. 

(EXTRACT.) 


Boston,  New  England,  Novr  1 8th,  1745. 

Sir, 

I  am  exceedingly  obliged  to  the  Society  for  those  Tracts  against  Enthusi¬ 
asm  they  have  ordered  for  me,  whereof  you  give  me  an  account  in  your  Letter 
of  June  27th  last.  I  have  not  yet  received  them,  and  know  not  by  whom  to 
expect  them ;  but  When  they  do  come  shall  faithfully  dispose  of  them  in  the 


395 


C1 745- 


best  manner  I  can  to  answer  their  Kind  and  Christian  intentions,  not  doubting  but 
that  a  Blessing  will  attend  their  well  ordered  Charity,  as  it  hitherto  hath  done. 
There  being  none  here  very  able  to  blow  the  Coals  Mr.  Whitefield  has  kindled, 
the  parts  of  the  Country  about  this  Town  are  quiet,  a  few  Bickerings  and 
Contentions  excepted  among  those  who  encouraged  the  Disorders  we  have 
been  under.  But  we  have  evidence  enough  that  Mr.  Whitefield’s  Person  and 
Principles  remain  yet  in  great  estimation,  which  ever  pretends  Danger  and 
demands  Care. 


Commissary  PRICE  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 


Boston,  Nov.  20th,  1745. 


Revd  Sir, 

*  *  *  I  am  affraid  the  removing  the  Missionaries  from  one 

Province  to  another  except  upon  some  extraordinary  occasion,  or  from  Mis¬ 
sions  where  they  are  well  accepted,  may  be  attended  with  ill  consequences  if 
any  Minister’s  Superior  Merit  or  length  of  service  entitles  him  to  a  larger 
share  of  the  Society’s  favour.  I  should  think  it  might  as  well  be  bestow’d 
upon  him  in  his  old  Station  as  a  New  one.  The  Society  perhaps  has  not  con¬ 
sidered  the  disproportion  between  the  Ministers  in  New  England  and  New 
York,  and  the  assistance  and  countenance  the  Ministers  enjoy  in  one  which  is 
wanting  in  the  other,  this  differance  in  favour  of  New  York  will  naturally  draw 
the  Ministers  out  of  this  Province,  while  they  are  indulg’d  in  the  humour  of 
removing.  The  following  is  a  list  as  exact  as  I  can  make  it  of  the  Churches 
and  Chapels,  and  my  Jurisdiction  beginning  at  the  North  and  proceeding 
Southward.  In  New  Hampshire,  Portsmouth,  under  Mr.  Brown’s  care,  Kit- 
tery  under  the  same;  in  Newberry  two  Churches,  in  Salem  one,  in  Marble¬ 
head  one,  in  Boston  three,  in  Braintree  one,  in  Hopkinton  one,  in  Taunton 
one,  in  Scituate  one,  in  Bristol  one,  in  Providence  one,  in  Warwick  one,  in 
Newport  one,  in  Naragansett  one,  in  Groton  one,  in  Wetterly  one,  in  New 
London  one,  in  Simsbury  one,  in  Stratford  one,  in  Fairfield  one,  in  Newtown 
one,  in  Derby  one,  in  Northbury  one ;  there  are  several  other  Episcopal 


1745-]  396 

Societies  that  meet  upon  occasion  in  private  houses,  but  these  are  all  the 
Churches  I  can  recollect. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  Your  most  affectionate  Brother, 

and  Humble  Servant, 

ROG.  PRICE. 


Dr.  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Boston,  N.  England,  June  26,  1746. 

Sir, 

*  *  *  Our  congregations  in  this  Town  are  as  they  have  been  for  some 

time.  Three  Episcopal  ones,  Ten  Independent,  besides  three  smaller  Congre¬ 
gations,  one  French,  according  to  Genevan  Model,  another  of  Anabaptists, 
another  of  Quakers.  Papists  are  much  concealed,  though  perhaps  in  great 
numbers.  We  have  also  two  separate  congregations,  sprung  from  the  En¬ 
thusiasm  of  the  present  times,  whereby  the  body  of  the  Dissenters  is  not 
increased,  but  only  more  crumbled :  One  Congregation  is  Independant,  very 
small  and  very  disorderly  too ;  the  other  is  Anabaptist. 

The  Tempest  of  Enthusiasm  is  over,  though  the  Being  of  it  is  not.  The 
Itinerants  that  come  to  us  in  Mr.  Whitfield’s  Spirit  find  not  the  encouragement  in 
this  Town  they  were  wont  to  do.  Shd  Mr.  Whitfield  visit  us  from  the  South¬ 
ward  his  operations  would,  I  believe,  be  weaker  than  heretofore.  The  Church, 
to  be  sure,  apprehends  the  less  disturbance  from  him  the  oftener  he  visits  us. 
The  Dissenters  who  cherisht  him  are  now  the  sufferers,  and  his  particular 
Friends  the  most.  Their  Teachers  not  contenting  many  of  their  own  people, 
who  separate  from  them  because  unregenerate  and  unconverted.  Many 
Dissenters  are  awakened  by  these  disorders,  inclin’d  or  repairing  to  the 
Church  as  their  only  refuge.  Others  can’t  conceal  the  tokens  of  their  Sorrow, 
but  are  not  very  free  to  confess  their  Errors.  I  am  in  the  humblest  manner, 
Sr,  the  Society’s  and 

Your  most  Thankful  and  obedient  Servant, 

TIM.  CUTLER. 


397 


[1746. 


From  M'\  Commissary  PRICE  to  the  Secretary. 

Revd  Sir, 

There  has  been  a  long  interval  since  I  had  the  satisfaction  of  hearing  from 
you.  By  your  last,  I  had  the  Society’s  Orders  to  continue  instructing  the 
Children  and  Negroes,  which  I  have  accordingly  done,  &  in  consequence  have 
drawn  for  another  six  months’  Salary,  which  will  compleat  two  years.  I  shall 
in  obedience  to  the  Society  discharge  this  duty  ’till  countermanded.  I  have 
sent  you  several  Letters  since  your  last  to  me,  some  of  which  I  believe  are 
miscarried ;  particularly  I  am  suspicious  of  a  packet  by  Mr.  Hicks,  Chaplain 
to  the  Eltham  Man  of  War,  containing  a  Deed  of  the  Glebe  at  Hopkinton, 
which  I  sent  for  the  Society’s  approbation.  I  should  be  glad  to  know  the  cer¬ 
tainty,  that  if  necessary  I  may  repair  the  loss  by  another.  I  preach’d  at  that 
town  the  two  last  Sundays  to  a  considerable  Congregation  of  the  principal 
persons  of  the  Town,  and  baptized  three  Children  ;  two  others  remained  unbap¬ 
tized  by  accidents,  to  the  next  opportunity  I  shall  have  of  going  there,  none  of 
which  let  slip  without  affording  them  some  assistance,  tho’  all  I  can  do  will 
scarce  support  their  hopes  after  so  many  years’  expectation.  I  have  bestow’d 
much  money  and  labour  in  carrying  on  this  Church,  and  if  it  should  all  finally 
fail,  it  would  be  a  great  discouragement  to  me  and  others  in  the  like  attempts. 
Nothing  material  occur’d  at  our  Annual  Meeting.  The  Ministers’  Salaries 
continue  as  usual. 

A  visit  from  Mr.  Whitfield  is  soon  expected,  but  without  any  emotion  in 
the  people  here  ;  his  reputation  at  present  is  at  a  low  ebb.  Our  Country  is  in 
great  confusion  by  the  War  we  are  engaged  in  with  the  French.  All  Foreign 
Goods  are  excessive  dear,  and  notwithstanding  our  Conquest,  are  at  present 
in  a  miserable  state,  and  I  have  the  prospect  of  sinking  deeper  in  it. 

I  am,  Sir, 

Your  Affectionate  Brother 

and  humble  Servant, 

ROG.  PRICE. 


Boston,  July  31,  1746. 


1746.] 


39§ 

Mr.  PRICE  to  the  BISHOP  of  LONDON. 

Boston,  Novr  22,  1746. 

My  Lord, 

I  thought  it  my  duty  to  inform  your  Lordship  that  Mr.  Hooper,  late  a  dissent¬ 
ing  teacher,  is  going  to  Engld  with  a  design  of  receiving  Episcopal  ordination, 
being  appointed  by  the  Congregation  of  Trinity  Church  to  succeed  Mr.  Dav¬ 
enport.  His  change  has  been  so  unusual  and  sudden  as  to  allow  me  no  time 
to  know  his  true  character,  which  has  come  to  me  hitherto  only  by  common 
report.  This  indeed  has  not  been  at  all  favorable  to  him,  either  in  respect  to 
his  principles  or  morals.  I  told  him  this  when  he  came  to  me  for  a  recom¬ 
mendation  to  your  Lordship,  and  for  this  reason  refused  it,  whereupon  after 
some  threatening  language,  he  left  me.  The  Governor  &  several  lay  Gentle¬ 
men  espouse  his  cause  very  warmly,  but  I  have  not  spared  to  tell  them  it  was 
my  opinion  that  instead  of  increasing  the  number  of  Churchmen,  by  taking 
such  suspicious  ministers  into  the  Church,  it  might  rather  be  a  means  of  de¬ 
stroying  Christianity  which  is  already  in  this  town  too  much  tinctured  with 
base  opinions.  My  Brethren  of  the  Clergy  whom  I  have  advised  with  upon 
this  affair  have  unanimously  concurr’d  in  these  sentiments.  I  have  committed 
this  letter  to  the  care  of  the  Revd  Mr.  Woods,  Chaplain  to  the  Chester  Man 
of  War,  a  Gentleman  who  has  Preached  for  some  time  in  Trinity  Church,  & 
behaved  himself  to  the  General  approbation  ;  he  can  further  inform  your  Lord- 
ship  what  was  said  in  the  conversation  of  the  Clergy  upon  this  Subject. 

I  am,  My  Lord, 

Your  Lordship’s  most  dutiful  &  most  obd1  Son  &  Servant, 

ROGER  PRICE. 


Governor  SHIRLEY  to  the  Secretary. 


Boston,  New  England,  Novemr  26,  1746. 

Revd  Sir, 

In  the  beginning  of  the  last  Summer  I  was  favor’d  with  a  Letter  from  you, 
informing  me  that  the  Society  had  order’d  Mr.  Brockwell  a  further  allowance 


399 


[1746. 


upon  the  recommendation  of  my  last  Letter  to  you,  and  did  me  the  honour  to 
suspend  their  final  determination  upon  the  affair  of  founding  a  School  and 
Catechetical  Lecturepn  this  place,  which  were  designed  to  have  been  com¬ 
mitted  to  the  care  of  Mr.  Row,  till  they  should  receive  my  opinion  upon  it.  I 
am  much  oblig’d  to  you,  Sir,  for  the  contents  of  this  Letter,  and  am  concern’d 
that  the  hurry  and  fatigue  of  public  Service  in  which  I  have  lately  been, 
and  still  am  continually  involved,  has  prevented  me  so  long  from  answering 
your  favour.  However,  I  shall  never  neglect  any  opportunity  which  may  be 
offer’d  me  of  advancing  the  prosperity  of  that  Church  whereof  I  esteem  it  my 
Chief  happiness  to  be  a  member ;  and  I  hope  a  favorable  one  now  presents 
itself  in  Mr.  Hooper,  who  has  the  honour  of  delivering  this  to  you.  This 
Gentleman,  who  is  chosen  by  the  proprietors  of  Trinity  Church  in  this  Town 
to  be  their  Minister  in  the  room  of  the  deceased  Mr.  Davenport,  the  late  In¬ 
cumbent  of  it,  and  goes  to  England  for  Holy  Orders,  came  from  Scotland 
about  twelve  years  ago  to  this  place  to  be  Tutor  to  a  Gentleman’s  Son  here, 
where  he  soon  distinguished  himself  by  his  natural  abilities,  Acquir’d  Learn¬ 
ing,  and  an  agreeable  conversation,  but  especially  by  his  Talent  for  preaching, 
and  was  in  great  vogue  in  this  Town  as  a  preacher,  both  among  the  Dissent¬ 
ing  Ministers — the  principal  of  which  invited  him  into  their  pulpits — and  the 
people,  among  whom  a  Number  of  persons  considerable  for  their  Substance 
and  character,  form’d  themselves  into  a  Congregation,  and  built  a  new  Meet¬ 
ing  house  about  nine  years  ago,  in  order  to  give  him  a  Call ;  and  he  was 
accordingly  made  what  they  term  their  Ordain’d  Minister,  the  Solemnity  of 
doing  which  was  performed  by  Dr.  Colman,  the  principal  Minister  among  the 
Presbytery  here,  and  others  of  next  note  to  him,  in  the  new  meeting  house ; 
and  as  far  as  I  am  a  Judge,  I  think  from  the  Sermon  I  had  the  curiosity  to  hear 
him  preach  upon  that  occasion,  without  notes,  that  he  has  a  prompt  Elocution, 
a  winning  address  and  good  sense  and  learning  in  the  pulpit.  During  his 
nine  years’  Ministry  in  this  Meeting  house  he  has  maintained  the  Character  of 
an  Extraordinary  preacher,  and  rather  increas’d  than  diminish’d  it ;  was  united 
with  the  Ministers  of  the  Association  (as  they  are  call’d)  in  preaching  at  the 
publick  Lecture  in  this  Town,  and  constantly  preserved  their  good  opinion 
and  esteem,  and  had  in  a  remarkable  manner  the  affections  and  hearts  of  his 
people,  and  what  is  Esteem’d  among  the  Dissenting  Congregations  here  a 
liberal  support  from  them. 

I  should  have  before  mention’d  to  you  that  Mr.  Hooper  brought  with  him 


1746.] 


400 


into  New  England  Testimonials  from  the  Earl  of  Northesk,  and  the  principal 
Gentlemen  in  Montrose,  and  upon  his  view  of  going  into  the  Ministry  here, 
procured  others  from  Five  of  the  principal  Ministers  in  Edinburgh,  and  the 
professor  of  Divinity  in  the  University  of  that  City  recommending  him  for 
that  purpose ;  and  from  Mr.  Murray,  a  Gentleman,  as  I  hear,  of  great  note  in 
the  profession  of  the  Law,  the  Mathematical  Professor,  a  Physician  of  Note, 
and  Mr.  Wishart,  a  very  noted  Minister,  all  of  Edinburgh — Copies  whereof  I 
inclose  (the  originals  Mr.  Hooper  has  with  him),  and  which  seem  to  shew  the 
Character  he  bore  in  Scotland  at  the  time  of  his  leaving  it.  As  to  his  char¬ 
acter  the  last  twelve  years  of  his  life  in  this  Country,  I  have  before  given  it 
you  in  part,  and  can  add  from  my  general  knowledge  of  him  and  common 
Report,  that  his  life  has  been  unblameable  and  becoming  a  Minister  of  the 
Gospel,  and  that  he  has  had  the  general  Esteem  of  men  of  the  best  sense  and 
Judgment  here.  Upon  Trinity  Church’s  becoming  vacant  Mr.  Hooper  took 
occasion  to  signify  to  me,  what  I  thought  I  could  discover  before  from  his 
declared  Sentiments  in  conversation  with  him  some  years  since  (when  I  had 
more  leisure  to  converse  than  I  have  now),  that  he  was  dispos’d  to  come  over 
to  the  Church  of  England ;  and  I  thereupon  propos’d  his  succeeding  Mr.  Dav¬ 
enport  in  his  late  Cure,  which  offer  was  most  readily  embrac’d  by  the  propri¬ 
etors  of  Trinity  Church,  who,  to  make  their  invitation  of  him  to  be  their 
Minister  more  strong,  have  raised  that  living  from  ^ioo  to  ^no  Sterling  a 
year;  and  a  liberal  Collection  was  made  in  a  few  hours  for  defraying  his  charges 
in  going  to  England  for  Ordination;  and  there  is  a  general  expectation  among 
the  members  of  the  several  Episcopal  Congregations  in  this  Town  that  Mr. 
Hooper’s  coming  over  to  the  Church  may  be  of  considerable  advantage,  and 
add  members  to  it,  which  I  think  not  improbable,  and  earnestly  desire,  and 
hope  that  he  may  prove  a  very  useful  Minister  of  the  Gospel  in  it.  I  must 
now  acquaint  you,  Sir,  that  to  induce  Mr.  Hooper,  after  the  overture  he  made 
to  me,  to  accept  the  proposals  of  the  Proprietors  of  Trinity  Church  to  him,  I 
promis’d  to  recommend  him  to  the  Society  for  the  Catechetical  Lecture  lately 
design’d  by  ’em  for  Mr.  Rowe  (without  the  School,  which  Mr.  Hooper  would 
not  undertake  in  conjunction  with  his  Cure),  in  case  they  should  revive 
their  design  of  supporting  such  a  Lecture.  You  mention  in  your  Letter  to  me 
concerning  that  Lecture,  that  the  Clergy  here  have  expressed  their  disapproba¬ 
tion  of  it ;  upon  what  grounds  they  would  then  have  discourag’d  it  I  know  not. 
But  if  Dr.  Cutler  of  Christ’s  Church  in  this  place  was  one  oh  the  Gentlemen 


401 


[1746. 


who  did  so,  I  may  assure  you  that  he  seems  to  have  alter’d  his  Sentiments 
concerning  it,  having  since  Mr.  Rowe’s  disgrace  and  leaving  this  Country, 
Solicited  a  Gentleman  who  had  Influence  with  me,  to  prevail  with  me  to 
recommend  him  to  the  Society  for  this  Lecture ;  but  the  Gentleman,  knowing 
his  strenuous  opposition  to  the  founding  of  it,  when  another  person  was  pro¬ 
pos’d  to  be  the  Lecturer,  flatly  deny’d  him  on  that  account,  and  let  me  know 
what  had  pass’d  between  ’em,  and  indeed  he  communicated  it  to  others ;  and 
so  the  Doctor  drop’d  his  pretensions  to  it,  at  least  with  me.  As  to  the  useful¬ 
ness  of  such  a  Lecture  in  this  Town,  provided  the  doctrines  of  the  Church,  or 
rather  points  of  less  consequence,  which  the  Dissenters  misunderstand  or 
stumble  at  through  prejudice,  were  to  be  explain’d  on  some  week  day  once 
in  a  month,  or  oftener,  after  publick  Catechism  in  the  King’s  Chappel,  with  the 
same  perspicuity,  moderation  and  Christian  Spirit  as  I  find  some  of  ’em  have 
been  in  little  Tracts  sent  over  here  by  the  Society,  &  in  terms  that  had  a  ten¬ 
dency  to  heal  differences  and  reconcile  prejudiced  minds,  and  not  in  the  least 
to  inflame  ’em  by  railing  accusations  and  stigmatizing  men  for  Errors  imbib’d 
by  Education,  but  treating  ’em  with  the  utmost  appearance  of  Charity  and 
Brotherhood,  I  am  perswaded  it  would  have  a  good  Influence  and  Effect  for 
bringing  people  into  a  Communion  with  the  Church.  Besides,  the  frequency 
of  Lectures  and  Sermons  on  week  days  in  the  Meeting  houses  (whereas  there 
is  nothing  of  this  sort  in  the  Church)  is  what  the  Dissenters  here  extremely 
value  themselves  and  their  Ministers  upon,  esteeming  it  a  sure  mark  of  the 
piety  of  what  they  Call  their  Congregational  Churches,  and  undervalue  the 
Episcopal  Clergy  and  Laity  for  their  neglect  of.  I  am  more  convinc’d  of  the 
Reality  of  this  observation  than  ever  by  what  drop’t  in  discourse  a  few  days 
ago  from  a  Gentleman  who  has  deservedly  the  first  character  in  this  Country 
for  piety,  good  sense  and  knowledge  of  the  world  ;  which  was,  “  That  he  had 
no  objection  either  to  the  doctrines  or  prayers  of  the  Church,  and  could  with 
great  satisfaction  be  of  its  communion,  but  he  thought  there  was  better  and 
more  preaching  among  the  Dissenters.”  This  gentleman  is  particularly  fond 
of  the  weekly  Lectures  among  ’em ;  and  this  is  generally  the  case,  I  believe, 
with  their  principal  men  here. 

If  the  Society  upon  what  I  have  said,  or  other  better  reasons,  which  their 
own  consideration  may  suggest  to  ’em,  should  be  of  opinion  to  found  such  a 
Lecture  as  I  have  been  proposing  to  ’em,  I  would  beg  leave  to  recommend  Mr. 
Hooper  to  ’em  as  a  very  suitable  person  for  the  preacher  of  it,  not  only  on 


account  of  his  capacity  and  prudence  for  carrying  it  on  to  advantage,  but 
as  he  would  probably  draw  many  of  his  old  hearers  and  others  of  the  same 
persuasion  to  attend  it,  who  would  be  dispos’d  to  receive  more  favorable  im¬ 
pressions  from  his  discourses  upon  the  points  proposed  at  his  first  Entrance 
into  the  Church,  than  perhaps  from  another. 

Mr.  Brockwell,  whose  Cure  at  Salem  is  become  vacant  by  his  removal 
from  thence  to  Boston,  assures  me  that  the  Church  at  Salem  is  grown  since 
his  coming  there,  from  twenty-five  to  near  an  hundred  families ;  and  as  he  is 
solicitous  about  their  dispersion  if  the  Church  is  not  soon  supply’d,  he  has 
desir’d  me  to  mention  it  to  the  Society.  The  Town  of  Salem  is  reckon’d  to 
have  next  to  Boston  the  richest  set  of  people  in  the  Country ;  and  if  the 
Church  was  to  take  good  root  and  spread  there,  it  would  doubtless  go  far 
towards  propagating  it  in  the  country  round  about,  and  the  mission  there  be 
of  much  more  service  than  that  at  Marblehead,  notwithstanding  the  Neighbor¬ 
hood  of  that  place  to  Salem. 

The  danger  of  breaking  up  a  growing  Church  is  an  inconvenience  that 
attends  the  removal  of  its  Minister  in  a  Country  where  the  Episcopal  Churches 
are  in  their  infancy ;  and  unless  the  inconvenience  is  compensated  by  a  Min¬ 
ister’s  greater  usefulness  to  the  Church  in  general  in  the  place  to  which  he  is 
remov’d  than  he  was  of  in  his  former  Situation,  seems  to  be  what  should  not 
be  too  often  repeated ;  however,  there  may  certainly  be  cases  where  removals 
are  very  adviseable. 

I  shall  ever  be  watchful  of  opportunities  for  promoting  the  Service  of  the 
Church,  and  hope  I  may  have  more  leisure  soon  from  the  fatigue  I  now 
undergo  in  the  present  situation  of  affairs,  and  am,  with  the  greatest  regard 
for  the  venerable  Society,  and  a  very  particular  esteem  and  respect  for  your¬ 
self, 

Revd  Sir, 

Your  most  Obedient, 

humble  Servant, 

W.  SHIRLEY. 


403 


[1746. 


Governor  SHIRLEY  to  the  Secretary. 

Boston,  Decr  ist,  1746. 

Rev®  Sir, 

I  received  die  favour  of  your  Letter  dated  the  30th  June,  three  days  ago, 
&  am  sorry  it  did  not  come  to  my  hands  before  I  had  deliver’d  to  Mr.  Hooper 
that  wherein  I  make  mention  of  the  Catechetical  Lecture  proposed  to  me  for 
my  opinion  in  your  last  but  one.  If  it  had  it  would  have  prevented  me  from 
troubling  you  &  the  Society  with  my  Opinion  upon  such  a  Lecture. 

A  few  days  ago,  Mr.  Commissary  Price  resign’d  his  Cure  at  the  King’s 
Chappell  here,  &  design’d  to  go  to  England  in  the  Spring,  so  that  you  will 
have  an  opportunity  of  consulting  him  fully  thereupon  the  State  of  the  Church 
in  this  Country. 

I  am  apt  to  think  he  will  apply  to  the  Society  for  supporting  a  Mission  at 
Hopkinton,  at  the  distance  of  about  40  miles  from  this  place.  If  a  Church  is 
founded  there,  I  wish  it  success,  &  will  promote  it  as  much  as  may  be  in  my 
power. 

He  has  for  many  years  been  endeavouring  to  gather  a  Church  together  at 
Hopkinton,  where  he  has  purchased  several  farms  &  been  much  engaged  in 
the  Improvement  of  ’em,  wch  occasion’d  his  frequent  residence  there  on  week 
days.  This  I  believe  might  make  it  inconvenient  for  him  to  continue  the 
Catechetical  Lecture  according  to  the  Society’s  appointment  of  him  to  that 
Duty. 

I  am  inform’d  his  frequent  absence  from  this  Town  has  for  some  time 
given  great  umbrage  to  many  of  his  Congregation,  &  Lay’d  the  foundation  of 
uneasiness  between  him  and  them. 

I  mention’d  in  my  last  to  you  that  the  Dissenters  in  this  Town  are  very 
fond  of  Lectures  on  week  days,  wch  are  generally  much  crowded.  Their  most 
noted  Lecture  &  of  longest  standing  is  that  preach’d  on  every  Thursday  at  the 
old  Brick  meeting  House,  by  an  Association  consisting,  I  think,  of  all  the  Con¬ 
gregational  Ministers  (as  they  are  called)  in  this  Town.  They  have  another 
Lecture,  preach’d  monthly  on  the  Friday  next  before  the  Sacrament,  at  Dr. 
Colman’s  Meeting  House,  &  one  other  weekly  Lecture  preach’d  on  every 
Friday  night  at  the  Meeting  House  called  the  New  Brick  Meeting,  of  wch  Dr. 
Sewal  is  the  Minister ;  and  there  is  a  Presbyterian  congregation,  wch  has,  I 


1746.] 


404 


think,  a  Quarterly  Lecture.  All  these,  except  the  Presbyterian  Lecture,  are 
supplyed  by  Sets  of  Ministers,  who  agree  among  themselves  to  do  it,  without 
any  Collection,  contribution  or  pay,  in  any  Shape.  And  I  should  think  a 
monthly  meeting  on  every  Friday  before  the  Sacrament  might  be  kept  up  in 
the  King’s  Chappell  in  Boston  by  the  Clergy,  without  any  great  Burthen  to 
’em.  However,  I  dare  say  the  allowance  of  a  Guinea  for  every  Sermon 
would  maintain  it. 

I  am  persuaded,  that  besides  promoting  practical  piety  among  the  mem¬ 
bers  of  the  Church,  it  might  be  for  the  service  of  it  in  other  respects,  therefore 
hope  you  will  excuse  the  liberty  I  take  of  mentioning  it  to  you. 

I  am,  with  great1  respect, 

Revd  Sir, 

Your  most  Obed1,  Humble  Servant, 

W.  SHIRLEY. 


D\  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary. 


Boston,  N.  Eng.,  Dec.  26,  1746. 

SR, 

From  June  26th  to  this  time,  I  have  Baptized  14  Infants,  the  one  a  Negroe 
Slave,  and  2  Adult  Negroe  Slaves — Man  and  Wife — both  appearing  worthily, 
principled  and  Spirited  towards  that  Ordinance ;  and  5  are  come  into  our 
communion,  persons  such  as  I  would  desire  to  attend  it.  I  find  the  necessity 
to  urge  the  attending  and  frequenting  our  Communion ;  tho’,  I  thank  God,  at 
our  Christmas,  a  day  of  extreme  cold,  we  had  64  communicants,  besides  a  very 
crowded  congregation,  the  Dissenters  attending  in  great  numbers,  who  gen¬ 
erally  think  the  better  of  our  Church  under  Mr.  Whitefield’s  Invectives  against 
it,  and  many  of  them  take  it  as  a  Refuge  from  those  corrupt  principles  and 
those  disorders  he  has  spread  among  them. 

Not  long  ago  I  made  known  to  the  Society  my  want  of  books  upon  the 
Communion,  and  of  Common  Prayer  Books,  whereof  now  I  have  not  one 
to  distribute,  tho’  my  opportunities  are  very  frequent  and  extensive,  and 
many  want  that  cannot  buy  them.  Should  the  Society  please  to  furnish  me 


4°5 


[1746. 


with  them  I  could  be  glad  to  see  a  table  of  prohibited  marriages  at  the  End 
of  them  all,  which  I  find  many  late  prayer  books  to  be  without ;  and  I  am 
sorry  to  think  that  some  Tracts  on  this  Subject  might  now  be  seasonably  dis¬ 
persed  among  us,  and  I  could  make  a  good  use  of  some  Books  upon  the 
Divinity  of  our  Saviour  and  in  defence  of  the  Athanasian  Creed,  together 
with  other  Books  of  Religion  and  Morality,  were  they  added  to  them. 

The  number  of  our  Religious  Congregations  remains  the  same  as  it  has 
been  for  some  time.  There  are  3  Episcopal  congregations,  10  Independant, 
besides  3  smaller  Congregations,  one  French,  according  to  the  Genevan 
Model,  another  of  Anabaptists,  and  another  of  Quakers.  I  can’t  be  particular 
about  Papists,  they  being  much  concealed,  tho’  I  suppose  the  number  is  not 
small.  The  Enthusiasm  of  the  times  has  brought  forth  two  separate  Congre¬ 
gations,  one  of  Independants,  very  small  but  yet  seemingly  increasing,  and 
the  other  of  Anabaptists ;  and  a  new  Schism  seems  beginning  among  the  Ana¬ 
baptists  of  this  Town,  for  notwithstanding  each  Congregation  of  them  is 
supplyed  with  a  Teacher  ordained,  yet  one  Dutton,  a  Stranger,  who  some 
time  ago  brought  over  and  dispersed  two  large  Cargoes  of  Enthusiastic 
Books,  has  since  the  setting  in  of  very  cold  weather,  dip’t  near  20  persons  in 
the  River  between  this  and  the  Neighboring  Town. 

My  Church,  with  myself,  are  very  sensible  of  the  Revd  Mr.  Dechair’s  good¬ 
ness  in  the  Books  already  presented  by  him,  and  the  addition  he  designs  to 
them  for  a  Parochial  Library  in  this  Town ;  and  of  the  Society’s  goodness  in 
allotting  that  benefit  to  my  Parish.  We  shall  shew  our  gratitude  in  providing 
a  convenient  place  for  them ;  and  I  promise  for  myself,  and  hope,  for  my 
successors,  the  greatest  care  to  preserve  the  Books  from  hurt  and  embezzle¬ 
ment,  and  to  make  the  best  advantages  we  can  of  such  a  pious  Donation. 
While  I  live  I  shall  not  forget  my  Obligations  to  be, 

Their  most  thankful 

and  obedient  Servant, 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


M\  MCGILCHRIST  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Salem,  April  22,  1747. 

Revd  Sir, 

*  *  *  There  are  here  besides  the  Church  three  Meeting 

houses  (one  of  which  consists  of  those  that  are  called  the  new  lights),  and  a 
few  Quakers.  The  Church  I  am  told  has  dwindled  of  late  in  its  number 
through  some  unhappy  misunderstandings ;  but  these  are  now  buried  in 
oblivion,  &  I’m  in  hopes  that  (through  the  blessing  of  God)  it  will  soon  en- 
crease  again  and  flourish.  For  the  people  in  general  are  not  so  bigotted  as  I 
expected  &  there  has  been  a  considerable  auditory  at  church  ever  since  my 
arrival,  which  tho’  it  consists  in  a  great  measure  of  those  who  come  only  out 
of  curiosity,  yet  their  prejudices  may  thereby  be  lessened  &  they  may  find  our 
way  of  worship  to  be  more  devout,  rational,  decent  and  edifying  that  they 
expected. 

The  Proprietors  appear  willing  enough  to  purchase  a  Parsonage,  House 
and  Glebe,  but  at  present  are  not  able  to  raise  the  money,  &  as  they  are 
neither  numerous  nor  wealthy,  I  don’t  expect  to  receive  above  ^15  sterl.  a 
year  from  them.  At  Easter  there  were  but  seven  communicants. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir, 

Your  most  obliged, 

&  most  humble  Servant, 

WILL.  MCGILCHRIST. 


-O- 


Churchwardens  of  Braintree  to  the  Secretary . 


Braintree,  June  4,  1 747. 


Revd  Sir, 

*  *  *  We  have  always  esteemed  it  a  singular  happiness  to  be 

Members  of  the  Established  Church,  and  more  especially  since  the  late  revi¬ 
val  of  Enthusiasm  by  Mr.  Whitfield  in  the  Independant  Meetings  around  us, 


407 


C1 747- 


which  at  first  threatened  destruction  to  the  Peace  and  good  order  of  our 
Church,  but  finally  scarce  did  any  mischief  to  it  Thr°  God’s  blessing  on  the 
faithfull  dispensations  of  the  means  of  grace  by  the  Revd  Mr.  Miller  the 
Society’s  worthy  Missionary  in  Braintree.  And  it  is  with  pleasure  we  observe 
that  Mr.  Miller  has  by  a  truly  religious  life  &  conversation  gained  an  estab¬ 
lished  good  character  with  the  dissenters,  and  the  Cordial  Love  and  affections 
of  the  people  of  our  communion. 

Revd  Sir,  Yr  most  Humb.  &  obedient  Servts, 


William  Vesey, 
John  Chugman, 


Churchwardens 
in  the  name 
of  the  Church. 


Churchwardens  of  Newbury  to  the  Secretary . 


Revd  Sir, 


(EXTRACT.) 

Newbury,  June  5th,  1747. 


It’s  common  when  Mr.  Plant  does  preach  to  officiate 
four  or  five  Sundays  going  at  the  Old  Church,  and  has  never  preacht  at  the 
New  Church  any  of  the  Feast  or  Fast  days  but  once  which  was  ye  5  Novem. 
when  the  Church  was  first  open’d  which  shows  his  disaffection  to  the  New 
Church,  being  a  positive  breach  of  the  Revd  &  Venerable  Society’s  orders. 
Mr.  Plant  has  refused  letting  ye  Revd  Mr.  Brown  (who  is  our  next  Neighbour), 
officiate’g  here  tho’  we  requested  it  of  him  &  Mr.  Brown  willing  to  do  it.  Mr. 
Plant  refused  to  Christen  an  illigitimate  child  when  requested  without  giving 
a  reason  at  all  for  his  conduct.  We  would  pray  the  Revd  &  Venerable  Society 
if  they  think  proper  they  would  remove  the  Revd  Mr.  Plant  to  some  other 
Town  where  he  might  be  capable  of  doing  more  good,  as  people  of  all  de¬ 
nominations  are  very  much  prejudiced  against  him  here  owing  to  his  bad 
conduct  &  disregard  to  the  Church. 

Your  most  obed1,  humble  Servts, 

Thos  Tanniatt,  ) 

John  Crocher,  >-  Churchwardens, 
and  others,  ) 


To  the  Revd  Doctr  Philip  Bearcroft. 


1 747-] 


408 


M\  SHIRLEY  to  the  Secretary . 

Boston,  June  6,  1747. 

Revd  Sir, 

By  a  Letter  lately  receiv’d  from  the  Revd  Dr.  Johnson  of  Stratford,  in 
Connecticut,  I  am  inform’d  that  upon  the  removal  of  the  Revd  Mr.  Caner 
from  Fairfield,  in  the  same  Colony  to  the  King’s  Chappell  in  this  place,  he  is 
left  to  supply  all  the  Episcopal  Congregations,  upon  the  Sea  Side  there  for 
above  an  hundred  Miles  (within  wch  compass  there  are  eight  or  Ten  of  ’em), 
without  one  ordain’d  Minister  to  assist  him  in  the  duty,  tho’  that  is  sufficient 
to  employ  five  or  six  Clergymen  &  that  both  the  Episcopal  Ministers  who 
officiate  to  the  several  Congregations  gather’d  among  the  Inland  Towns  in 
that  Colony  Northward,  have  as  much  duty  there  as  they  can  go  through. 
This  scarcity  of  the  Clergy  in  Connecticut,  which  lays  most  of  the  Episcopal 
Congregations  there  under  very  uneasy  circumstances  for  want  of  having 
divine  service  duely  perform’d,  &  the  Sacrements  &  offices  of  the  Church 
administer’d  to  ’em,  is  occasion’d  I  understand,  by  there  being  four  vacancies 
in  the  district  under  the  care  of  Dr.  Johnson,  viz1,  Fairfield,  Norwalk,  Derby 
&  New  London,  besides  Congregations  at  Stamford,  Waterbury,  Litchfield,  & 
Hebron,  which  have  not  yet  had  Missionaries  allow’d  ’em  by  the  Society  and 
a  late  order  of  the  Society  forbidding  any  person  to  come  to  England  for  or¬ 
dination  without  leave  first  obtained  from  them,  not  only  for  new  Missions 
tho’  they  have  provision  made  for  ’em  by  an  House  &  Glebe’s  being  granted 
by  deed  to  the  Society  (as  requir’d),  &  a  subscription  of  Twenty  pounds  ster- 
ling  'p  ann,  for  their  support  in  the  Ministry,  but  even  for  the  supplying  of 
vacancies  in  Churches,  to  which  Missions  have  been  allow’d  by  the  Society 
already. 

The  effect  of  this  new  regulation  having  as  Dr.  Johnson  &  Mr.  Caner 
assure  me,  made  the  Churches  in  Connecticutt  visibly  languish  under  the 
present  number  of  vacancies,  &  those  Gentlemen  having  entreated  me  to 
join  with  ’em  in  representing  the  matter  to  the  Society,  &  to  recommend  the 
state  of  the  Connecticutt  Churches  to  their  favourable  consideration,  I  take 
the  liberty  to  observe  to  you  Sir,  that  tho’  this  Injunction  upon  the  Clergy, 
not  to  send  any  persons  home  with  recommendations  to  the  Society  without 
their  leave  first  had,  might  not  be  attended  wth  very  dangerous  consequences 


409 


ll  747- 


in  case  of  one  vacancy’s  only  happening  at  a  time,  yet  I  can’t  think  where 
there  are  more  than  one  as  is  the  present  case,  four  out  of  seven  Ministers 
being  taken  off  from  those  Churches  by  deaths  &  Removals,  that  the  remain¬ 
ing  Ministers  can  supply  so  many  churches  so  widely  scatter’d,  as  those  in 
Connecticutt,  till  leave  is  first  obtained  from  the  Society,  for  recommending 
persons  duely  qualify’d  to  supply  the  vacancies,  &  such  persons  are  afterwards 
sent  to  England  for  orders,  return  back,  but  that  in  the  mean  time  some  of 
the  Congregations  will  be  in  great  danger  of  being  dissipated  &  broke  up, 
not  to  mention  the  difficulties  wch  must  arise  for  the  Clergy  in  going  thro’  too 
burthensome  a  duty. 

Indeed  from  the  account  I  have  of  the  situation  &  number  of  the  Churches 
in  Connecticutt,  it  seems  to  me  that  when  those  wch  have  missions  allow’d 
them,  are  full,  the  Ministers  then  have  as  much  duty  upon  their  hands,  as 
they  can  well  go  thro’. 

I  would  therefore  submit  it  to  the  consideration  of  the  Society,  whether  it 
may  not  be  adviseable  for  ’em  so  far,  to  qualifye  their  late  Rule  as  to  permit 
the  Clergy  to  send  home  persons  duely  qualify’d  with  recommendations  for 
orders  to  supply  vacancies,  as  they  shall  happen  to  arise,  without  staying  till 
they  shall  obtain  the  Society’s  leave  upon  every  particular  one,  before  they 
send  any  person  home.  I  would  be  understood  here  to  speak  only  of  such 
benefices,  whose  value  can’t  be  supposed  to  be  a  sufficient  inducement  to  any 
young  Clergymen  of  worth  in  England  to  quit  his  Country  &  hopes  of  pre¬ 
ferment  there  for  it,  but  yet  may  be  an  acceptable  maintenance  to  young  men 
of  this  Country  whose  Families  &  substance  are  here  and  who  generally  enter 
into  the  service  of  the  Church  chiefly  upon  a  zeal  for  promoting  its  welfare  in 
this  part  of  the  world  &  Principles  of  Religion  only. 

I  take  the  liberty  likewise  Sir  to  mention  it  for  the  Society’s  consideration 
whether  it  might  not  be  adviseable  for  ’em  to  recommend  to  my  Lord  of 
London,  for  orders,  such  persons  as  may  be  sent  from  hence  with  the  provis¬ 
ion  of  an  House  &  Glebe  made  over  by  deed  to  the  Society,  &  a  subscription 
of  Twenty  pounds  Sterling  a  year,  besides  towards  the  support  of  a  Minister, 
&  wch  are  otherwise  qualify’d  such  a  Provision  I  am  told  would  in  many 
Country  places  be  a  support  for  unmarried  men  at  least  till  the  circumstances 
of  the  Society  shall  enable  ’em  to  enlarge  it,  if  the  people  should  not  be  able 
to  do  it  by  the  growth  of  the  church,  and  by  this  means  such  as  are  waiting  to 
serve  the  church  at  an  expence  to  themselves,  will  in  some  measure  be  pro¬ 
vided  for,  &  the  Churches  reap  the  immediate  Benefit  of  their  Labours. 


1 747-] 


4io 


You  will  have  representations  of  the  State  of  those  congregations  in  Con- 
necticutt,  which  are  now  applying  to  the  Society  for  Missions,  transmitted  to 
you  by  Dr.  Johnson  &  Mr.  Caner,  to  which  I  must  referr  you,  only  recom¬ 
mending  in  a  particular  manner  the  case  of  the  Church  at  Stamford,  &  Mr. 
Dibble  who  is  propos’d  to  be  their  Minister  to  the  favour  of  the  Society  in 
the  first  place. 

Mr.  Commissary  Price,  who  now  goes  home  chiefly  with  a  view  of  procur¬ 
ing  a  Mission  for  a  Church  wch  he  has  been  gathering  for  some  years  at  Hop- 
kinton,  where  he  has  considerable  Interest  in  Lands,  &  is  desirous  of  residing 
as  the  Minister  of  it  has  apply’d  to  me  to  recommend  his  case  to  the  Society. 
I  need  not  mention  Sir,  that  it  would  give  a  particular  pleasure  to  see  the 
number  of  the  Churches  increase  in  the  Province  under  my  own  Government 
but  I  can’t  help  saying  at  the  same  time,  that  I  think  the  State  of  the  several 
Churches  in  Connecticutt,  requires  the  more  immediate  assistance  of  the 
Society,  at  least  so  far  as  to  prevent  a  decay  of  ’em.  When  this  is  done  wch 
seems  nearly  to  concern  the  general  Interest  of  the  Church  in  these  parts,  I 
would  recommend  the  case  of  the  particular  congregation  now  collecting  at 
Hopkinton  to  the  favorable  consideration  of  the  Society  &  heartily  wish  it 
may  be  provided  for. 

I  can’t  omit  expressing  my  own  &  the  general  satisfaction  of  the  congre¬ 
gation  of  the  King’s  Chappell,  in  ye  Ministry  of  Mr.  Caner.  That  Church  I 
may  assure  you,  stood  much  in  want  of  some  Gentleman  of  his  good  qualities 
for  its  service,  &  I  promise  myself  that  his  removal  to  it  will  not  only  be  for 
the  advantage  &  edification  of  that  particular  congregation,  but  promote  the 
general  welfare  of  the  Church  within  this  Metropolis  of  New  England.  I 
should  not  do  Mr.  Caner  Justice,  if  I  did  not  mention  here  to  you  his  diligence 
&  Labours  within  these  last  Twenty  years  among  the  Churches  in  Connecti¬ 
cutt,  where  besides  doing  the  duty  of  his  own  Church  at  Fairfield,  he  has 
constantly  supply’d  those  of  Stamford  &  Norwalk  &  their  Dependant  Vil¬ 
lages,  at  the  last  of  which  places  he  voluntarily  gave  up  g^io  sterling  ^  ann. 
(allow’d  him  by  the  Society  for  a  School)  towards  obtaining  a  Mission  for  a 
Church  there,  and  wch  Salary  together  with  an  addition  of  £io  a  year  more 
was  as  I  understand  lay’d  aside  &  appropriated  by  the  Society,  accordingly 
towards  the  support  of  a  Minister,  but  has  not  been  paid  these  two  years, 
occasion’d  by  the  removal  of  Mr.  Caner’s  Brother,  the  ordain’d  Minister  for 
Norwalk,  from  thence  to  Albany,  soon  after  his  coming  there.  For  this  ex- 


E1 747- 


4“ 

traordinary  duty,  as  there  seems  to  be  a  vacant  Fund  for  making  Mr.  Caner 
a  just  allowance  out  of  the  £ 20  ‘p  ann.  design’d  for  the  support  of  the  Church 
at  Norwalk  (wcb  he  has  supplv’d),  and  the  growing  Salary  for  the  support  of 
the  Church  at  Fairfield,  which  shall  run  on  from  the  time  of  Mr.  Caner’s  being 
discharged  from  it,  to  the  time  of  another  Missionary’s  coming  to  the  cure,  I 
would  recommend  it  to  the  consideration  of  the  Society  whether  their  making 
him  an  allowance  would  not  be  an  encouragement  to  others,  under  the  like 
circumstances  with  Mr.  Caner,  to  labour  wth  the  same  extraordinary  diligence 
&  faithfulness  in  the  Missionary,  as  well  as  a  piece  of  Justice  to  him  for  so 
many  years’  Extra  service. 

I  have  mention’d  in  one  or  two  of  my  last  letters  to  you  some  thing  con¬ 
cerning  the  raising  of  a  weekly  or  monthly  lecture  among  the  Churches  in 
Boston,  since  wch  I  am  inform’d  that  Mr.  Miles  the  first  Episcopal  Minister 
here  did  in  the  beginning  of  the  Church  (&  I  think  all  his  time)  keep  up  a 
monthly  lecture  in  the  Kings  Chappell,  every  Wensday  before  Sacrament 
Sunday,  how  it  came  to  be  dropt  I  can’t  learn  ;  but  I  should  think  that  when 
there  are  four  Episcopal  Ministers  in  Boston,  as  there  will  be  (I  hope  for  the 
sake  of  the  Peace  &  Prosperity  of  the  Churches  here)  at  Mr.  Hooper’s  Return 
that  the  desire  to  advance  a  due  sense  of  so  essential  a  part  of  the  Christian 
Religion  as  a  frequent  and  devout  Communion  at  the  Lord’s  Table,  among 
their  own  people,  &  the  influence  wch  such  an  appearance  of  the  Growth  of 
Religion  in  the  Church,  may  have  upon  their  Dissenting  Brethren,  might  be 
sufficient  inducements  to  ’em  to  enter  into  an  association  for  officiating  at 
such  a  Lecture  by  Turns.  The  neglect  of  it  seems  I  must  own  to  have  the 
appearance  of  indifference  &  Coolness  in  both  Ministers  &  People.  I  shall 
therefore  take  an  opportunity  of  proposing  such  a  Lecture  to  the  Boston  Clergy. 
But  if  it  should  stand  in  need  of  the  Society's  assistance  to  promote  it  wch 
might  be  done  I  dare  say  at  a  trifling  expence,  I  shall  hope  it  will  be  wanting. 

Revd  Sir, 

Your  most  obedient  Humble  Servant, 

W.  SHIRLEY. 


1 747-] 


412 


M-.  MALCOLM  to  the  BISHOP  of  LONDON. 


Marblehead,  July  6,  1747. 

My  Lord, 

Your  Lordship’s  goodness  will  I  hope  pardon  my  giving  you  this  trouble, 
which,  I  Judged,  both  Justice  and  Charity  made  my  duty.  Mr.  Corn7  Price  has 
entered  with  your  Lordship  a  caveat  against  Mr.  Hooper’s  being  admitted  to 
Holy  orders,  upon  a  Fame  of  his  being  a  man  immoral  in  his  life,  &  unsound 
in  his  doctrine.  I  hope  Mr.  Price  has  acted  conscientiously,  but  how  he  came 
by  his  Fame  I’m  utterly  a  stranger,  yet  far  from  supposing  he  never  heard 
such  things  as  Mr.  Hooper’s  invitation  to  Trinity  Parish  and  his  leaving  this 
place  was  a  sudden  thing,  the  Com7  had  not  time  to  enquire  particularly  into 
the  ground  of  the  Fame  he  had  heard,  which  I’m  satisfied  would  have  pre¬ 
vented  his  caveat,  but  as  circumstances  were,  he  did  his  duty,  as  I  think  it 
mine  with  submission  to  your  Lordship,  should  you  think  me  presumptious  to 
inform  you,  my  Lord,  that  I  was  acquainted  with  Mr.  Hooper  before  I  was  in 
orders,  or  had  ever  seen  New  Engld,  which  occasioned  an  intimacy  and  friend¬ 
ly  correspondence  with  him,  these  7  years  that  I  have  lived  in  the  near  neigh¬ 
bourhood  of  Boston,  and  been  his  guest  when  occasionally  there,  and  as  this 
gave  me  many  opportunities  of  free  and  intimate  conversation  with  him,  and 
knowing  his  character  with  others,  both  in  moral  life  &  as  a  preacher,  I  do 
seriously  declare  to  your  Lordship,  upon  the  faith  of  a  Christian,  that  I  know 
nothing  either  by  my  own  personal  acquaintance  and  conversation  with  him 
or  by  fame,  of  these  things  Mr.  Price  charges  him  with,  but  always  found  him 
a  sober,  grave,  and  serious  man.  The  Dissenters  here  who  are  highly  dis¬ 
obliged  at  his  deserting  them  and  embracing  a  service  which,  to  my  certain 
Knowledge  since  I  have  known  him  he  was  always  inclined  to,  would,  I  am 
persuaded,  give  him  the  same  character  I  have  done,  excepting,  perhaps,  a 
few  among  them  who  became  his  enemies  for  his  strenuous  opposition  to  Mr. 
Whitfield  and  his  enthusiasm  which  has  bred  such  distraction  in  this  Country ; 
and  this  I’m  convinced  is  the  spring  of  that  Calumny ;  For  these  unreasonable 
people  who  have  broke  thro’  all  decency  &  order,  stick  at  nothing  in  their 
ignorant  furious  zeal  &  resentment.  If  no  other  of  your  Lordship’s  Clergy  in 
this  Country  joins  with  me  in  this  acc1  of  Mr.  Hooper,  it  is  because  they  are 


4*3 


[I747- 


utter  strangers  to  him,  and  if  any  of  them  have  concurr’d  with  Mr.  Commis¬ 
sary,  it  is  either  from  his  own  information  or  from  the  same  uncertain  and 
suspicious  fountain,  which  made  so  good  &  judicious  a  man  as  the  Revd  Dr. 
Cutler,  absolutely  refuse  to  be  concerned  in  the  Caveat. 

That  your  Lordship  may  Long  live  a  blessing  to  the  Church,  is  the  earnest 
wish  and  Prayer  of 

Right  Reverend, 

Your  Lordship’s 

most  dutiful  Son, 

and  most  Obedient 
Humble  Servant, 

ALEXR  MALCOLM, 

Missy  at  Marblehead. 


M\  HOOPER  to  the  Secretary . 


Boston,  New  England,  August  31st,  1747. 

Revd  &  Dear  Sir, 

I  wrote  to  you  from  Spithead,  acquainting  you  with  my  sudden  departure 
from  London,  and  why  I  did  not  wait  upon  you.  It  was  a  great  trouble  to  me 
not  to  have  it  in  my  power  to  take  my  leave  of  Dr.  Bearcroft  who  had  treated 
me  with  so  much  civility  and  from  whom  I  expected  many  instructions  with 
respect  to  my  future  conduct.  But  if  I  had  not  made  that  haste  I  should  have 
lost  the  Man-of-War  and  perhaps  not  gott  another  safe  opportunity  before 
Winter. 

I  arrived  safe  here  on  the  24th  instant,  after  a  long  and  dangerous  passage, 
for  we  were  ten  weeks  from  Portsmouth,  a  Spanish  Man-of  War  had  almost 
demolished  the  Warwick  in  which  I  was,  and  a  storm  had  almost  sunk  the 
Merchant  Ship  on  which  I  went  on  board  after  I  left  the  Warwick.  But  blessed 
be  God  I  arrived  safe  at  last. 

I  found  my  family  &  friends  very  well,  &  received  a  most  hearty  welcome 
from  Trinity  Church,  whose  Joy  at  my  arrival  was  so  much  the  greater  that 
they  did  not  expect  me  so  soon.  The  church  was  crowded  yesterday,  but  I 


* 


J  7 47*] 


4H 


believe  I  performed  but  poorly  not  being  used  to  the  way  of  the  Church  of 
England.  I  believe  I  shall  live  comfortable  with  my  people,  &  with  the  assist¬ 
ance  of  God,  I  hope  I  shall  be  useful  among  them  and  add  to  their  numbers, 
for  the  Dissenters  do  not  resent  my  conforming  so  much  as  I  imagined  they 
would.  The  Governour  remarkably  favours  me,  &,  I  am  persuaded,  will  re¬ 
joice  at  every  opportunity  he  has  to  promote  the  Interest  of  ye  Church  of 
England. 

I  make  no  doubt,  Sir,  you’ll  do  what  you  can  in  the  Society  towards  es¬ 
tablishing  the  Lecture  in  Boston,  proposed  to  you  by  our  Governour.  Every¬ 
body  here  is  of  opinion  that  it  may  be  of  great  service  to  the  Church.  But 
we  do  not  think  it  will  be  best  to  have  it  carried  on  by  all  the  Ministers  in  the 
Province  ;  That  would  be  attended  with  many  inconveniences.  The  four  Min¬ 
isters  in  Boston  are  sufficient  for  the  support  of  it — we  might  have  it  once  a 
month,  in  the  King’s  Chapel,  because  that  Church  is  most  in  the  center  of  the 
Town,  and  as  to  the  day  of  the  week,  &  the  time  of  the  day  fittest  for  ye  ser¬ 
vice,  I  hope  you  will  leave  that  to  us  as  we  shall  judge  most  convenient.  I 
beg  of  you,  Sir,  to  promote  this  affair.  I  am  sure  it  will  do  more  towards 
making  converts  to  the  Church  and  promoting  religion  than  many  missions 
you  have  established  in  America  at  a  very  great  expence.  I  could  name  sev¬ 
eral  in  New  England  not  worthy  ye  supporting,  &  yl  reflect  no  honour  upon 
the  Society,  and  if  Hopkinton  should  be  added  to  them,  that  would  be  still  a 
greater  waste  of  money  &  discredit  to  the  Society. 

Governour  Shirley  &  Trinity  Church  sent  home  by  the  mast  Ships  which 
sailed  from  this  much  about  the  time  that  I  left  England,  a  great  many  papers 
for  the  vindication  of  my  character  and  the  disappointing  of  the  malice  of  Mr. 
Price. 

These  papers  were  directed  to  the  care  of  Tomlinson  &  Kilby,  and  I  hope 
they  have  shown  them  to  you  and  my  other  Friends,  that  you  may  see  how 
basely  Price  treated  me,  &  how  unworthy  he  is  of  being  encouraged  by  any 
body.  The  letters  directed  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  I  hope  will  be  delivered 
to  his  Lordship,  and  tho’  his  Lordship  express’d  his  kindness  and  generosity 
to  me  before  I  came  from  London,  I  make  no  doubt  he  will  think  some  thing 
more  ought  to  be  done  in  order  to  make  me  and  my  Friends  an  amends  for 
our  trouble  and  vexation.  I  have  ordered  Messrs.  Tomlinson  &  Kilby  to 
open  all  the  Letters  directed  for  me  &  to  use  them  as  in  prudence  they  shall 
think  fit. 


4i5 


H1 747' 


Dear  Sir,  I  shall  ever  remember  your  kindness  to  me,  and  endeavour  to 
deserve  your  esteem  and  the  esteem  of  all  good  men  by  being  faithful  in  my 
office  &  promoting  the  cause  of  Religion  &  virtue. 

I  am,  Rd  Sir, 

Your  most  obliged 

and  most  humble  Serv1, 

WILL.  HOOPER. 

Pray,  Sir,  make  my  compliments  to  Mrs.  Bearcroft.  I  have  some  hopes  of 
seeing  you  &  her  in  America. 


Mr.  PLANT  to  the  Secretary . 


New  England,  Newbury,  Oct.  23,  1747. 

Revd  Doctor, 

I  received  the  Letter  you  sent  me  by  Mr.  Macgilchrist  (ye  date  of  it  was 
thus:  Charterhouse,  Nov.  20,  1745,  this  sent  originally  by  Mr.  Deane  and 
again  by  Mr.  Macgilchrist,  Oct.  21st,  1746),  upon  ye  25th  day  of  March  last. 
I  was  then  confin’d  to  my  room,  but  when  able  to  go  abroad,  communicated 
the  Letter  to  Mr.  Collector  &  Captn  Dalton.  It  will  be  too  long  &  tedious  to 
write  over  every  gradation  taken  in  ye  affair,  but  to  ye  important  business : 
First  of  all,  after  I  had  given  them  a  copy  of  your  letter  to  consult,  and  my 
sentiments  upon  it,  they  therefore,  upon  Friday  ye  2d  day  of  Oct.  last  ap¬ 
pointed  a  meeting  at  ye  new  Church  of  all  ye  Proprietors  desiring  my  company 
where  I  attended,  &  then  told  them  (as  I  had  before  acquainted  ’em)  that  the 
Society  had  allotted  to  me  ye  Honor  of  being  ye  Chief  Minister  of  ye  whole 
Parish  &  then  of  annually  paying  an  assistant  2o£  sterl.  but  that  I  might  be 
qualified  to  be  ye  Chief  Minister  of  ye  whole  Parish,  it  was  necessary  they 
should  induct  me  into  ye  Chh  &  desired  ye  Churchwardens,  vestry,  &  Proprie¬ 
tors  to  give  me  induction.  They  said  there  was  no  occasion  for  it,  &  asked  me 
of  what  service  it  would  be  to  me.  I  told  them  It  gave  me  a  right  to  the  Desk 
&  Pulpit  that  none  could  officiate  either  in  ye  Church  or  Parish  without  my 
consent,  neither  should  I  be  obliged  to  ask  their  consent  every  time  I  came  to 


1 747-]  4l6 

officiate  in  ye  Chh  or  Parish  ;  they  said  ye  Clergy  in  Boston  had  no  such  Induc¬ 
tion.  I  answered  I  tho1  Mr.  Miles  and  Mr.  Commissary  Price  had  such  posses¬ 
sion  given  them  by  ye  Chh  Officers,  &  I  was  certain  Mr.  Brown  of  Piscatagua 
had  such  possession  given  him  by  ye  Proprietors  of  ye  Chh  at  Kittery ;  they 
said  I  had  denied.  Mr.  Brown,  but  he  shod  come  &  preach  here  whether  I 
would  or  no ;  I  told  them  if  they  gave  me  Induction,  I  should  be  very  willing 
Mr.  Brown  should  preach  here,  for  ye  cause  of  our  Quarrel  would  be  removed, 
for  he  would  then  come  wth  my  leave,  whereas  before  he  came  in  opposition  to 
me  &  in  all  probability  our  dispute  had  not  been  so  long  nor  run  so  high  had 
not  it  been  for  Mr.  Brown’s  conduct  in  evading  my  right  &  coming  disorderly 
into  my  Parish.  I  asked  them  whether  they  had  consulted  with  the  clergy  of 
Boston  concerning  the  affair  ;  they  said  they  had  advised  wth  some  Gent"  there 
but  did  not  think  it  necessary  to  confer  with  ye  Clergy.  I  propos’d  to  join 
wth  them  in  a  Letter  to  ye  clergy  in  Boston  &  take  their  advice  &  see  if  we 
could  not  fall  into  some  other  method,  for  I  only  wanted  from  them  a  right  to 
be  the  Chief  Minister  of  ye  whole  Parish,  according  to  the  Society’s  Letter,  & 
if  they  would  not  give  me  this  right  &  Privilege  by  Induction,  they  might  do 
it  for  me  in  ye  maner  y‘  ye  clergy  of  Boston  were  put  into  possession  of  their 
churches.  They  would  not  comply  with  this  proposal.  I  told  them  If  I  under¬ 
stood  the  contents  of  ye  Society’s  Letter,  they  did  intend  to  give  me  a  priv- 
eledge  in  ye  new  Church  when  they  allow  I  was  to  continue  the  Chief  Minis¬ 
ter,  how,  said  I,  can  I  be  ye  Minister  of  ye  whole  Church  if  I  have  no  Priveledge 
to  act  in  your  Parish  or  to  officiate  in  your  Church  without  asking  you  leave 
every  time.  I  come  &  if  it  is  for  ys  end  that  I  am  to  allow  an  assistant  to  me 
annually  20 £  sterl.  &  how  can  he  be  my  Assistant  if  I  am  not  ye  Minister. 
Captn  Atkins  said  they  would  not  allow  me  to  be  their  Minister  or  to  have 
any  thing  to  do  in  their  Parish.  They  would  some  times  give  me  leave  to 
preach  in  ye  new  Chh  &  their  Minister  should  preach  for  me,  but  it  should  be 
done  with  their  leave.  I  told  them  the  method  they  took  did  not  answer  the 
intent  of  ye  Society’s  Letter  &  propose  it  to  them  again  whether  they  would 
own  me  for  their  Minisr  &  give  me  any  power  or  Priveledge  in  ye  new  Chh  as 
such.  They  then  unanimously  said  They  were  the  sole  &  whole  Proprietors 
of  ye  New  Chh,  ye  Desk  &  Pulpit  was  their’s,  they  would  neither  give  me  nor 
any  other  Clergyman  (whom  they  hereafter  might  have)  a  Power  to  keep  out 
a  Minister  whom  they  should  invite  to  preach.  It  was  their  own  property, 
they  would  invite  whom  they,  pleased  to  preach.  What  saies  they,  Mr.  Plant  do 


4i7 


C1 747* 


you  think  we  will  come  to  ask  you  or  any  other  Minr  whether  you  will  give 
us  leave  to  ask  such  &  such  a  Minr  to  preach  whom  we  have  a  desire  to  hear ; 
no  truly,  we  will  neither  give  you  nor  any  other  man  such  a  great  power  over 
us  &  our  property.  Gents,  saies  I,  the  Dissenters  do  not  pretend  to 
claim  such  a  Power  to  their  Teachers,  Pulpit,  and  Meeting  house  as  to  put  in 
a  Gentleman  to  preach  before  they  have  obtained  their  Minister’s  leave, 
neither  do  their  Ministers  offer  to  go  into  each  other’s  Parish  without  leave 
from  each  other  to  preach.  I  then  proposed  it  once  more  to  them,  they  said 
they  continued  in  ye  same  mind.  Gentlemen,  saies  I,  if  this  then  is  your 
minds  I  will  proceed  no  further  in  this  affair.  I  will  neither  allow  2o£  sterl. 
to  any  young  Candidate,  neither  will  I  send  any  young  Gentleman  home  for 
orders.  There  were  some  captious  sayings  &  expressions  perverted  in  yl 
meeting,  but  as  I  believe  they  will  not  transmit  them  home  I  forbear  to  write 
answers  to  them.  I  have,  to  ye  best  of  my  judgment  obeyed  ye  directions  you 
sent  me  by  order  of  ye  Society,  and  shall  always  pay  a  most  ready,  cheerful, 
&  willing  obedience  to  them,  but  I  am  bound  in  conscience  not  to  sacrifice  ye 
good  discipline  of  our  Chh  which  these  Gentn  are  endeavouring  to  wrest  from 
me  when  they  take  upon  themselves  that  power  of  inviting  or  denying  any 
Minister  to  preach  in  their  Church  in  so  great  a  latitude,  i.  e .,  in  oposition  to 
their  settled  Minr,  which  compliance  of  mine  with  this  as  a  nation  would  soon 
diffuse  itself  into  an  universal  precedent  in  these  Churches  to  their  total  ruin. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir, 

Your  most  obed1 

&  dutyfull  Serv1, 

MATT3  PLANT. 

To  ye  Revd  Dr.  Bearcroft. 


Mr.  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary. 


Boston,  N.  Eng.,  Decr  26,  1747. 

SR, 

From  June  26  to  this  time  I  have  Baptized  23  Infants,  one  of  them  a  Negro 
Slave,  and  12  persons  have  added  themselves  to  our  Communion  who  are  I 
53 


hope  worthy  of  it,  one,  to  appearance,  a  very  serious  Penitent  for  former  Mis¬ 
carriages,  and  4  others  but  now  come  into  the  bosom  of  the  Church,  living  15 
and  20  Miles  off  from  which  Places  I  have  the  satisfaction  to  expect  a  plentiful 
harvest  of  Dissenters  in  a  short  time.  But  notwithstanding  the  increase  of 
our  communicants  there  is  such  a  sad  neglect  and  slackness  about  that  ordi¬ 
nance,  after  all  the  pains  I  can  take  against  it,  that  I  wish  I  did  not  want  Books 
to  explain  and  recommend  the  duty  to  them. 

My  Christmas  congregation  was  crowded  with  Dissenters,  I  believe  above 
three  times  in  Number  more  than  my  own  People,  from  which  occasions  we 
always  promise  ourselves  some  good  effect  upon  them — For  their  zeal  is  now 
grown  so  cool  that  they  can  attend  to  truth,  especially  the  zeal  of  the  most 
prudent  and  knowing  who  have  seen  enthusiasm  rage  with  a  Witness  and 
may  still  see  it  so  in  smaller  Towns  joyn’d  with  Calvinistic  Doctrines  carried 
to  the  full  extent  to  the  distraction  and  confusion  of  the  multitude  and  the 
subversion  of  all  quiet  and  order.  And  this,  for  aught  I  know,  may  be  helped  on 
by  ye  present  state  of  the  country  in  the  daily  most  deplorable  sinking  credit 
of  our  public  Bills  of  payment  that  yet  have  the  name  but  have  near  quite  cost 
the  substance  of  Pounds,  shillings,  pence,  by  which  our  Teachers  suffer  egregi- 
ously,  and  with  little  or  no  amends,  so  that  they  are  first  impoverisht  and  then 
contemned  in  their  persons  and  administrations,  and  this  being  a  source  of 
Fraud  and  Injustice  in  general,  I  could  wish  I  had  books  against  this  sin. 

Our  religious  congregations  in  this  Town  are  3  of  them  Episcopal,  pretty 
large  also,  10  large  Independant  congregations  and  3  small  congregations,  one 
French,  upon  the  Genevan  model,  one  of  Anabaptists,  and  another  of  Quakers. 
Papists  may  be  many  but  they  are  too  conceal’d  for  me  to  give  much  account 
of  them.  We  have  two  more  congregations  derived  from  the  late  humour  of 
separation  and  subsisting  upon  it,  one  is  of  independants,  perhaps  too  freak  - 
isht  for  a  perfect  settlement,  the  other  is  of  Anabaptists.  That  I  think  does 
not  recommend  itself  much,  and  besides  all  these  there  has  been  for  a  consid¬ 
erable  time  a  flying  squadron  of  People,  assembling  every  Sunday  and  in 
Fervors  so  unaccountably  mad,  that  I  know  not  whether  they  will  settle  into  a 
Body  or  no. 

Peace  and  Harmony  subsists  among  us,  nor  are  the-  Dissenters  trouble¬ 
some.  I  must  own  myself  obliged  to  not  a  few  of  them  for  respectful  treat¬ 
ment  and  kind  Offices. 

I  adde  nothing  about  the  Revd  Mr.  Dechain  donation,  hoping  for  its  safe 


4r9 


[1748. 


arrival  in  due  time,  but  now  end  with  due  acknowledgments  of  the  Society’s 
Favors,  remaining  their  and 

Your  most  humble  and 

obedient  Servant, 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


Mr.  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Boston,  N.  Eng.,  Ap1  29,  1748. 

*  *  *  Whenever,  Sir,  the  monthly  Lecture  recommended  to  the 

Clergy  here  by  the  Honourable  Society,  is  set  up  in  the  King’s  Chapel,  God 
willing,  I  shall  not  be  wanting  in  my  part  of  Duty  towards  it*  but  I  suppose 
the  Society  expects  also  the  concurrence  of  the  other  Clergy  of  this  Town. 
For  as  to  those  out  of  it,  such  is  the  Distance  of  all  or  most  of  them,  such  the 
frequent  Difficulties,  besides  the  expenses  of  Travel,  and  such  may  be  the 
Condition  of  their  Families  and  Parishes,  that  I  doubt  we  can  have  but  little 
dependance  on  any  of  them.  Time  must  show  what  attendance  will  be  given 
to  this  Lecture — to  be  sure,  one  formerly  set  up,  was  soon  dropt  for  want  of 
it.  Indeed,  many  have  sprung  up  from  Mr.  Whitefield’s  Zeal,  and  been  much 
frequented  every  where ;  but  the  great  fervors  raised  by  him  are  much  over, 
so  that  Lectures  are  some  laid  aside,  and  all  thinn’d,  and  Multitudes,  especial¬ 
ly  of  the  Church,  are  more  than  ever  prejudiced  against  them.  Besides,  the 
Lord’s  Supper  is  celebrated  monthly,  at  different  times,  in  our  several  Churches, 
on  the  first,  second,  and  third  Sundays  of  the  month  ;  and  if  our  people  should 
ask  monthly  Lectures  from  11s  in  our  several  Churches,  and  thereupon  the 
Society  should  be  pleased  to  dispense  with  our  Preaching  at  the  Chapel,  Lec¬ 
tures  might  be  so  crumbled  as  soon  to  vanish.  Tryal  has  never  yet  been 
made,  how  a  general  preaching  on  the  Solemnities  of  the  Church  would  be 
attended.  Perhaps  the  Members  of  our  Church  would  show  a  bigger  respect 
to  them,  and  the  Dissenters  an  equal  respect  to  what  they  might  shew  on 


1 748.] 


420 


other  occasions,  besides  the  fairer  opportunity  we  might  have  to  vindicate 
those  Appointments  and  recommend  our  Church  from  them. 

Sr,  If  I  have  gone  out  of  my  Sphere,  and  anywise  forgotten  that  Modesty 
which  is  due  to  my  Superiours  and  my  Betters,  I  do  most  humbly  ask  pardon, 
being  with  great  deference  and  profound  respect,  the  honourable  Society’s 
as  well  as 

Your  most  obedient, 
and  humble  Serv*, 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


M\  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary . 


Boston,  N.  Eng.,  June  27,  1748. 

Sir, 

In  obedience  to  the  Society’s  orders,  this  comes  with  a  renewed  Account  of 
the  state  of  my  Parish  from  Decr  26  to  this  time.  Therein  I  have  baptized  26 
persons;  one  adult  Negroe,  very  penitent  under  the  sense  of  a  past  irregular 
life,  and  desirous  to  wash  away  his  Sins  in  Baptism,  through  the  Blood  of 
Christ;  among  the  Infants  were  two  Negroe  Slaves  and  5  Children.  At  a 
Town  called  Billerica,  20  miles  from  this  place,  where,  at  the  Desire  of  many 
Dissenters,  besides  some  Churchmen,  I  preached  to  an  Audience  of  about,  I 
suppose,  200  adult  people,  and  not  a  few  of  the  most  considerable  of  the 
place,  all  attending  with  Decency  and  Composure,  and  treating  me  with 
much  Courtesy  and  Civility  afterwards,  and  pleased  to  confer  with  me  upon 
religious  Subjects  ;  and  I  hope  this  will  introduce  the  Church  of  England  more 
to  their  Knowledge  and  Esteem. 

My  Communicants  are  encreased  by  5  Persons,  ever  of  worthy  Characters, 
now,  to  all  appearance,  offering  themselves  upon  the  best  of  Christian  Motives. 
But  I  should  think  myself  much  happier  were  our  Communicants  more  en¬ 
creased  and  our  Communion  more  frequently  attended  by  them. 

Some  Accessions  there  are  to  my  Church,  but  I  can’t  call  them  very 
considerable:  and  this  wasting  War  is  one  sad  and  sufficient  reason  why  it  is 
not  much  increased,  this  Province,  and  more  especially  this  Town,  being 


421 


[1748. 


much  diminish’d  by  it.  But,  I  thank  God,  I  have  my  proportion  of  parish¬ 
ioners,  and  no  present  reason  to  fear  I  shall  fail  of  them,  and  have  one 
promising  Symptom  from  the  Blessing  of  Peace  bestowed  and  continued 
with  us. 

Our  religious  Congregations  in  this  Town  are,  three  of  them  Episcopal, 
pretty  large ;  ten  large  independent  Congregations  and  three  small  Congre¬ 
gations  ;  one  upon  the  Genevan  Model  ;  one  of  Anabaptists,  and  another  of 
Quakers.  Papists,  I  believe,  are  many,  but  withal  too  concealed  and  reserved 
for  observation.  Enthusiasm  has  been  fruitful  of  Separations,  from  whence 
we  have  two  small  Congregations,  one  of  Anabaptists  and  another  of  Inde¬ 
pendents,  and  the  last  is  near  crumbling  into  two.  Under  these  pretensions 
to  purity  religion  suffers,  and  we  see  more  and  more  of  its  Enemies,  both  in 
principle  and  in  practice. 

The  Commissary  being  absent,  I  presumed  it  not  amiss  to  enclose  the 
Account  of  my  Perquisites,  signed  by  my  Churchwardens. 

I  am,  Sir,  both  in  duty  and  inclination, 

the  Society’s  most  thankful,  obedient, 

and  humble  Servant, 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


Church  at  Marshfield  to  the  Secretary . 


Marshfield,  Novr  2d,  1 748. 

Revd  Sir, 

We  the  Churchwardens  and  Vestry  of  Marshfield  in  New  England,  beg 
leave  to  lay  before  the  Honorable  Society  the  state  of  our  Infant  Church. 
We  are  at  present  about  12  Families,  under  the  pastoral  care  of  the  Revd  Mr. 
Thompson,  the  Society’s  missionary  at  Scituate,  being  about  9  miles  from  his 
Church.  As  we  are  too  remote  to  attend  his  Ministrations  at  his  own  Parish 
Church,  we  have  sett  up  a  small  Church  amongst  ourselves,  which  is  now 
almost  finish’d,  and  in  which  that  Gentleman  has  sundry  times  officiated.  We 
are  duly  sensible  and  truly  thankful  to  the  Honorable  Society  for  this  Gentle¬ 
man’s  kind  Services  to  us,  in  whose  prudent  care  both  we  and  his  Church  at 


1 748-] 


422 

Scituate  think  ourselves  very  happy.  At  the  same  time  we  cannot  but  lament 
our  Misfortune  that  we  are  not  able  to  yield  him  that  assistance  which  his 
necessity  requires  &  his  Services  truly  deserve.  He  has  a  large  &  yet  in¬ 
creasing  Family,  and  riding  is  chargeable,  and  since  we  understand  his  Salary 
is  but  small,  we  would  humbly  beg  the  Society  would  increase  his  Allowance, 
that  we  may  not  be  deprived  of  his  valuable  Services,  which  we  fear  must  be 
the  case  unless  he  can  be  encouraged  by  a  better  additional  reward  than  we 
are  able  at  present  to  advance.  Trusting  in  the  Honourable  Society’s  known 
Goodness  and  Charity,  that  they  will  not  suffer  us  to  want  the  Spiritual  benefits 
we  now  enjoy,  and  which  we  know  not  where  else  to  apply  for,  we  beg  leave, 
with  all  Thankfulness  &  Duty  to  profess  ourselves  their  most  obliged, 

And  most  humble  Servts, 

DANIEL  WHITE  &  others. 


M\  THOMPSON  to  the  Secretary . 


Scituate,  November  the  3d,  1748. 

Revd  Sir, 

I  beg  leave  to  acquaint  the  Venerable  Society  that  by  the  blessing  of  God 
on  my  sincere  Endeavours,  the  Church  of  England  continues  to  increase  in 
these  parts,  and  people  in  general  begin  to  conceive  a  much  better  opinion  of 
it  than  they  had  when  I  first  came  here.  The  good  people  of  Marshfield 
have  so  far  finished  the  new  Church  that  on  Sunday  the  18th  of  September 
last,  I  preached  in  it  to  a  large  Congregation  and  administered  the  Sacrament 
of  the  Lord’s  Supper  to  18  regular  Communicants.  I  hope  the  Honorable 
Society  will  be  pleased  to  favour  this  new  Church  with  a  Bible  &  Prayer 
Book.  I  humbly  beg  leave  to  add  that  my  poverty  constrains  me  to  wish  and 
earnestly  beg  that  the  Venerable  Society  would  be  pleased  to  restore  the 
Salary  of  this  Mission,  to  what  it  was  in  the  Days  of  my  Predecessors,  that 
thereby  I  might  be  able  to  provide  the  necessaries  of  life  for  my  large  and 
growing  family.  Since  my  last  I  have  baptized  6  infants.  The  Communicants 
of  the  Church  of  England  at  present  are  forty.  I  have  drawn  my  Bill  on  the 


423 


[1748. 


Treasurer  in  favor  of  Messrs.  John  and  Jonathan  Simpson.  Revd  Sir,  I  am 
with  all  due  respect  the  Honble  Society’s  &  your  most  obliged  &  obed1  humble 
Servfi 

EBENEZER  THOMPSON. 


A  Letter  from  Sir  HARRY  FRAN KL AND  to  his  Uncle , 
about  the  State  of  Religion  at  Boston. 


London,  December  13th,  1748. 

Dear  Sir, 

Altho’  I  cannot  give  you  a  circumstancial  account  of  the  state  of  religion 
and  the  Church  of  England  at  Boston,  yet,  as  my  observations  on  that  subject 
may  be  of  service  in  promoting  and  forwarding  the  subscription  I  left  with 
you  for  the  rebuilding  King’s  Chapel  there,  beg  leave,  according  to  prom¬ 
ise  last  night,  to  trouble  you  with  ’em.  The  first  inhabitants  left  this  Kingdom 
partly  from  a  real  scruple  of  conscience,  and  partly  under  a  pretence  of  being 
persecuted  by  the  rigid  injunctions  of  the  Discipline  of  the  Church;  and  the 
accession  of  future  members  has  consisted  of  Independants,  who  have  gen¬ 
erally  conformed  to  one  mode  of  Worship  thro’out  the  Country,  which  is 
nearly  upon  the  plan  of  the  Scotch  Presbytery.  These,  including  all  other 
denominations,  compose  no  less  than  two  hundred  and  twenty  Parishes,  in 
one  province,  and  in  three  others,  which  constitute  part  of  New  England, 
there  are  about  a  hundred  and  fifty  more,  of  which  about  1 7  are  Churches  of 
England,  more  than  thirty  Quakers,  about  15  anabaptists,  and  the  remainder, 
being  upwards  of  three  hundred,  stile  themselves,  The  Churches  of  New  Eng¬ 
land  as  by  Law  Established,  meaning  their  provincial  and  Colony  Laws. 

’Tis  about  sixty  years  since  a  Chapel  was  erected  in  Boston  by  a  number 
of  Gentlemen  and  Merchts,  and  though  it  was  spacious  for  the  Times,  they 
were  obliged  to  enlarge  it  in  1710;  and  being  built  of  Wood,  when  I  left 
Boston,  it  was  in  a  very  decayed  condition.  From  this  Church  grew  another, 
which  is  built  of  Brick,  has  a  large  tower,  with  a  fine  ring  of  eight  bells,  a 
beautiful  Steeple,  and  having  an  elevated  Situation,  it  may  be  accounted  a 


1748.] 


424 


noble  Structure  for  that  part  of  the  World.  Out  of  these  two  has  proceeded 
a  third,  called  Trinity,  almost  as  large  as  both,  within  a  dozen  years,  and  that 
so  considerable  that  ’tis  said  they  pay  a  fifth  of  the  poor’s  rates,  notwith¬ 
standing  the  Town  contains  ten  Presbyterian  Meeting  Houses,  one  Irish,  one 
French,  one  Anabaptist,  one  Separatists,  and  one  Quakers.  Within  thirty 
miles  round  Boston  are  five  Churches  more,  and  a  sixth  they  talked  when  I 
came  away  of  building  at  Cambridge. 

Mr.  Whitefield,  and  other  Itinerants,  by  preaching  thro’  the  Country  have 
created  a  good  deal  of  confusion,  and  brought  on  a  separation  in  many 
Parishes,  whereby  a  visible  good  effect  has  followed,  for  they,  wanting  a 
power  on  that  occasion  to  determine  each  other’s  orthodoxy,  were  naturally 
led  to  lament  their  defection  from  a  Church  whose  Government  and  good 
order  they  could  never  hope  to  attain  without  being  united  to  it.  From 
hence  it  followed  that  many  of  the  most  sensible  people  have  joined  them¬ 
selves  to  the  Church,  and  there  appears  to  be  a  probability  of  much  greater 
numbers  following  them  in  a  few  years.  However,  by  much  the  greatest  part 
retain  the  old  leaven  of  their  ancestors,  and  look  upon  the  growing  state  of 
the  Church  with  great  concern  and  Jealousy;  for  this  reason  they  have  taken 
the  strictest  care  that  none  of  its  members  should  have  the  least  countenance 
from  the  Government,  nor  be  suffered  to  sustain  a  post  of  profit  or  honour 
amongst  them,  and  to  suppress  the  growth  of  it,  have  formerly  obliged  them  by 
Law  to  pay  taxes  to  their  dissenting  Ministers,  and  imprisoned  such  as  refused 
obedience ;  but  this  was  represented  in  such  a  light  as  to  find  redress,  and 
since  that  they  have  been  a  little  more  moderate,  as  they  found  it  necessary 
to  regulate  that  affair  by  a  new  Law.  This  representation  I  think  you  may 
depend  upon.  As  the  Chapel  is  the  oldest,  it  seems  to  deserve  our  peculiar 
care ;  and  as  the  other  Churches  are  more  commodious,  such  numbers  of  the 
richest  Sort  have  left  it,  that  the  parishioners  are  not  able  to  expend  a  Sum 
adequate  to  the  Charge ;  for  altho’  they  are  crowded,  Yet  their  circumstances 
are  not  such  as  will  admit  of  an  expence  like  this,  without  some  external  aid. 
The  building  is  now  near  800  feet  square,  and  has  a  deep  Gallery  on  three 
sides;  Yet  the  Isles  are  frequently  full  of  people,  which  plainly  shews  that 
were  it  more  extensive  greater  numbers  would  join  it.  This  was  the  case 
with  Trinity  Church,  which  is  so  much  bigger  than  the  Chapel,  and  when  fin¬ 
ished,  more  than  a  third  of  its  pews  were  taken  up  by  the  Gentlemen  and 
Merch15  who  were  bred  Dissenters,  and  have  conformed  within  these  last  ten 


425 


[1748. 


or  twelve  years.  As  I  was  brought  up  in  the  Church  of  England,  and  have 
the  highest  Veneration  for  it  as  the  best  regulated  and  most  Rational  Consti¬ 
tution  and  way  of  Worship,  I  think  it  my  duty  to  promote  its  Interest  in  that 
Country,  and  I  cannot  recollect  an  instance  wherein  \  can  do  it  more  service. 
Another  motive  arises  from  the  regard  I  have  for  many  of  the  principal  Gen¬ 
tlemen  there,  who  will  be  benefited  by  it ;  and  I  may  be  allowed  to  consider  it 
as  reflecting  considerably  to  my  advantage  in  a  place  where  I  may  probably 
live  many  years,  and  see  it  finished. 

I  hope  this  account  of  that  part  of  the  world,  and  my  reasons  for  obtaining 
subscriptions  for  rebuilding  the  Chapel  will  approve  themselves  to  you,  in  order 
to  your  promoting  so  good  a  design. 

I  am, 

Your  most  humble  Servant 

and  Nephew, 

H.  FRANICLAND. 

- ♦ - 


Vestry  of  Newburyport  to  the  Society. 


Newbury,  Decr  23rd,  1748. 

Revd  Sir, 

May  it  please  the  Revd  &  Venable  Society  to  inform  them  our  last  was 
June  5th,  1747,  by  the  Revd  Mr.  Commissary  Price,  and  should  have  troubled 
them  again  before  this,  but  waited  for  the  Arrival  of  Mr.  Commissary.  The 
Revd  Mr.  Plant  has  not  as  yet  done  any  thing  in  regard  to  supplying  the  new 
Church,  though  often  requested.  He  tells  us  he  cannot  proceed  to  get  an 
Assistant  till  he  has  a  positive  answer  from  the  Society  to  his  last  Letter,  as 
the  Revd  &  V enable  Society  may  see  by  the  inclosed  Copy  of  his  Letter  to  Mr. 
Commissary,  &  Mr.  Commissary’s  Answer,  which  he  says  is  no  Answer  to  his 
Letter  to  him.  We  have  also  inclosed  a  Copy  of  the  Revd  Mr.  Caner’s 
Letter  to  Mr.  Plant,  recommending  several  young  Gentlemen  in  Connecticut. 
But  Mr.  Plant  has  not  thought  proper  to  send  to  any  of  them.  He  insisted 
much  upon  Induction  into  the  New  Church,  after  he  had  preached  there,  off 
and  on,  for  several  years,  which  we  were  advised  by  the  neighboring  Clergy 
not  to  agree  to,  as  not  customary  in  this  Country.  We  pray  the  Revd  and 
Venerable  Society’s  compassionate  regards  towards  us,  and  if  Induction  is 

54 


1748-] 


426 


thought  necessary  by  the  Revd  &  Venerable  Society,  we  will  comply  with  it; 
&  we  would  humbly  desire  the  Revd  &  Venerable  Society  to  settle  the  Dispute 
between  the  Revd  Mr.  Plant  and  us,  and  send  us  a  young  Gentleman,  whom 
we  will  receive  on  the  Revd  &  Venerable  Society’s  Terms,  and  comply  with 
their  orders  in  regard  to  Mr.  Plant,  or  if,  in  their  Judgments  think  it  best,  beg 
leave  to  have  liberty  to  send  a  young  Gentleman  home  for  orders.  We  will 
give  a  Gentleman  £ 20  Sterling  pr  Ann.  and  pay  his  House  Rent  till  we  can 
provide  better  for  him  ;  and  no  Gentleman  need  fear  proper  Encouragement, 
as  we  shall  soon  have  a  large  and  flourishing  Church,  and  doubt  not  shall  be 
able  to  do  more,  and  shall  make  it  our  Study  to  make  every  thing  agreeable 
to  any  Gentleman  the  Society  may  send  us. 

We  earnestly  intreat  the  Revd  &  Venerable  Society  to  consider  our  deplor¬ 
able  condition,  being  a  long  time  destitute  of  Divine  Service  in  the  Church, 
&  do  in  the  most  solemn  manner  declare  our  only  aim  is  the  flourishing  of  the 
established  Church  in  this  place,  which  we  are  fully  assured  the  Revd  &  Ven¬ 
erable  Society  will  be  convinced  of,  if  in  their  great  wisdom  they  think  us  de¬ 
serving  so  great  a  blessing  as  a  gentleman  -to  be  settled  in  the  New  Church, 
as  Assistant  to  the  Revd  Mr.  Plant. 

We  have  been  informed  the  Revd  Mr.  Graves  of  New  London,  does  not 
like  where  he  is.  Could  we  be  so  happy  to  have  such  a  Gentleman,  we  should 
soon  be  a  large  and  flourishing  Church.  The  Revd  Mr.  Commissary  also  in¬ 
forms  us  Mr.  Graves  has  a  Brother,  a  gentleman  of  good  Character,  that  has 
a  mind  to  travel.  We  beg  to  leave  the  whole  affair  to  the  Revd  &  Venerble 
Society  to  settle  for  us,  and  are,  Revd  Sir,  May  it  Please  the  Revd  &  Venable 
Society,  with  the  greatest  Deference  and  respect,  their 

Most  obed1  humble  Servts, 


Jno.  Crocker, 
Wm.  Atkins, 


Churchwardens  of 
St.  Paul’s  Church 
in  Newbury. 


427 


[1748. 


Mr.  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary . 


Boston,  N.  Eng.,  Decr  26,  1748. 

Sir, 

From  June  27th  to  this  time,  I  have  baptized  18  Children,  and  one  adult 
Negro  Slave,  of  whom  I  have  received  an  excellent  Character  from  his  Mas¬ 
ter,  and  who  has  been  of  much  visible  Seriousness  and  good  behaviour,  long 
before  his  baptism. 

I  thank  God,  I  have  received  ten  persons  to  our  Communion,  and  all  as 
near  as  I  can  observe  or  understand  of  unblemished  lives,  and  ornaments  to 
their  profession.  Four  of  them  were  Dissenters,  three  of  which  live  very  re¬ 
mote  from  one  another,  &  at  the  distance  of  20,  15  or  10  miles  from  this 
Town,  who,  I  am  pursuaded,  have  all  of  them,  quitted  the  Dissenters  in  the 
way  of  peace,  and  upon  the  motives  of  conscience. 

We  have  seldom  less  than  60  persons  at  our  Monthly  Communions.  Yes¬ 
terday  we  had  81  ;  besides  a  very  large  Congregation  of  Dissenters  as  well 
as  others,  altho’  it  was  a  Sunday.  I  wish  it  were  my  happiness  to  stimulate 
more  to  a  regard  to  our  Holy  Communion  and  to  a  closer  attendance. 

My  Congregation  is  rather  on  the  encrease,  though  my  Church  is  situ¬ 
ated  to  the  least  advantage  for  it  of  any  in  this  Town  ;  &  I  hope  it  will  keep 
on  the  encreasing  hand,  since  God  has  blest  us  with  that  peace  &  unity  which 
is  a  very  promising  Symptom  of  it. 

The  Religious  Congregations  in  this  Town  are  three  of  them  Episcopal, 
pretty  full,  ten  large  independent  Congregations,  and  three  small  Congrega¬ 
tions,  one  upon  the  Genevan  Model,  one  of  Anabaptists,  and  another  of  Qua¬ 
kers.  Papists  are  everywhere  scattered  among  us,  but  they  are  not  open 
enough  for  us  to  take  the  Sum  of  them.  Enthusiasm  has  produced  two  Con¬ 
gregations,  both  Separatists,  the  one  Anabaptist  &  the  other  Independent, 
and  this  last  in  the  way  of  contention  is  split  into  two,  which  have  their  settled 
Teachers,  one  whereof  hath  been  a  Mechanick  of  the  lowest  sort,  as  is  also 
the  Anabaptist  Teacher.  Their  numbers  are  small,  but  I  believe  they  are 
supported  by  those  who  do  not  assemble  with  them.  Their  paroxysms  do 
lessen  ;  but  as  they  are  like  to  remain,  their  Contagion  may  also. 

I  apply  what  I  now  say,  to  this  and  our  Neighboring  Towns.  For  every 


1748.] 


428 


thing  horrid  is  reported  of  some  distant  places,  where  people  are  let  loose  to 
all  Frenzy  and  Immorality.  This  recommends  the  Church  to  many  consider¬ 
ate  persons ;  tho’  as  religion  suffers  by  it,  the  Church  must  also ;  but  not  in 
the  Degree  the  Dissenters  &  their  Teachers  do ;  so  that  they  seem  now  to  be 
put  upon  the  defensive,  and  as  they  find  themselves  unable  to  support  the 
most  material  objections  against  our  Church,  they  dwell  mostly  on  the  Topic 
of  Edification,  and  on  groundless  Invective,  and  at  the  same  time  are  much 
forced  to  drop  Calvinism,  and  to  connive  at  principles  of  great  latitude,  and 
some  pernicious  Errors. 

Sr,  I  ask  pardon  for  saying  so  much,  and  shall  only  add  that  I  am  what  I 
never  shall  forget  to  be, 

The  Honorable  Society’s,  and  your  most 

thankful,  obed1  &  humble  servant, 

TIM°.  CUTLER. 

Sir  :  This  letter  having  been  so  long  kept  by  me  for  want  of  a  Convey¬ 
ance,  I  have  had  the  more  opportunity  to  observe  the  Condition  of  the  monthly 
Lecture  at  the  Chapel,  hitherto  carried  on  by  some  of  us  at  the  motion  of  the 
Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel,  and  I  am  able  to  say  that  from  the 
beginning  of  it  to  this  present  time  we  have  not  had  one  Congregation  nu¬ 
merous  enough  to  shew  any  considerable  respect  to  it,  and  we  seem  to  lessen 
in  number  every  term  of  the  Lecture.  Mr.  Hooper  has  never  performed,  and 
Mr.  Brockwell  is  so  discouraged  that  he  has  given  over,  and  there  remain  only 
Mr.  Caner,  Dr.  Millar  and  myself  in  the  Service.  For  which  reasons  I  would 
humbly  beg  the  allowance  of  the  Society  to  me  also  to  lay  down  this  Service, 
of  whose  usefulness  I  have  so  little  prospect,  so  that  I  may  be  the  better  able 
to  do  my  Duty  to  my  Parish,  &  to  answer  the  Calls  I  sometimes  have  to 
preach  and  to  administer  Sacraments  in  the  neighboring  Towns. 


429 


[1748. 


A  List  of  the  Churches  in  Massachusetts  Government ,  1748. 


Boston,  . 

•  •  •  •  . 

.  three 

Newberry, 

•  •  •  •  • 

.  two 

Salem,  . 

•  •  •  •  • 

.  one 

Marblehead,  . 

•  •  •  •  • 

.  one 

Braintree, 

•  •  •  •  • 

one 

Bristol, 

•  •  •  •  • 

one 

Scituate,  . 

•  •  •  •  • 

one 

Hopkinton,  . 

•  •  •  •  • 

.  one 

Taunton, 

•  •  •  •  • 

RHODE  ISLAND. 

one 

N  ewport, 

•  •  •  •  • 

.  one 

Kingston  Naraganset,  . 

• 

.  one 

Warwick, 

•  •  •  •  • 

.  one 

Providence, 

•  •  •  •  • 

.  one 

Westerly, 

•  •  •  •  • 

NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 

one 

Portsmouth, 

•  •  •  •  • 

one 

Heffery, 

•  •  •  •  • 

CONNECTICUT. 

.  one 

Stanford, 

•  •  •  •  • 

.  one 

Norwark, 

•  •  •  •  • 

one 

Shatfield, 

• 

.  one 

Ripton, 

•  •  •  •  • 

.  one 

Derby,  . 

•  •  •  •  • 

one 

Westhaven,  . 

■  •  •  •  • 

one 

Waterbury, 

•  •  •  •  • 

.  one 

Northbury,  . 

•  •  •  •  • 

one 

New  Milford, 

•  •  •  •  • 

one 

Fairfield, 

•  •  •  •  • 

.  one 

1748.] 


430 


Hebron,  . 

New  London, 
Stratford, 

Reading  &  Newtown, 
Groton,  . 

Ridgefield, 

Simsbury, 

Total,  36. 


one 

one 

one 

one 

one 

one 

one 


Mr.  HOLYOKE  to  the  Secretary. 


Harvard  College  in  Cambridge,  Feby  18,  174®. 


Revd  Sir, 

Having  recd  some  time  the  last  Fall  a  most  valuable  present  of  Books  to 
our  public  Library  from  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel,  our 
Corporation  desire  by  you,  their  Secretary,  to  make  their  grateful  acknowl¬ 
edgments  to  that  venerable  Body.  Please,  therefore,  Sir,  to  inform  them  that 
we  have  a  most  thankful  sense  of  that  generous  Donation,  and  have  placed 
the  sd  Books  in  a  particular  classis  provided  for  them,  where  they  will  be  (as 
design’d)  of  general  Use,  and  doubt  not  they  will  (as  they  are  excellently 
adapted  thereto)  very  much  tend  (as  you  express  it)  to  promote  the  Gospel 
of  Christ,  and  the  Interest  of  Religion,  both  in  Faith  and  Practice,  which  will 
naturally  urge  our  Prayers  that  that  charitable  Foundation  may  be  continually 
more  and  more  strengthened  and  the  worthy  members  thereof  always  influ¬ 
enced  and  directed  by  the  Divine  Spirit  to  those  measures  that  will  most 
effectually  promote  the  Salvation  of  the  Souls  of  Men,  which  is  the  continual 
prayer  of  us  all,  &  particularly  of 

Yor  most  obedient  & 

most  humble  Serv‘, 

EDWARD  HOLYOKE,  Presdt. 


43i 


[i749- 


Revd  M\  PLANT  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 


New  England,  Newbury,  March  27th,  1749. 


Revd  Doctor, 

*  I  can’t  tell  the  number  of  Inhabitants,  but  my  Church  is  now 
full  every  Lord’s  Day ;  &  I  believe  several  of  those  who  have  left  their  meet¬ 
ings  will  never  return  back  to  them,  and  as  an  extraordinary  thing  I  must 
acquaint  you,  That  a  Deacon  belonging  to  Pipestave  Hill  Meeting  House, 
Archelaus  Woodman  by  name,  desired  me  to  go  to  prayers  with  his  wife,  who 
was  dangerously  sick,  &  when  I  came  into  ye  room  to  see  her,  she  desired 
it,  and  at  my  going  away,  both  he  and  she  desired  me  to  continue  my  prayers 
for  her  in  my  family.  He  hath  been  vexed  with  Zeal  against  the  Church  ; 
everybody  here  is  surprized  at  it.  I  went  to  visit  her  as  a  neighbor,  but  I 
thought  never  to  have  heard  the  request  from  either  of  them, 


MATT3  PLANT. 


M\  PRICE  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Boston,  April  23,  1749. 

Sir, 

*  *  *  At  Hopkinston,  we  have  met  with  some  opposition  and  spite 

there  from  the  Dissenters,  particularly  in  regard  to  the  Building  our  Church, 
who  are  the  Owners  of  the  Saw  mills  in  that  Town,  and  have  disappointed  us 
of  our  Boards  and  other  materials  for  Building.  Yet,  notwithstanding  all  op¬ 
position  our  Congregation  encreases,  and  there  is  a  great  prospect  of  a  flour¬ 
ishing  Church.  I  have  not  forgot  the  Turtles  I  am  to  send  you,  but  they  are 
not  yet  got  out  of  their  winter  quarter. 


1 749-] 


432 


Church  JVardens ,  &c.,  to  the  Society . 


(EXTRACT.) 

New  Cambridge  in  Farmington,  New  Engd,  June  26th,  1749. 

Revd  Sir, 

We,  the  Inhabitants  of  New  Cambridge  in  Farmington,  and  Parishioners  to 
the  Reverend  Mr.  William  Gibbs  of  Simsbury,  humbly  beg  leave  to  lay  before 
the  Honourable  Society  our  Distress’d  Condition.  We  have  been  declared 
Conformists  to  the  Church  of  England  near  these  two  years  past,  and  were 
embodied  into  the  same  by  the  Revd  Mr.  Gibbs,  and  have  been  under  his  care 
ever  since,  and  have  and  yet  do  willingly  pay  to  his  support ;  yet  nevertheless 
the  Dissenters  here,  do  it  seems  oblige  us  to  pay  to  the  support  of  their  min¬ 
ister  and  whom  we  disclaim  and  disown,  and  so  therefore  have  refused  to  pay 
— and  for  the  same  were  four  of  us,  by  the  Collector  Thomas  Hart,  carried 
and  committed  to  Hartford  Gaol — upon  which  we  then  paid  him  wl  was  ex¬ 
acted  of  us — viz:  Caleb  Matthews  £$.  16.  07 — John  Hickex  £2.  15.  05 — 
Daniel  Roe  £3.  04.  06 — Benjamin  Brooks  £2.  03.  09 — after  which  we  ac¬ 
quainted  the  Revd  Mr.  Gibbs,  who  went  to  the  Collector  Thomas  Hart  afore¬ 
said  and  demanded  of  him  the  money  which  he  took  from  us,  who  refused 
paying  it.  The  Revd  Mr.  Gibbs  then  accordingly  sued  him  for  Mr.  John 
Hickex’s  rate,  before  one  of  his  Majesty’s  Justices  of  the  Peace,  John  Hum- 
phrys,  Esquire,  of  Simsbury ;  but  the  Case  went  against  him,  they  making  or 
pretending  to  make  it  appear  that  he  had  no  business  with  us — and  that  his 
Mission  reached  not  hither,  and  that  it  was  confined  principally  to  Simsbury, 
and  so  consequently  and  not  any  way  be  entitled  to  our  money. 


433 


[1749- 


D’ .  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Boston,  26th  June,  1749. 

Revd  Sir, 

*  *  Four  Persons  only  have  offered  themselves  to  our  Commun¬ 

ion  :  But  They,  Persons  of  unblemished  characters  and  worthy  Lives  :  one  of 
them  is  a  young  man  proselyted  to  the  Church  from  a  Town  called  Dedham, 
who  lives  about  14  miles  from  us.  My  Communicants,  as  well  as  my  Congre¬ 
gation,  are,  I  think,  on  the  encreasing  hand,  partly  from  the  accession  of  Dis¬ 
senters  to  us  among  others,  and  that  notwithstanding  the  great  Diminution  of 
our  numbers  by  the  late  war,  and  partly  from  the  peace  and  Harmony  be¬ 
tween  the  Minister  and  people  that  God  bestows  upon  us. 

The  Religious  Congregations  of  this  Town  are  three  of  them  Episcopal, 
and  pretty  full.  There  are  10  large  Independant  Congregations ;  a  French 
Congregation  upon  the  Genevan  model  hath  so  dwindled,  that  they  have  sold 
their  meeting  House  to  a  Congregation  lately  sprung  from  Enthusiasm ;  and 
if  now  they  assemble  at  all,  it  is  in  a  private  house,  and  that  very  rarely.  Be¬ 
sides  this  new  Congregation  of  the  Independent  kind,  another  hath  sprung 
up  that  is  anabaptist,  in  addition  to  the  former  anabaptist  one,  both  of  which 
are  small ;  as  is  also  the  Quaker  Congregation  among  us.  Papysts,  I  believe 
are  many,  but  they  are  so  concealed,  that  we  can’t  give  or  come  near  the  num¬ 
ber  of  them. 

Enthusiasm  makes  not  the  noise  it  did  in  this  Town  ;  but  it  is  not  dormant, 
and  every  now  and  then  we  have  the  Freaks  of  it  in  private  Houses  from 
such  Vagrants  as  our  Country  abounds  with  :  and  there  in  our  Country  Towns, 
they  continue  to  show  themselves  to  the  great  prejudice  and  hurt  of  the  people. 

Besides  this  we  must  lament  the  remarkable  Growth  of  Principles  very 
unfriendly  to  Revelation,  and  the  main  articles  of  it,  I  hope  the  missionaries 
are  not  wanting  in  some  Degree  to  an  opposition  to  these  things ;  but  even 
many  sober  Dissenters  do  think  a  resident  Bishop  would  be  a  Blessing  in  this 
respect:  and  not  a  few  seem  to  rejoice  at  the  news  encouraging  our  hopes  of 
it ;  tho’  others  and  the  much  bigger  number,  are  ready,  according  to  their 
power  to  defeat  it. 

55 


*  7 49*] 


434 


Mr.  PLANT  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 


New  England,  Newbury,  July  ye  4th,  1749. 


Revd  Doctor, 

*  *  *  Give  me  leave  to  inform  you  wth  the  long  and  great  Drought 

that  has  afflicted  this  part  of  New  England  where  my  residence  is  so  That 
one  half  of  all  our  Creatures  must  be  killed  (tho’  in  poor  flesh),  to  preserve 
ye  Lives  of  others,  there  being  not  hay  &  other  Provender  raised  amongst  us 
sufficient  to  support  a  greater  Stock  the  winter  Season ;  hitherto  by  God’s 
goodness  we  enjoy  a  greater  measure  of  Health. 


♦ 


Mr.  PRICE  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 


Boston,  Octr  6,  1 749. 


Revd  Sir, 

We  are  very  unsettled  here  in  our  Ecclesiastical  State,  it  is 
the  current  Report  that  the  Bishop  of  London  has  refused  to  concern  himself 
with  the  American  Churches,  and  I  suppose  my  Commissarial  power  is  now 
extinct,  I  should  be  glad  to  have  your  thoughts  upon  it  and  to  know  what  we 
are  to  expect. 


435 


C1 749* 


Mr.  MALCOLM  to  the  Vestry. 


(EXTRACT.) 

New  Brunswick,  Octr  28th,  1749. 

Gentlemen, 

As  my  Living  with  you  was  in  every  other  respect  agreeable  to  me,  Except¬ 
ing  the  hardship  of  spending  every  year  a  good  deal  of  money  out  of  my 
own  pocket  which  I  could  not  support  much  longer.  The  Duty  and  Care  due 
to  my  Family  has  obliged  me  to  change  my  situation,  and  accept  of  an  Offer 
generously  &  kindly  made  me  at  Annapolis,  where  I  went  to  see  a  friend. 
Therefore  I  hereby  resign  my  charge  at  Marblehead  and  as  I  hope,  so  I  heart- 
,  ily  wish  you  may  be  well  and  better  provided,  my  Conscience  tells  me  I  en¬ 
deavoured  to  do  my  duty  among  you  I  hope  not  unsuccessfully;  and  I  think  I 
have  reason  to  depend  upon  it  That  I  left  behind  me  no  ground  of  Reflections 
upon  my  Character,  or  Conduct  either  while  I  was  with  you  or  in  this  last 
step,  which  necessity  has  obliged  me  to  take. 


Mr.  MALCOLM  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 


New  England,  Novr  10,  1749. 


Revd  Sir, 

*  And  now  I  have  by  means  of  some  Friends  at  Annapolis  in 
Alary  Land,  received  a  call  to  that  Parish,  which  my  present  circumstances 
have  obliged  me  to  accept  of,  &  resign  my  title  to  Marblehead.  I  hope  the 
Society  will  not  take  it  ill  nor  think  worse  of  me  for  it  as  necessity,  not  ava¬ 
rice,  is  the  real  cause. 


1 749-] 


436 


Marblehead  Vestry  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 


Marblehead,  Dec.  5,  1749. 

Revd  Sir, 

*  *  *  Mr.  Malcolm  has  resigned  his  Charge  over  us,  &  the  motive 

thereto,  viz1,  a  better  offer  made  him  at  Annapolis ;  at  the  same  time  he  ac¬ 
knowledges  the  satisfaction  he  had  whilst  amongst  us,  &  we  are  sure  he  could 
do  no  less,  as  whenever  he  demanded,  we  exceeded  over  our  Abilities  for  his 
support;  and  were  not  deficient  more  than  Ten  shillings  sterling  when  he 
left  us.  That  his  Income  might  not  be  equall  to  his  Wishes,  or  the  Expence 
of  his  family,  we  will  not  pretend  to  deny,  but  that  a  much  larger  family  is  and 
may  be  comfortably  supported  by  proper  Economy,  at  a  much  less  Expence 
amongst  those  of  our  own  profession,  &  also  amongst  the  Dissenters,  Exam¬ 
ples  are  not  wanting.  However,  as  that  Gentleman  is  in  the  Decline  of  Life, 
the  Climate  there  less  severe,  &  all  necessarys  cheaper,  and  as  he  has 
some  affairs  in  the  Neighboring  Government  that  have  &  may  perhaps  occa¬ 
sion  his  Absence,  we  are  not  surprized  that  he  should  change  his  situation, 
but  did  not  expect  that  he  would  without  giving  us  Notice,  that  some  Provision 
might  have  been  made  for  so  large,  tho’  poor  a  Congregation. 

The  neighboring  Ministers  in  Boston  &  Salem  have,  in  compassion  to  our 
Circumstances,  alternately  preached  to  us  during  his  Absence,  by  which  means 
we  are  held  together ;  and  since  from  too  long  Experience  we  find  that  the 
good  intentions  of  the  Society  are  often  frustrated  by  some  of  their  Mission¬ 
aries  who,  not  being  born  amongst  us,  are  not  so  well  acquainted  with  the 
spirit  and  temper  of  those  committed  to  their  Care,  and  the  way  to  promote 
their  Happiness,  which  gives  great  Advantage  to  those  of  a  different  per¬ 


suasion. 


437 


[i75o. 


Mr.  PLANT  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 


Revd  Doctor, 


New  England,  Newbury,  Jan.  4,  1749-50. 


As  our  rains  were  small  the  last  Summer,  so  that  near  half 
of  our  Creatures  were  either  sent  out  of  the  Country  or  else  killed  &  barrel’d 
up,  so  our  Winter  hath  hitherto  been  very  severe,  &  the  Cold  Weather  got  in 
upon  us  earlier  the  last  fall  than  ever  was  known  in  ye  memory  of  the  Oldest 
Man.  Our  people  who  inhabit  our  out  settlements  went  into  the  Wilderness, 
&  where  they  found  any  fresh  Meadows,  they  mowed  in  &  Stacked  up  the 
Hay  in  the  month  of  July  &  August,  &  now  they  have  drove  their  Creatures 
to  the  hay,  &  they  tell  me  that  their  Creatures  are  in  good  liking,  &  with 
their  browsing  of  them  in  the  Woods,  &  a  little  Hay,  they  hope  to  save  their 
Creatures,  whilst  the  people  who  tend  them  have  no  better  bedg  or  houses  to 
Camp  in  than  Bushes,  cut  down  &  laid  close  together  with  fences,  for  their 
beds,  &  stakes  drove  into  the  Ground,  &  barks  &  boughs  laid  upon  them, 
shelter  the  people  from  the  Storms  of  rain  and  snow,  which  are  very  severe 
and  fall  here  in  great  abundance  the  Winter  season.  Pardon  me  for  this  out 
of  the  way  Narration ;  but  at  the  same  time, 

I  am,  &c., 

MATTW  PLANT. 


I  forgot  to  tell  you  they  have  firewood  eno’,  &  the  manner  of  their  camping 
&  bedding  in  the  night  is  in  this  manner:  They  make  a  springeing  fire  in  the 
middle  of  their  palace  (as  they  call  it),  &  when  they  design  for  sleep,  they  lay 
themselves  down,  barefooted,  with  the  bottom  of  their  feet  towards  the  Fire, 
&  their  bodies  extended  as  far  the  other  way,  &  notwithstanding  their  heads 
are  exposed  to  the  cold  air,  yet  they  assure  me  that  the  heat  which  penetrates 
their  feet,  convey5  itself  to  their  heads. 


M\  PRICE  to  the  Secretary . 


Hopkinton,  April  25,  1750. 

Revd  Sir, 

The  agreeable  account  your  last  Letter  brought  me  of  your  recovery  & 
health  gave  me  much  joy  ;  I  hope  it  may  long  continue,  for  the  benefit  of  the 
Church  of  England  in  these  parts,  to  which  you  so  greatly  contribute.  I 
recd  some  few  Tracts  of  Dr.  Cutler,  for  which  I  return  thanks.  I  would 
further  beg  the  favor  of  some  common  Prayer  Books,  Church  Catechisms  and 
Mr.  White’s  Letters ;  an  answer  to  which  is  much  read  &  boasted  of  here  by 
the  Dissenters  as  unanswerable.  My  congregation  encrease  considerably  by 
the  addition  of  several  Dissenters  and  scatter’d  members  of  our  Church  from 
distant  parts,  some  of  which  are  endeavoring  to  purchase  Farms  in  Hopkin¬ 
ton  to  be  nearer  the  Church.  I  have  had  but  little  success  among  the  Indians, 
which  is  more  owing  to  the  opposition  of  some  malicious  people  to  my  en¬ 
deavours  than  to  my  neglect ;  but  I  am  not  without  hopes  of  doing  good  that 
way  when  the  difficulties  of  my  domestic  affairs  will  allow  me  to  use  more 
application ;  my  wife  has  added  another  Boy  to  my  Family  this  Winter, 
which  has  been  a  very  costly  one.  I  was  for’d  to  yield  to  her  going  to  Bos¬ 
ton,  where  she  has  been  with  part  of  my  Family  near  six  months ;  but  the 
greatest  uneasiness  that  lies  upon  my  mind  is  the  want  of  education  for  my 
Sons.  There  is  no  Lattin  School  in  this  Town,  nor  within  many  miles  of  it. 
I  would  allow  ^10  of  my  Salary  if  the  Society  would  please  to  add  £10  more, 
which,  with  what  might  be  rais’d  here,  I  believe  would  procure  a  good  School 
master.  I  beg  the  favour  of  you  to  recommend  it  to  the  Society.  I  have  the 
promise  of  some  Turtle  and  the  prospect  of  sending  them  safe,  which  is  the 
greatest  difficulty.  I  have  not  forgot  my  promise  of  sending  you  a  last  of 
our  cyder,  but  my  own  produce  failed  the  last  year  by  an  excessive  drought, 
wch  was  a  great  calamity  to  this  Province.  I  shall  not  be  unmindful  the  next 
Season  to  repair  my  neglect.  I  have  drawn  from  my  last  half  year’s 
Salary. 

My  communicants  are  about  20.  I  have  baptised  4  since  my  last,  two 
Whites  &  two  Blacks.  My  Church  is  rais’d  and  I  hope  will  be  finished  this 
Summer.  I  have  given  the  Land  to  set  it  on  and  £10  Sterg,  besides  my 


439  [1750- 

Parish  dues,  towards  the  building  it ;  at  present  I  cannot  ascertain  that  sum. 
Please  to  make  my  complements  to  your  Lady  and  Family. 

I  am,  Sir, 

Your  most  obedient 

and  humble  Servant, 

ROG.  PRICE. 


Dr.  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary. 


Boston,  New  England,  June  26,  1750. 

Sir, 

From  last  December  26  to  this  time  I  have  Baptized  26  Persons ;  5  where¬ 
of  are  Negroe  children,  &  one  of  them  a  Slave;  another  Person  is  an  Eng¬ 
lishman  of  a  sober  &  religious  conversation  well  apprized  of  his  duty,  who 
offered  himself  to  this  Holy  Ordinance  in  a  very  rational  and  becoming  man¬ 
ner  ;  another,  a  negroe  woman,  who  expressed  herself  very  sensibly,  and  was 
apparently  well  disposed  to  her  duty.  To  my  grief  I  can  mention  but  three 
Persons  who  have  presented  themselves  to  our  Communion  ;  they  are  women 
of  sober,  virtuous  conversations,  Proselytes  to  our  Church.  We  subsist  in 
unity  &  peace,  &  I  hope  respect  &  improve  under  the  means  of  edification, 
tho’  I  wish  it  were  more  sensibly. 

There  are  three  large  Episcopal  Congregations  in  this  Town,  whereof  mine 
is  the  smallest ;  perhaps  for  this  reason  among  others,  that  it  is  the  most 
inconveniently  situated  for  the  growth  of  the  Church.  There  are  ten  large 
Independent  Congregations,  and  a  small  one  sprung  from  Methodism,  two 
Anabaptist  Congregations,  one  of  them  derived  from  the  same  source,  and  a 
very  small  Congregation  of  Quakers.  Papists  I  believe  are  many,  but  too 
much  out  of  sight  to  be  numbered  by  us. 

The  confusions  of  Methodism  are  not  over,  and  do,  in  a  special,  sad  man¬ 
ner,  affect  the  peace  &  quietness  of  some  of  our  Country  Towns,  where 
Methodism  multiplies  its  shapes,  and  those  very  awful  &  deformed  ones  too. 
Some  make  a  good  use  of  these  things,  but  with  too  many  they  are  an  argu¬ 
ment  against  Religion  and  introductory  of  Scepticism,  Infidelity,  &  Heresy. 


i75i-] 


440 


I  hope  a  sense  of  duty  &  gratitude  towards  the  Society  will  abide  on  me 
while  I  live.  Sir,  I  now  am  their  and 

Your  most  thankful  &  obedient  Servant, 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


Mr.  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary . 

Boston,  N.  Eng.,  Decr  26,  1751. 

Sir, 

Infants  baptized  by  me  from  June  26  to  this  time  were  19,  one  of  them  a 
Negroe  Slave  and  one  adult,  a  man  of  advanced  age  living  in  a  Town  called 
Woburn,  about  13  or  14  Miles  from  this  place,  one  of  sober  life  and  conver¬ 
sation,  and  to  all  appearance  seriously  and  sensibly  concerned  for  the  benefit 
of  that  ordinance.  From  the  opportunity  I  have  lately  had  to  baptized 
Adults,  I  do,  upon  Enquiry,  find  it  owing  to  the  errors  of  Anabaptism.  There¬ 
with,  I  must,  with  sorry  mention  the  growing  neglect  of  the  Lord’s  Supper, 
tho’  I  cannot  accuse  myself  for  not  recommending  it  both  in  private  &  public, 
hence  I  want  the  satisfaction  to  inform  the  Honble  Society  of  above  three  per¬ 
sons  that  have  offered  themselves  to  our  Communion,  but  they  persons  I  think 
of  characters  unblemished,  and  offered  themselves  in  a  worthy  manner.  Infi¬ 
delity  and  corrupt  principles  are,  I  fear,  at  the  root  of  this  indifferency  to 
Religion,  tho’  I  know  more  by  report  than  my  own  personal  observation.  To 
succeed  my  own  care,  I  should  be  thankful  for  some  Treatises  on  the  fore 
mentioned  heads  with  some  tracts  against  suicide,  and  what  other  instructive 
practical  Books  the  Society  shall  please  to  put  into  my  hands.  The  Books 
of  our  Church  Divines  operate  much,  and  every  where  to  a  due  understand¬ 
ing  of  Religion  and  of  our  Church,  and  give  us  the  satisfaction  to  see  many 
inclined  or  proselyted  to  it  where  they  do  not  operate  equally  on  our  man¬ 
ners  (a  defect,  alas !  too  general)  we  lament  it,  but  hope  we  have  no  distin¬ 
guishing  reason  to  do  so. 

The  three  Episcopal  Congregations  of  this  Town  are  large,  and  tho’  mine 
is  not  so  well  situated  for  increase,  yet  is  increasing.  The  independent  con- 


44i 


C1 7  52. 


gregations  are  io  large  ones,  and  two  small  ones,  owing  to  and  leaven’d  with 
Methodism.  We  have  two  small  Anabaptist  Congregations,  one  sprung  from 
Methodism.  Papists  are  among  us  not  a  few,  but  how  many  or  whether  en- 
creasing  I  cannot  find. 

I  am  happy  in  the  peace  and  harmony  of  my  Parish,  and  I  hope  in  God 
there  is  some  edification  joyn’d  with  it,  tho’  I  wish  it  was  more.  The  HonbIe 
Society  will  please  to  accept  of  my  well  meant  endeavours,  for  whose  candor 
and  many  favours  I  remain,  Sr, 

Their  as  well  as 

Your  most  thankful  and  obedient 

Servant, 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


M’\  BR0CK1VELL  to  the  Bishop  of  London . 


Boston,  N.  Engld,  Jany  21,  1752. 

My  Lord, 

These  are  to  acquaint  your  Lordship  that  the  Church  at  Newbury  has 
chosen  Mr.  Bass,  late  a  dissenting  teacher,  but  now  a  proselyte  to  the  Church, 
to  be  assistant  to  the  Revd  Mr.  Plant,  Missionary  to  the  Said  Church ;  who,  thro’ 
age  &  infirmity,  is  rendered  almost  incapable  of  his  Ministry.  The  Gentle¬ 
man  has  a  general  good  character  &  full  testimonials,  which  he  will  produce 
to  your  Lordship  from  their  Seminary  of  Schism.  When  he  appeared  before 
the  Clergy  here  in  order  to  his  examination  something  was  intimated  as  to 
the  reading  of  the  service  &  a  sermon  to  them  in  their  Church,  during  the  in¬ 
terval  he  should  be  among  them,  before  he  could  proceed  on  his  intended  voy¬ 
age.  Dr.  Cutler  &  I  strenuously  opposed  &  utterly  forbad  any  such  advances; 
but,  however,  the  forward  young  man  did  proceed,  and  Mr.  Plant,  thro’  age  & 
infirmity,  was  weak  enough  to  countenance  the  irregularity,  by  the  loan  of  his 
Gown,  &c.  How  much  such  proceeding  may  conduce  to  the  contempt  of 
religion  &  the  Ministry,  I  humbly  submit  to  your  Lordship. 

As  to  myself,  my  Lord,  my  circumstances  grow  daily  worse  &  worse,  & 
as  an  addition  to  my  misfortunes,  I  last  Saturday  lost  my  only  Negro,  who, 

56 


1752.] 


442  ' 


but  9  months  ago,  cost  me  ^35  Sterl.,  so  that  within  12  Months  I  have  lost  2 
Negroes,  who  cost  me  £70  Sterl.,  which*  together  with  the  outstanding  year’s 
Salary,  must  prodigiously  embarrass  my  affairs  soon  to  my  utter  ruin.  I  have 
a  poor  wife,  violently  afflicted  with  the  rheumatism,  and  both  lying  under  the 
disorders  consequent  to  advancing  years,  &  she  desirous  of  returning  home 
from  the  gloomy  prospect  that  presents  should  she  survive ;  poverty  &  age 
in  a  strange  land;  in  England  she  has  some  friends  to  relieve  these  distresses, 
but  here,  alas,  she  has  none.  So  that  if  in  your  Lordship’s  gift,  any  equivalent 
should  offer,  in  any  obscure  corner  of  your  Diocese,  it  would  be  meer  charity 
to  bestow  it  upon  a  poor  unfortunate  man,  that  never  coveted  riches,  nor 
with  all  his  most  diligent  application,  could  escape  poverty,  extreme  poverty. 

That  God  would  preserve  your  Lordship’s  life  for  the  good  of  the  Church 
&  State  &  incline  your  heart  to  commisserate  my  unhappy  circumstances,  are, 
&  shall  be,  the  hearty  prayers  of 
My  Lord, 

Your  Lordship’s 

Most  Dutiful, 

Most  obedient  Servant, 

CHAS  BROCKWELL. 

To  Edmund,  Lord  Bishop  of  London. 


Mr.  MILLER  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Braintree  in  N.  Engld,  Eeb.  1,  17=52. 

Revd  Sir, 

The  Bearer,  Mr.  Bass,  is  a  young  gentleman  bred  at  Harvard  College  and 
has  preached  for  some  time  among  the  dissenters  to  good  acceptance,  but 
now  upon  mature  consideration,  thinks  it  his  duty  to  conform  to  the  Church 
of  England,  &  comes  over  for  Holy  orders  and  to  be  appointed  to  the  new 
Church  in  Newbury;  both  Mr.  Plant  and  the  people  are  highly  pleased  with 
him,  and,  indeed,  he  is  universally  well  spoken  of  as  a  man  of  Piety  and 


443 


C1 752- 


sense,  a  good  Preacher  and  of  an  agreeable  temper.  He  brings  full  testi¬ 
monials  from  the  College,  where  he  has  liv’d,  I  think,  about  10  years,  which 
are  confirmed  by  the  Clergy  of  Boston,  &c.  A  person  so  qualified  and 
recommended  can  never  want  your  favor  and  assistance.  There  is  one  thing 
in  particular  wherein  he  desires  your  assistance,  viz.,  that  you  would  do  what 
you  can  to  dispatch  his  business  speedily,  because  he  has  never  had  the  small 
pox,  which  he  is  fearful  of,  it  having  proved  fatal  to  many  New  Englnd  men  in 
London,  &  besides,  Mr.  Plant’s  ill  state  of  health  is  another  reason  for  his 
returning  as  soon  as  may  be. 

Mr.  Bass  is  a  distant  relation  of  mine,  and  I  shall  esteem  the  favors  shewn 
as  an  addition  to  those  already  conferred  on, 

Dear  Sr,  Your  affectionate  Br,  &c., 

F.  MILLER. 


Mr.  MILLER  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 


Braintree  in  N.  Englnd,  Apr  7,  1752. 


Revd  Sir, 

*  *  I  have  nothing  to  inform  you  of  relating  to  my  Parish,  tho’ 

at  present  it  is  very  large,  occasioned  by  many  people  removing  out  of  Bos¬ 
ton  for  fear  of  small  pox,  a  distemper  much  dreaded  in  this  country,  where  it 
has  not  been  for  more  than  20  years,  and  in  the  Town  of  Boston  only  there 
are  reckoned  13  or  14  Thousand  to  have  it;  there  have  been  many  hundreds 
inoculated  within  this  fortnight,  a  Practice,  so  far  as  we  can  judge  at  present, 
very  successful.  Mr.  Caner  having  never  had  this  distemper,  has  made  an 
Exchange  with  Mr.  Gilchrist  till  it  has  gone  thro’  the  Town. 


1752.] 


444 


From  M\  BEARCROFT  to  D\  MILLAR. 


(EXTRACT.) 

London,  Charterhouse,  May  i,  1752. 

Revd  Sir, 

There  are  now  no  farther  hopes  of  obtaining  a  Bishop  for  you,  and  my 
Lord  of  London  talks  of  taking  out  his  patent  for  the  ordinary  Jurisdiction 
of  the  Plantations. 

- ♦ - 

Mr.  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Boston,  N.  England,  June  26,  1752. 

Revd  Sir, 

Children  of  my  congregation  baptized  from  Decr  26  to  this  time  have  been 
13,  besides  whom  have  been  baptized  2  adults  under  the  small  Pox,  one  where¬ 
of  is  dead,  and  I  pray  that  the  other  may  receive  lasting  Benefit  from  that 
awakening.  I  must  make  the  same  melancholy  Representation  of  my  church 
as  usual,  that  but  one  has  offered  himself  to  our  communion,  &  he  of  a  dis¬ 
tant  Town  called  Woburn,  often  mentioned  by  me  heretofore,  a  man  of  unex¬ 
ceptionable  life  and  conversation.  I  have  nothing  to  say  in  excuse  of  this 
neglect,  unless  the  late  confusions  of  this  town  visited  by  the  small  pox  may 
be  allowed  for  such  an  one,  whereby  the  Town  hath  been  very  much  deserted^ 
the  biggest  part  remaining  laid  down  by  inoculation,  business  much  inter¬ 
rupted,  and  multitudes  reduced  in  their  circumstances  and  distrest  by  poverty. 
Tho’  indeed  our  troubles  might  have  run  in  a  better  channel  than  they  have 
done  and  made  us  take  sanctuary  in  Religion. 

I  cannot  ascribe  this  to  a  disesteem  of  our  Church  any  further  than  it  may 
flow  from  an  indifference  to  religion,  but  hope  God  will  revive  his  work  among 
us.  Our  Church  seems  to  advance  in  respect  and  Esteem  and  is  visibly  more 


■v 


445  [r  75  2. 

and  more  frequented  by  dissenters  and  the  writings  of  our  divines  more  read 
and  valued  by  them. 

The  3  Episcopal  congregations  of  this  Town  are  large,  tho’  mine,  situated 
in  the  most  prejudiced  part  of  the  Town,  is  thereby  disadvantaged  ;  here  are 
io  large  independent  congregations  and  2  inconsiderable,  ....  for 
number,  the  Products  of  Methodism,  here  are  also  2  small  Anabaptist  congre¬ 
gations  one  of  them  owing  to  the  same  cause,  as  to  Papists  I  believe  there 
are  many,  but  of  the  inferior  sort  and  I  know  not  their  number  nor  their  per¬ 
sons  ;  I  believe  they  resort  to  our  churches  for  the  most  part,  the  Peace  of  my 
Church  is  at  my  heart  and  an  article  of  my  thanks  to  God. 


D’.  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 


Revd  Sir, 


Boston,  N.  Engd,  Aug.  31,  1752. 


*  able  person  in  England  whose  Charity  our  growing  Church 
does  greatly  need,  and  now  languishes  for  the  augmentation  of ;  our  congre¬ 
gation  consisting  of  persons  that  expect  no  favor  from  the  Body  of  Dissen¬ 
ters  and  poorly  able  to  furnish  out  a  tolerable  subsistence  for  their  Ministers 
and  new  societies  in  a  way  to  be  formed,  if  not  discouraged  by  Despair  of  the 
Society’s  help. 


i752-] 


446 


Mr.  PRICE  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 


Boston,  Oct.  21,  1752. 


Revd  Sir, 

*  *  *  I  have  had  a  great  deal  of  trouble  in  attending  the  courts  of 

Judicature  in  the  County  wherein  I  live  in  defence  of  one  of  my  congregation 
who  has  been  imprisoned  for  not  paying  to  the  building  of  a  meeting  house 
in  the  town  wherein  he  is  an  inhabitant,  the  affair  has  passed  thro’  3  Courts 
but  is  not  yet  determined,  there  is  a  general  inclination  to  the  Church  of  Eng¬ 
land  in  the  parts  about  me,  and  books  are  much  wanted  and  asked  for  to  settle 
their  principles.  Great  confusion  prevails  in  most  Towns  about  Religious 
matters,  and  I  hope  they  will  tend  to  increase  the  Church  of  England. 


Mr.  CANER  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Boston,  Oct.  23,  1752. 

Revd  Sir, 

The  Bearer  of  this,  Mr.  Peter  Bours,  goes  from  hence  at  the  desire  of  the 
people  of  Marblehead  to  apply  to  my  Lord  of  London  for  holy  orders,  and  to 
the  Society  for  an  appointment  to  that  mission.  The  Church  at  Marblehead 
has  greatly  suffered  by  so  long  a  vacancy,  notwithstanding  all  the  help  that 
could  be  given  them  by  Mr.  Mc  Gilchrist  and  other  Gentlemen  from  this  town. 

Since  the  receipt  of  a  late  letter  from  the  Society  they  have  been  diligent 
to  qualify  themselves  for  the  Society’s  favor  in  reviving  that  Mission.  I  was 
very  lately  myself  at  Marblehead  where  I  have  preached  sundry  times  the  last 
summer.  I  therefore  speak  it  knowingly  that  they  have  purchased  a  piece  of 
ground  near  the  church  and  are  now  actually  building  a  house  upon  it  for  the 
use  of  a  Missionary. 


447 


[T  753- 


Mr.  BROCKJFELL  to  the  Bishop  of  London. 

Boston,  May  3,  1753. 

My  Lord, 

Last  Monday  the  old  Chapel  was  begun  to  be  taken  down,  &  until  it  is 
rebuilt  the  Church  have  requested  leave  of  Trinity  Church  to  assemble  there, 
only  exchanging  the  accustomed  hours,  we  to  begin  at  9  and  end  at  11,  then 
they  to  begin ;  so  in  the  afternoon  we  are  to  begin  at  2  and  end  at  4,  & 
then  their  Service  commences.  They  have  prayers  on  the  festivals  only  in 
the  Morning  &  on  Wednesdays  &  Fridays  in  Lent  in  the  afternoon.  We 
read  Prayers  on  the  Festivals  &  on  Wednesdays  &  Fridays  thro’out  the  year, 
so  that  our  service  interferes  not  with  theirs,  unless  upon  the  Festivals,  &  God 
knows,  when  both  congregations  meet  on  those  occasions,  the  Church  is  far 
from  being  crowded,  notwithstanding  that  some  Ludoicean  wrongheads,  un¬ 
known  to  the  Principal  Gentlemen  of  the  Vestry,  requested  of  one  Crosswell, 
an  enthusiastic  independent  Teacher,  the  use  of  his  meeting  house  to  assem¬ 
ble  in  for  the  performance  of  the  week  day  service ;  on  Sundays  it  could  not 
contain  us,  any  more  than  these  principal  Gentlemen,  tho’  I  was  to  share  in 
the  duty,  neither  was  I  consulted  ;  but  the  Sunday  following  notice  was  given 
in  the  old  Church,  that  for  the  future,  Service  was  to  be  performed  on  Sundays 
at  Trinity  Church  &  on  the  week  days  at  the  French  Church  (so  termed  be¬ 
cause  it  had  been  so  until  sold  to  the  New  Light  congregation).  I  the  next  day 
declared  my  dissent  to  so  strange  a  proceeding  &  assured  them,  as  long  as  I 
could  worship  at  Jerusalem,  I  would  not  go  to  Mount  Gerizim,  nor  tho’  impor¬ 
tuned  &  threatened  have  I,  nor  will  I  comply  so  long  as  this  &  Trinity  Church 
doors  are  open.  About  passion  week,  the  other  Minister,  Mr.  Caner  (who  com- 
plaisantly  told  them  he  would  go  where  they  pleased),  sickened,  so  that  the 
whole  duty  has  ever  since  devolved  upon  me,  &  as  I  would  not  read  the  ser¬ 
vice  in  the  New  Light  meeting  house,  those  who  attend  the  festival  &  weekly 
service  have  assembled  at  Trinity  Church,  &  I  believe  on  my  resolute  behav¬ 
iour  the  vote  for  the  meeting  will  be  cancell’d  &  Churchmen  like,  we  shall  for 
the  future  assemble  at  Trinity  Church;  Tho’  at  the  same  time  I  am  traduced 
behind  my  back  as  a  cross  old  Fellow,  that  won’t  do  my  duty,  before  my  face 
as  an  odd  one,  &  threatened  to  be  complained  against.  My  Lord,  I  can  ap¬ 
peal  to  your  Lordship  that  my  behaviour  in  College  in  regard  to  the  Church 


*753-] 


448 


was  ever  steady  &  uniform  ;  I  never  in  myself  was  in  a  meeting  house, 
my  conscience  tells  me  that  to  perform  any  part  of  Divine  Service  there,  when 
here  are  2  Episcopal  Churches  in  the  Town  (to  which  we  are  welcome),  is  sin> 
&  whether  it  be  really  so  or  not ;  yet  if  I  think  it  so,  Sl.  Paul  says  ’tis  so  in 
me. 

This,  my  Lord,  is  the  true  state  of  the  case,  free  from,  &  to  prevent  mis¬ 
representation  ;  Your  Lordship’s  opinion  of  my  conduct  would  be  of  great 
weight  with  me,  who  am, 

My  Lord, 

Your  Lordship’s 

Most  Dutiful, 

Most  Obedient 

Humble  Servant 

CHAS  BROCKWELL. 


Extract  from  a  Letter  from  the  Revd  THOMAS  PRINCE 

to  D\  AVERT ; 


Boston,  N.  E.,  31  Decr,  1753. 

I  am  as  much  as  any  man  can  be  for  the  largest  Liberty  of  Conscience  in 
Religious  matters ;  I  would  have  nobody  obliged  to  attend  on  any  way  of 
worship  against  his  Conscience,  nor  so  much  as  obliged  to  contribute  towards 
the  support  of  a  Worship  he  declares  he  can’t  in  conscience  attend  upon.  I 
would  have  every  one  entirely  left  at  his  own  liberty  to  set  up  &  attend  upon 
that  way  of  Worship,  yea  that  particular  Minister  in  any  way  he  likes  best  & 
to  be  obliged  to  support  no  other.  And  such  a  glorious  universal  &  happy 
liberty  we  enjoy  at  Boston ,  without  the  least  inconvenience. 

It  is  true  indeed  our  law  obliges  every  one  to  attend  on  some  Protestant 
Public  Worship  or  other;  but  leaves  every  one  to  chuse  both  his  way  &  Min¬ 
ister  without  obliging  him  to  advance  a  penny  to  support  the  very  worship  or 
ministry  he  chuses  to  attend ;  but  intirely  leaves  him  to  his  own  Conscience, 
honour,  and  generosity,  or  inclination  —  and  tho’  all  the  Churches  in  the 


449 


[i  753- 


Country  Towns  throughout  this  Province  &  Connecticut  Colony  have  been  so 
established  from  the  beginning  till  of  late,  as  that  by  law  every  rateable  Inhab¬ 
itant  in  every  Town  and  Precinct,  excepting  Boston,  was  obliged  to  pay  his 
proportionable  rate  towards  the  support  of  the  Publick  Minister  of  his  re¬ 
spective  Town  or  Precinct ;  yet  of  late,  as  Church  of  England  people  have 
spread  among  us,  our  General  Assemblies  in  this  Province,  I  know  (and  I 
suppose  also  in  Connecticut),  even  when  there  was  not  so  much  as  one  Mem¬ 
ber  of  the  Church  of  England  in  the  General  Assemblies  of  this  Province, 
but  all  made  up  of  Members  of  our  own  Churches,  yet  of  their  own  goodness, 
without  any  recommendation  from  the  Throne,  have  given  such  illustrious 
instances  of  generosity  &  Christian  temper  as  I  never  expect  the  Church  of 
England  to  imitate,  Viz1,  after  all  these  Ancient  Laws  &  Establishments  &  in 
this  Province  since  the  Revolution  confirmed  by  the  Crown,  Viz1,  K.  William  & 
Q.  Mary  &  K.  George  the  Ist — To  excuse  all  who  constantly  attend  the 
worship  of  the  Church  of  England,  as  also  Quakers  &  Anabaptists  from  paying 
anything  towards  the  support  of  our  Publickly  established  Ministers  ;  yea  even 
to  take  the  very  Church  of  England  Ministers  so  far  into  our  Establishment 
as  to  oblige  their  own  constant  attendants,  who  are  rateable  Inhabitants,  to 
contribute  the  same  proportion  of  rates  to  their  own  Ministers  as  they  would 
otherwise  be  obliged  to  pay  to  ours.  And  all  this  was  done  when  we  had  no 
Church  of  England  Man  but  Govr  Belchier,  a  hearty  Member  of  my  Church, 
at  the  head  of  our  affairs  here  in  the  year  1711 — when  we  in  Boston  had 
been  hearing  of  the  Church  of  England  People  pulling  down  the  Houses  of 
Publick  Worship  of  our  Brethren  in  England  and  the  Church  of  England 
People  here  had  occasion  to  enlarge  their  then  only  House  of  public  Wor¬ 
ship,  &  being  then  not  very  able  to  accomplish  it,  several  of  our  people 
were  so  far  from  being  soured  by  the  unkind  treatment  our  Dear  Brethren 
had  suffered  with  you,  as  on  the  contrary  to  do  good  for  evil,  &  contribute 
freely  towards  the  building  their  spacious  Chappel. 

When  Dr.  Cutler’s  People,  at  the  North  end  of  the  Town,  wanted  a  Ring 
of  Bells,  several  of  our  own  people  both  freely  and  handsomely  contributed  to 
purchase  them  about  a  dozen  years  ago. 

When,  2  or  3  years  ago,  the  People  of  their  Chappel  again  wanted  to 
rebuild  &  enlarge  their  sd  Chappel  in  a  grand  manner,  all  of  hewn  stone,  at 
their  desire  our  People  at  a  Publick  Town  Meeting  warn’d  on  purpose,  gave 
them  even  sev1  Graves  of  their  sleeping  Friends  to  make  room  for  the  sd  en¬ 
largement. 


57 


I756-] 


45o 


And  no  longer  ago  than  last  Tuesday,  Decr  25th,  while  their  sd  chappel  is 
a  building,  &  tho’  they  now  have  2  other  commodious  Churches  in  the  Town, 
yet  desiring  the  use  of  our  own  large  South  Brick  Church — of  near  100  feet 
long  and  near  20  broad — on  that  day  to  keep  their  Christmas,  as  being  more 
spacious  &  commodious,  our  Congregation  almost  universally  &  freely  let 
them  use  it.  And  one  of  our  Churches  nearest  their  Chappel  has  been  all 
last  Summer  &  Fall  &  this  Winter  freely  open  on  every  Wed’y  &  Friday 
for  their  reading  Prayers ;  Tho’  Mr.  Brockwell,  one  of  their  Clergymen,  will 
not  put  his  head  into  it,  tho’  with  his  own  People  &  Colleague,  because 
unconsecrated. 


SAMUEL  COLBURN'S  WILL. 


Fit  tf)e  Name  of  (£otr,  Emeit.  I,  Samuel  Colburn,  of  Dedham,  in  the 
County  of  Suffolk,  within  His  Majesty’s  Province  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay,  in 
New  England,  Yeoman,  calling  to  mind  the  frailty  of  human  life  &  the  cer¬ 
tainty  of  death,  Do  make  and  Ordain  this  my  last  Will  and  Testament. 
First  &  principally  I  recommend  my  Soul  into  the  hands  of  God  who  gave  it, 
trusting  in  the  alone  merits  of  Jesus  Christ  my  Redeemer  for  Salvation.  My 
body  I  commit  to  the  Earth  to  be  buried  in  Christian  manner.  And  as  to  my 
worldly  Estate  which  God  hath  lent  me,  after  my  just  debts  and  funeral 
charges  being  first  paid  by  my  Executors  hereafter  named,  I  bequeath  in  the 
following  form  and  manner : 

Imprimis — I  will  and  Order  my  Executors  to  pay  and  apply  in  and  towards 
building  an  Episcopal  Church  in  Dedham,  whenever  the  same  shall  be  under¬ 
taken,  the  sum  of  Twenty-six  pounds  thirteen  shillings  and  four  pence,  and  if 
need  be,  I  order  and  empower  them  or  the  Survivor  of  them  to  sell  part  of 
my  Land  to  raise  said  Sum  for  said  use,  they  or  he  applying  the  money 
accordingly. 

Item — I  appoint  my  good  friends  Samuel  Richards  and  Ezekiel  Kingsbury 
Executors  of  this  my  Will  and  Testament. 

Item — I  give  and  devise  the  Income  and  Improvement  of  all  the  residue 
of  my  personal  Estate,  and  of  all  my  real  Estate,  to  my  mother  during  her 


45i 


[1756. 


natural  life,  for  her  maintenance  and  comfortable  subsistence ;  and  if  the  said 
Income  should  be  insufficient  for  that  purpose,  then  I  empower  her  to  sell  my 
piece  of  meadow  and  upland  lying  on  the  East  side  of  the  Mill  Creek  for 
that  purpose.  And  if  that  should  be  insufficient,  I  empower  her  to  sell  for 
the  same  purpose  my  wood  lot  near  Eliphalet  Gray’s  Land. 

Item — I  bequeath  to  the  Poor  of  the  Town  of  Dedham  the  Sum  of 
Thirteen  Pounds  six  shillings  and  eight  pence,  to  be  paid  by  my  Executors 
one  Year  after  Mother’s  decease. 

Item — I  bequeath  to  the  said  Samuel  Richards  and  Ezekiel  Kingsberry  all 
the  residue  of  my  personal  estate  on  the  death  of  my  said  Mother,  and  also 
all  the  residue  of  my  real  estate  at  and  upon  my  said  Mother’s  decease  to  the 
said  Samuel  and  Ezekiel  and  their  heirs  ;  that  is,  said  personal  and  real  Estate 
to  be  in  Trust  and  for  the  special  uses  and  intents  hereafter  mentd,  viz1, 
Whenever  an  Episcopal  Church  shall  be  undertaken  to  be  erected  &  built  in 
Dedham,  one  Acre  of  my  land  shall  be  appropriated  on  my  lot  of  land  lying 
on  the  south  side  of  the  way  or  Road  opposite  my  dwelling  house,  next  to 
said  Samuel  Richards’s  house,  for  the  accommodating  said  Church,  and  to  be 
set  apart  for  that  purpose  in  the  most  convenient  place  for  that  purpose,  and 
said  one  Acre  shall  from  thenceforth  for  ever  be  to  the  use  of  said  Episcopal 
Church.  And  my  Will  is  that,  notwithstanding  the  devise  aforesaid  to  my 
mother,  in  case  said  Church  shall  be  built  in  the  life  of  my  mother,  That  then 
the  same  Acre  shall  be  appropriated  as  aforesaid,  &  my  said  Trustees  shall 
be  seized  of  the  same  to  the  use  of  said  Church.  And  as  to  the  rest  of  my 
real  and  personal  estate  Given  to  my  said  Executors  In  trust  as  aforesaid,  my 
Will  and  Intent  is  that  from  and  after  the  death  of  my  said  Mother,  in  case 
said  Church  shall  then  be  built,  the  same  shall  then  be  to  the  use  of  the  said 
Church,  and  not  otherwise ;  and  in  case  said  church  shall  not  then  be  built, 
my  Will  is  that  that  income  of  said  real  and  personal  estate  shall  be  applied 
to  hire  and  pay  for  preaching  and  carrying  on  the  public  Worship  in  the 
Episcopal  way,  in  Dedham,  until  said  Church  shall  be  built,  and  then  the 
whole  to  be  to  said  Church  for  ever.  SAMUEL  COLBURN,  [seal.] 

Signed,  sealed,  published,  and  declared  to  be  my  Last  Will  and  Testament, 
in  the  presence  of  us,  this  Seventh  day  of  May,  1756,  and  in  the  29th  Year 
of  his  Majesty’s  reign,  King  George  the  Second,  &c.,  Joseph  Richards, 

Timothy  Richards, 
Joseph  Stowell. 


1 759-]  452 

Suffolk,  .sr.  By  the  Hon’ble  Thomas  Hutchinson,  Esqr., 

Judge  of  Probate,  &c. 

The  aforewritten  Will  being  presented  for  probate  by  the  Executors 
therein  named,  Joseph  Richards,  Esqr.,  Timothy  Richards,  and  Joseph  Stowell, 
made  oath  that  they  saw  Samuel  Colburn,  the  Subscriber  to  this  Instrument, 
sign  the  same,  and  also  heard  him  publish  and  declare  the  same  to  be  His 
Last  Will  and  Testament,  and  that  when  he  so  did  he  was  of  a  sound  dis¬ 
posing  mind  and  memory  according  to  these  deponents’  best  discerning,  and 
that  they  at  the  same  time  set  to  their  hands  as  witnesses  thereof,  in  the 
presence  of  the  said  Testator. 

T.  HUTCHINSON. 

Boston,  Jan’y  7th,  1757. 

A  true  Copy.  Attest.  Jn°  Cotton,  Regr. 


- » - 

Letter  from  Mr.  CANER  to  the  ARCHBISHOP  of  CAN¬ 
TERBURY,  concerning  Mr.  APTHORP. 


Boston,  in  New  England,  April  7,  1759. 

May  it  please  your  Grace, 

Nothing  less  than  the  Interest  of  Religion  and  the  advancement  of  the 
Church  over  which  you  worthily  preside  could  have  given  me  the  confidence 
of  this  Address.  With  a  view  only  at  promoting  these  good  ends,  I  have 
presumed  to  mention  to  your  Grace  a  Petition  now  to  be  laid  before  the 
Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel,  requesting  their  settling  a  Mission 
at  Cambridge,  in  New  England.  I  should  not  have  taken  the  liberty  of 
asking  your  Grace’s  interest  in  favor  of  it,  if  I  did  not  apprehend  a  Mission 
in  that  place  to  be  of  great  consequence  to  the  Interest  of  Christianity  in 
general,  as  well  as  that  of  the  Church  of  England  in  particular,  among  us. 
The  College,  my  Lord,  is  placed  in  that  Town.  It  is  the  only  Seminary  of 
Learning  for  this  Province.  Socinianism,  Deism,  and  other  bad  principles  find 
too  much  countenance  among  us.  To  prevent  these  and  the  like  errors  from 
poysoning  the  Fountain  of  Education,  it  will  undoubtedly  be  of  great  service 


453 


[!  759* 


to  erect  a  Church  there,  agreeable  to  the  desire  of  many  of  the  Inhabitants, 
and  to  entrust  the  conduct  of  it  with  a  Gentleman,  who  by  his  doctrine  & 
good  example,  may  give  a  right  turn  to  the  Youth  who  are  educated  there. 
Mr.  Apthorp,  a  gentleman  now  in  orders,  and  who  had  his  Education  at  the 
University  of  Cambridge,  in  England,  at  the  same  College  with  my  Lord 
Bishop  of  Bristol,  and  particularly  favoured  by  his  Lordship,  and  who  is  also 
a  Member  of  the  Society,  offers  himself  to  this  service.  This  Gentleman 
appears  to  be  every  way  qualified  to  undertake  such  a  Mission  with  success,  & 
at  the  request  of  the  People  has  promised  to  accept  it,  if  the  Society  shall 
think  fit  to  establish  one  in  that  place.  They  have  promised  a  House  &  Glebe 
&  £20  Sterling  pr  Annum ;  to  which,  if  the  Society  are  pleased  to  add  what 
will  afford  Mr.  Apthorp  an  honourable  support,  I  persuade  myself  it  will  be 
very  usefully  bestowed,  and  your  Grace’s  influence  in  promoting  this  design 
will  be  gratefully  received  by  that  People,  and  most  humbly  acknowledged  by 

Your  Grace’s 

most  dutiful  and  obedient 

and  most  humble  Servant, 

HENRY  CANER. 


Letter  from  the  ARCHBISHOP  of  CANTERBURY 

to  M\  CANER. 


Good  Mr.  Caner, 

The  Society  have  unanimously  agreed  to  do  what  Dr.  Johnson  and  you 
recommend  in  relation  to  Mr.  Apthorp ;  for  although  they  are  apprehensive 
that  settling  a  Mission  at  Cambridge  will  raise  a  great  clamour,  yet  they  hope 
for  much  greater  good  from  his  Abilities,  Temper,  and  Discretion.  Indeed 
we  have  so  many  &  so  zealous  adversaries  that  our  Friends  must  be  as 
prudent,  &  cautious,  &  vigilant  as  possible.  Accounts,  from  time  to  time,  of 
whatever  may  be  of  importance  to  the  Society,  will  always  be  acceptable  to 
me,  who  heartily  pray  God  to  bless  you  and  your  Labours,  and  am 

Your  Loving  Brother. 


Lambeth,  July  19,  1759. 


1 759-]  454 

New  England. —  The  Churchwardens  &?  Vestry  of  Christ¬ 
church ,  in  Boston ,  to  the  Secretary. 

Boston,  October  23d,  1759. 

Reverend  Sir, 

We,  the  Wardens  &  Vestry  of  Christchurch,  in  concurrence  with  and  at 
the  desire  of  the  Proprietors  of  said  church,  beg  leave  to  lay  before  the 
venerable  Society  the  present  state  of  this  church,  together  with  what  we  are 
transacting  for  its  preservatn  &  prosperity,  humbly  begging  the  Society’s 
favorable  interpretation  &  appi;obatn  of  our  conduct.  The  Society  have 
already  been  informed  of  the  long  indisposition  of  the  Revd  Dr.  Cutler,  which 
has  rendered  him  unable  to  discharge  the  duties  of  his  office,  &  which  of 
necessity  has  laid  him  under  an  obligation  to  the  neighboring  Ministers  to 
supply  the  Pulpit,  in  which  they  have  been  very  kind,  especially  Messrs  Canner 
&  Trowebeck ;  &  we  are  greatly  obliged  not  only  to  those  Gentlemen  for 
performing,  but  also  to  the  Society,  for  their  care  &  kindness  expressed  for 
us  in  recommending  their  assistance  to  us ;  but  as  they  all  have  Parishes  of 
their  own  which  required  their  more  immediate  attention,  it  could  not  reason¬ 
able  be  expected  that  they  could  perform  every  duty  for  us  which  is  necessary 
&  incumbent  on  a  Parish  Minister.  The  long  continuance  in  this  Situation  has 
brought  us  under  many  &  great  disadvants,  by  which  our  Church  has  much 
declined.  These  circumstances  being  considered,  &  the  Bearer  hereof,  Mr. 
James  Greaten  (a  person  of  unexceptionable  character),  presenting  himself 
&  offering  to  serve  us  in  the  capacity  of  an  Assistant,  upon  a  small  allow¬ 
ance  for  the  present,  in  the  hopes  &  expectation  that  when  the  place  becomes 
vacant,  the  Society  will  be  pleased  to  continue  their  charitable  benefactions  to 
us,  we  have  judged  it  for  the  service  of  the  Church  to  embrace  so  good  an 
opportunity  &  close  with  his  Proposals,  which  accordingly  we  have  done,  & 
exerted  ourselves  to  the  utmost  of  our  abilities,  and  raised  him  a  small  Sum, 
with  which  he  is  at  present  content ;  which  proceeding  we  hope  will  meet  with 
the  approbation  of  the  Society,  whose  past  favors  we  shall  ever  bear  in  mind 
with  the  utmost  gratitude.  We  beg  leave  to  subscribe  ourselves, 

Revd  Sir,  Your  most  obliged,  humble  Servants, 

John  Pigeon,  Thoms  Ivers,  Wardens, 

Alexr  Chamberlain,  John  Baker, 

Francis  Shaw,  James  Barrick, 


455 


[1760. 


M\  BASS  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 


Newbury,  New  England,  24th  March,  1760. 


Reverend  Doctor, 

Since  my  last  I  have  baptized  only  3  Infants,  and  received 
one  new  Communicant — a  person  of  very  good  character.  I  have  the  pleasure 
of  informing  the  Society  that  there  is  a  good  prospect  of  the  Church’s  en- 
creasing  here,  Several  of  the  Dissenters  of  repute  &  substance  having  of  late 
very  constantly  attended  our  public  Worship. 


EDWARD  BASS. 


M\  EBENEZER  THOMPSON  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Scituate,  New  England,  March  ye  26th,  1760. 

Reverend  Sir, 

*  *  I  beg  leave  to  acquaint  the  Honorable  Society  that  my  con¬ 

gregation  at  Scituate,  Marshfield,  &  Bridgewater  continue  to  behave  well  & 
attend  the  Public  Worship  of  God  with  decency  &  devotion,  and  both  among 
ourselves  and  with  the  Dissenters,  our  Neighbors,  we  live  in  love  and  friend¬ 
ship,  and  the  Dissenters  of  the  various  denominations  offering  the  good  Order 
&  regularity  of  the  Church  of  England,  begin  to  have  a  much  better  opinion 
of  it  than  they  formerly  had. 

In  the  last  Half  year  I  have  baptized  but  3  Infants ;  the  number  of  regular 
Communicants  is  fifty. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

EBENEZER  THOMPSON. 


1 760.] 


456 


Mr,  Mc GILCHRIST  to  the  Secretary . 


Rev’d  Sir, 

Last  Winter,  being  confined  to  the  House  4  Months  by  an  ague  in  my 
face,  which  I  got  by  exposing  myself  too  much  in  the  severity  of  the  weather, 
to  serve  Dr.  Cutler’s  Church,  I  was  in  great  pain  lest  the  Flock  under  my  care 
should  suffer  from  being  so  long  neglected ;  for  they  are  not  steady  and  to  be 
depended  upon,  like  those  that  are  born  &  bred  up  in  the  bosom  of  the 
Church ;  and  most  of  them  attended  the  meetings  when  the  Church  was 
unsupplied.  But  they  are  all  (blessed  be  God)  returned  again  to  the  Church, 
and  I  have  reason  to  think  they  like  it  now  better  than  they  did  before,  for  at 
last  they  are  quite  tired  of  the  Meetings. 

The  Bishop  of  London’s  Sermons  are  of  great  Service  in  these  parts,  not 
only  to  build  Men  up  in  the  faith,  but  likewise  to  reconcile  Dissenters  to  the 
Church,  or  at  least  abate  of  their  bigotry  &  animosity  against  it ;  for  Men  of 
all  persuasions  read  them  &  esteem  them  much.  I  lately  rece’d  10  cops  of  the 
2d  Vol.  by  the  hands  of  Mr.  Caner,  for  which  I  am  much  obliged  to  His  Lord- 
ship  &  the  Society. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

Salem,  June  21st,  1760. 

WILL.  MCGILCHRIST. 


Mr.  BOURS  to  the  Secretary. 


Marblehead,  July  20th,  1 760. 

Reverend  Sir, 

It  is  with  great  pleasure  I  now  inform  the  Honorable  Society  that  the 
Church  here  under  my  care  continues  still  to  flourish,  &  that  the  greatest 
unanimity  reigns  throughout  the  Town ;  the  Dissenters,  as  well  as  my  own 
People,  behaving  in  the  same  kind  manner  towards  me  as  usual.  I  have 
baptized  in  my  own  Congregation,  from  June  24,  1759,  to  June  24,  1760,  onp 
Adult  and  43  Infants,  &  admitted  3  to  the  Sacrament  of  the  Lord’s  Supper. 


457 


[1760. 


The  distressed  state  of  the  Colonies,  for  sev1  Years  past  engaged  in  a 
cruel  &  bloody  war  with  the  French  &  Indians,  truly  deserves  pity ;  but, 
blessed  be  God,  we  now  seem  to  have  a  prospect  of  having  Peace  restored 
among  us  by  the  Subjection  of  the  whole  Country  of  Canada  to  the  Obedience 
of  Our  gracious  Sovereign,  when  we  may  hope  to  see  the  pure  religion  of  our 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ  spreading  over  the  face  of  the  New  conquered  Country, 
&  mightily  conspiring  to  render  us  a  free  &  happy  People. 

I  return  the  Society  my  sincerest  thanks  for  their  favors  conferred  on  me, 
&  pray  God  to  succeed  their  endeavours  in  promoting  the  Cause  of  true 
religion  &  virtue  in  America,  &  continue  them  as  they  have  hitherto  been,  a 
Blessing  to  the  World.  I  am,  Reverend  Sir,  &c., 

PETER  BOURS. 


Mr.  APTHORP  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Cambridge,  in  New  England,  30th  August,  1760. 

Reverend  Sir, 

I  have  purposely  deferred  my  duty  of  writing  to  you,  that  I  might  be  able 
to  inform  the  Society  more  distinctly  of  the  advancement  of  their  measures 
for  settling  the  Church  in  this  place.  The  foundation  and  frame  of  the 
building  are  now  completed,  &  as  we  apprehend  no  delays  of  any  kind,  the 
whole  work  is  in  such  forwardness  that  we  make  no  doubt  of  accomplishing 
our  first  design  of  having  the  Church  fit  for  divine  Service  before  the  Winter. 
As  near  as  I  can  judge,  if  we  do  not  wait  for  the  Glass  for  the  Windows, 
which  is  soon  expected  from  England,  it  will  be  opened  in  the  month  of 
November.  Particular  care  has  been  taken  to  make  the  Structure  useful  & 
durable,  as  well  as  decently  elegant;  and  in  case  of  future  accessions  to  the 
Congregation,  it  may  be  easily  enlarged.  I  have  great  satisfaction  in  being 
able  to  acquaint  the  Society  that  it  already  promises  to  be  one  of  the  best 
supported  &  most  flourishing  churches  under  their  protection  in  America. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

EAST  APTHORP. 


58 


1 760.] 


458 

Mr,  THOMPSON  to  the  Secretary . 


Scituate,  New  England,  Septr  25th,  1760. 

Revd  Sir, 

I  beg  leave  to  acquaint  the  Hon’ble  Society  that  my  congregations  at  Scit¬ 
uate,  Marshfield,  &  Bridgewater  continue  to  behave  well,  &  are  regular  in 
their  attendance  on  the  publick  Worship  of  God;  and  as  People  are  better 
acquainted  with  the  good  doctrines  &  Worship  of  the  Church  of  England,  it 
gains  on  their  love  and  esteem.  In  the  last  half  year  I  have  baptized  but 
6  Infants.  The  regular  Communicants  are  fifty.  Praying  for  the  success  of 
the  Honorable  Society, 

I  am, 


Revd  Sir,  &c., 


EBENEZER  THOMPSON. 


-O- 


Mr.  CAN  PR  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 


Boston,  October  6th,  1760. 


Reverend  Sir, 

*  *  *  It  is  a  great  pleasure  to  me  to  hear  (as  I  have  repeatedly) 

that  Mr.  Bayley,  lately  sent  a  Missionary  to  Kennebec,  is  highly  useful  theres 
by  his  diligence,  prudence,  &  exemplary  conduct.  That  County,  tho’  a  fron¬ 
tier,  peoples  very  fast.  Had  they  the  happiness  of  2  more  such  Missionaries — 
one  at  the  Western,  the  other  at  the  Eastern  boundary — as  Mr.  Bayley  is  in 
the  Centre,  the  whole  County  would  unite  in  one  profession,  without  any 
perplexing  disputes  or  differing  Sentiments.  But  this  is  a  matter  which  must 
be  referred  to  the  wisdom  of  the  Society. 

I  am, 


Revd  Sir,  &c., 


H.  CANER. 


459 


[1760. 


M\  CANER  to  the  Secretary . 


Boston,  Decr  8th,  1760. 

Revd  Sir, 

From  a  course  of  30  years’  observation,  and  a  general  acquaintance  with 
all  the  Missions  in  the  Northern  District  of  America,  I  am  so  thoroughly  con¬ 
vinced  of  the  great  usefulness  of  the  Society’s  design  for  promoting  the  inter¬ 
est  of  true  religion,  that  I  cannot  but  be  anxious  for  its  success.  I  have  from 
time  to  time  observed  the  Success  or  decline  of  each  Mission,  and  the  cause 
to  which  one  or  the  other  was  principally  owing ;  but  without  entering  into 
particulars,  I  am  of  opinion  that  most  of  the  defects  which  have  happened 
among  the  Society’s  Missions  have  been  owing  to  the  want  of  a  proper 
Authority.  A  Bishop  for  this  part  of  the  world  is  (I  doubt)  an  expedient  too 
remote  to  be  thought  of.  Neither  have  we  a  Commissary,  or  the  least  shadow 
of  authority  among  us.  Till  some  thing  may  be  done  to  supply  this  defect,  I 
have  turned  my  thoughts  upon  the  Society,  who  I  imagine  might  provide  a 
remedy,  at  least  as  far  as  their  own  missions  are  concerned,  by  adopting  some¬ 
thing  like  what  I  propose  in  the  Paper  enclosed.  I  dare  not  indeed  offer  it  to 
the  Board — it  would  be  too  presuming  for  one  so  obscure ;  but  I  imagined 
you  would  indulge  me  the  liberty  of  laying  it  before  you,  &  that  if  any  hint 
contained  in  it  should  appear  useful,  you  would  take  occasion  to  suggest  it  in 
proper  time  &  place. 

I  am, 

Revd  Sir,  &c., 

H.  CANER. 


As  the  Clergy  in  New  Englaud  do  not  make  a  considerable  body,  &  have 
no  person  among  them  authorized  to  inspect  their  manners  &  conduct  or  to 
convene  them  upon  proper  occasions  for  promoting  brotherly  love,  or  to  settle 
&  compose  the  differences  that  may  arise  among  them,  or  that  each  one  may 
have  the  benefit  of  general  advice ;  for  want  of  which  timely  &  convenient 
authority,  both  the  Clergy  with  their  people  &  with  one  another  are  liable  to 
settled  &  obstinate  misaffections,  to  the  great  hindrance  &  detriment  of  true 
religion,  which  by  a  seasonable  application  of  authority  might  have  been  com- 


1760.] 


460 


Till,  therefore,  the  Lord  Bishop  of  London  shall  please  to  appoint  some 
Clergyman  as  his  Commissary  (or  perhaps  the  Authority  of  an  Archdeacon 
might  be  more  effectual),  to  inspect  the  manners  of  the  Clergy  &  visit  the 
Churches  within  his  district;  the  followg  Proposals  are  humbly  submitted  to 
consideration : 

1.  That  some  Clergyman  of  proper  age  &  experience,  residing  in  New 
England,  and  who  bears  a  character  of  wisdom,  piety,  and  prudence,  be  em¬ 
ployed  by  the  Society  as  their  visitor,  to  inspect  the  manners  and  conduct  of 
their  Missionaries,  to  look  into  the  state  of  their  several  Missions,  &  keep  up 
a  constant  knowledge  &  acquaintance  with  the  progress  of  each,  whether  it 
be  under  a  state  of  increase  or  decay,  and  if  the  latter,  to  what  that  decay  is 
owing,  whether  to  the  negligence  or  improper  conduct  of  the  Missionary,  or 
to  the  perverseness  of  the  People.  To  answer  these  ends,  he  may  be  em¬ 
powered, 

2.  To  call  an  Annual  convention  of  the  Missionaries  within  his  District,  at 
some  proper  place  as  he  shall  think  most  convenient  for  their  general  at¬ 
tendance. 

At  these  Meetings  the  Visitor  may  enquire  into  the  state  of  the  sev1  Par¬ 
ishes,  what  obstructions  are  found  to  hinder  the  success  of  the  ministry  in  any 
of  them,  and  then  with  the  advice  of  the  whole  body  may  give  directions  for 
removing  the  difficulties  complained  of;  &  if  anything  prove  too  hard  for 
their  Joint  Counsel  &  direction,  he  may  transmit  to  the  Society  a  just  state  of 
the  Case,  for  the  determination  of  their  superior  wisdom.  These  Conventions 
may  be  held  about  Michaelmas,  and  each  Missionary  obliged  to  lodge  with 
the  visitor  his  Notitia  Parochialis  for  the  last  Llalf  Year,  to  be  by  him  trans¬ 
mitted  to  the  Society.  And  for  the  more  effectual  obligation  upon  the  mis¬ 
sionary  to  lodge  his  Notitia  Parochialis  with  the  visitor,  it  may  be  ordered 
that  every  Bill  drawn  upon  the  Society’s  Treasurer  at  Lady-day  or  Michaelmas 
be  signed  by  the  visitor,  &  that  no  Bill  for  Salary  be  thus  authenticated  till 
the  Notitia  Parochialis  be  actually  lodged  with  the  visitor. 

3.  For  the  more  perfect  understanding  the  state  of  the  several  Missions, 
the  visitor  shall  once  in  3  years  make  a  visitation  of  his  whole  district,  at 
which  visitation  he  shall  inspect  and  inquire  into  not  only  the  manners  of  the 
Clergy,  but  also  the  conduct  of  the  People : — Whether  they  take  care  to  have 
Churches,  and  keep  them  in  decent  repair;  make  good  their  stipulations  with 
the  Society  in  favor  of  their  Missionary,  and  treat  him  with  the  respect  that  is 


due  to  his  labours  &  character;  &  where  he  finds  them  wanting  in  any  of 
these  respects,  may  administer  proper  admonition  in  the  name  of  the  Society,  and 
if  he  meet  with  such  obstinacy  as  refuses  to  hearken  to  advice ;  if  it  be  in  the 
Minister,  the  Visitor  may  refuse  to  sign  his  Bills  till  he  shall  amend  his  con¬ 
duct,  transmitting  an  immediate  Account  thereof  to  the  Society.  If  the  mis¬ 
conduct  be  in  the  People,  &  they  shall  refuse  to  hearken  to  the  Visitor’s 
Admonition,  In  such  case  the  Visitor  may  be  empowered  to  direct  the  Mis¬ 
sionary’s  removal  from  such  an  untractable  People  to  some  vacant  Mission,  if 
such  an  one  there  be,  and  there  perform  the  duties  of  his  function  till  the 
Visitor  can  acquaint  the  Society  with  the  Case  and  receive  their  instructions 
about  it.  It  is  apprehended  that  this  power  of  suspending  the  Missionary’s 
Salaries  pro  tempore ,  till  the  Society’s  pleasure  be  known,  will  give  his  advice 
&  admonition  sufficient  weight,  notwithstanding  his  not  being  vested  with 
any  Ecclesiastical  Authority ;  &  a  Power  of  removing  a  Missionary  from  any 
people  who  neglect  to  make  good  their  stipulations  (where  there  is  not  a  Want 
of  ability),  or  who  are  otherwise  obstinately  blameable,  will  also  sufficiently 
secure  his  weight  and  authority  with  them. 

4.  For  the  greater  ease  and  convenience  of  the  Visitor,  he  may  divide  his 
District  into  3  Parts,  One  part  of  which  being  visited  each  Year,  the  whole 
visitation  may  be  accomplished  in  3  Years.  Upon  these  occasions  he  may 
examine,  upon  the  spot,  the  condition  of  any  people  who  apply  for  a  new 
Mission  and  make  report  of  his  Opinion  thereon. 

But  here  it  is  necessary  to  observe  that  these  visitations  be  attended  with 
no  fees  or  demands  of  any  kind,  either  upon  the  Missionaries  or  the  People. 
Nor  shall  the  visitor  be  allowed  to  receive  any  Gratuity  from  either,  further 
than  that  hospitable  Entertainment  which  may  be  offered  him  at  any  place 
during  the  time  of  his  necessary  visitation. 

But  as  these  visitations  will  be  attended  with  expense,  the  Society  may 
either  allow  the  visitor  an  Annual  Salary  or  make  him  now  and  then  a  Dona¬ 
tion,  or  give  him  leave  to  charge  his  expense,  &  draw  for  it  upon  the  Society’s 
Treasurer. 

The  above  is  an  imperfect  Plan  that  might  be  improved  into  great  use¬ 
fulness. 


1760.] 


462 


Mr .  CANER  to  the  Secretary . 


Boston,  in  N.  England,  Decr  8th,  1760. 

Revd  Sir, 

Your  last  Letter  enclosed  one  for  the  Revd  Mr.  Palmer,  which  was  immedi¬ 
ately  forwarded  to  him.  It  was  also  recommended  to  me  to  make  inquiry  into 
an  unhappy  dispute  which  has  long  subsisted  between  the  Revd  Mr.  Graves,  of 
Providence,  and  Mr.  John  Merrett.  I  did  accordingly  enter  upon  that  Inquiry, 
and  found  but  little  difficulty  in  apprehending  the  occasion,  as  well  as  the 
present  state  of  their  controversy ;  but  I  imagined  it  would  be  more  agreeable 
to  the  Society  to  hear  that  the  difference  was  adjusted  than  to  be  troubled 
with  a  detail  of  this  Contest.  I  therefore  applied  myself  to  reconcile  those 
Gentlemen  and  restore  a  proper  understanding  &  harmony  between  them, 
which  is  at  length  happily  accomplished,  as  will  appear  from  the  Papers 
enclosed,  which,  to  save  myself  the  trouble  of  transcribing,  I  have  sent  as  they 
came  to  hand,  viz1,  Mr.  Graves’s  last  Letter  to  me  upon  this  subject,  the  vote  of 
the  Church  at  Providence,  and  a  Paragraph  of  a  Letter  from  Mr.  Merrett,  which 
expresses  his  concurrence  in  the  accommodation  of  this  controversy. 

The  conduct  of  this  affair  brought  to  my  mind  the  great  want  of  a  Bishop 
in  America,  or,  until  that  blessing  may  be  obtained,  of  an  Archdeacon, 
Commissary,  or  other  Officer  properly  authorized  to  hear  &  determine  these 
kind  of  debates,  which  will  some  times  take  place,  not  only  between  the 
Clergy  &  their  People,  but  among  the  Clergy  themselves,  &  which,  tho’  easily 
adjusted  in  the  beginning,  yet  being  neglected,  grow  troublesome  &  in¬ 
veterate. 

Till  some  such  Officer  can  be  appointed,  it  has  been  thought  that  it  would 
conduce  much  to  the  benefit  &  improvement  of  the  Missions  if  the  Society 
themselves  should  appoint  some  Clergyman  of  prudence  &  experience  as  an 
Inspector  or  visitor  of  the  Missionaries  and  Churches  under  their  care.  Such 
a  Person  might  be  able  to  prevent  disputes,  or  to  heal  them — to  encourage 
mutual  affection — to  enforce  the  Society’s  Injunctions,  prevent  impositions, 
&  do  many  things  highly  useful  and  necessary  for  promoting  the  Interest  and 
Success  of  the  Missions.  It  is  certain  that  there  are  sundry  improprieties  & 
misaffections  now  subsisting  among  the  Churches  in  New  England,  nor  can  it 


463  [1761. 

otherwise  be  expected  where  there  is  no  kind  of  authority  to  hinder  or  com¬ 
pose  them. 

I  flatter  myself  that  this  freedom  will  be  excused,  as  it  proceeds  merely 
from  an  earnest  desire  of  seeing  the  Society’s  great  &  good  design  truly  & 
effectually  answered. 

I  am,  with  great  respect, 

Revd  Sir,  &c., 

H.  CANER. 


M\  APTHORP  to  the  Secretary . 


Boston,  in  New  England,  14th  Feby,  1761. 

Revd  Sir, 

I  have  hitherto  had  but  little  occasion  to  trouble  the  Society  with  Letters ; 
the  Affairs  of  their  Mission  at  Cambridge  having  been  unavoidably  so  much 
retarded,  that  we  are  not  yet  in  a  condition  to  answer  the  purposes  of  the 
Society  in  their  encouragement  of  Our  Church.  These  delays  have  been 
wholly  occasioned  by  difficulties  in  completing  our  building,  for  want  of  some 
materials  long  since  expected  from  England,  but  which  are  now  arrived  very 
seasonably  to  advance  the  Work  this  Spring,  &  we  have  the  greatest  proba¬ 
bility  of  completing  it  in  a  few  months. 

As  it  has  not  been  in  my  power  as  yet  to  be  resident  at  Cambridge,  &  as 
I  could  hitherto  be  of  but  little  service  to  the  Society,  I  cannot  with  a  safe 
conscience  accept  the  Salary  they  so  liberally  appointed  me  for  the  years  1759, 
1 760.  I  shall  hereafter  regularly  draw  upon  them  for  it,  and  at  present  will 
presume  to  ask  a  favor,  which  I  hope  they  will  pardon,  if  they  should  think 
proper  to  reject  it.  Our  design  at  Cambridge  is  expensive,  &  the  chief 
burden  of  it  is  borne  by  a  very  few  Gentlemen.  I  would  therefore  humbly 
propose  to  your  &  the  Society’s  wisdom  to  contribute  the  Appointment  of  the 
last  2  Years  towards  completing  the  fabric  of  the  Church. 

The  People  of  Cambridge  are  so  sensible  of  their  great  Obligations  to  the 
Society,  that  I  have  no  permission  from  them,  nor  have  I  acquainted  them 
with  my  purpose  to  make  this  request.  But  as  we  are  likely  to  incur  a  con- 


1761.] 


464 


siderable  debt,  which  may  long  remain  an  incumbrance  to  the  Church  & 
prevent  many  of  the  poorer  sort  from  associating  with  us,  I  think  it  will 
greatly  advance  the  Interest  of  this  Mission  to  contribute  towards  lightening 
the  burden  of  the  first  expence  to  the  People. 

I  beg  leave  to  declare  myself,  with  great  respect, 

Revd  Sir,  &c., 

EAST  APTHORP. 


Mr.  BASS  to  the  Secretary . 


Newbury,  N.  England,  25th  March,  1761. 

Revd  Doctr, 

Since  my  last  I  have  baptized  Seven  Infants  here,  and  Six,  together  with  a 
Negro  Woman  and  her  three  Children,  at  the  vacant  Mission  of  Hopkinton, 
whither  I  made  a  journey  last  fall,  and  preached  to  a  considerable  Congrega¬ 
tion  in  the  Church,  who  Seem  to  be  earnestly  desirous  of  a  Missionary.  I 
also  preached,  two  or  three  months  ago,  at  Amsbury,  five  or  six  miles  from 
hence,  over  the  river  Merrimac,  to  a  considerable  number  of  people,  in  a 
private  house ;  but  they  are  now  preparing  to  build  a  Church,  which  they 
design  shall  be  fit  to  perform  divine  Service  in  within  this  Twelve  month,  and 
they  are  in  hopes  of  the  Society’s  favours  in  due  time,  upon  Compliance  with 
the  terms  required.  I  have  drawn  for  my  last  half  year’s  Salary,  which  please 
to  order  paid,  and  you’ll  oblige 

Yr  most  Obe1,  hum.  Serv*, 

EDW.  BASS. 

To  the  Revd  Dr.  Bearcroft,  at  the  Charter-house. 


465 


[1761. 


Mr.  THOMPSON  to  the  Secretary. 


Scituate,  N.  England,  March  ye  25th,  1761. 

Reverend  Sir, 

I  beg  leave  to  acquaint  the  Honourable  Society  that  my  Congregations 
Continue  in  their  usual  Good  State,  and  that  we  live  very  happy,  in  love  and 
peace  not  only  with  our  Brethren  of  the  Church  of  England,  but  with  the 
Dissenters  of  the  various  Denominations  among  whom  we  live. 

I  continue  to  officiate  in  the  Churches  at  Scituate,  Marshfield,  and  Bridge- 
water,  and  Beg  leave  to  add,  that  it  is  my  greatest  Care  and  Study  how  I  may 
fulfil  the  Society’s  pious  design  of  propagating  Christ’s  true  Religion  among 
this  people.  In  the  last  half  year  I  have  Baptized  but  three  white  infants^and 
one  Negro  infant;  the  Regular  Communicants  are  fifty. 

I  am, 

Revd  Sir, 

The  Society’s  and  Your 

Most  Obedient  and  much 

Obliged,  Humb,e  Servnt, 

EBENEZER  THOMPSON. 


D\  MILLER  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Revd  Sir, 

*  *  Having  nothing  particular  to  write  relating  to  my  own  Parish, 

take  the  opportunity  to  inform  you,  that  the  Sunday  after  Easter  I  got  Mr. 
Apthorp  to  supply  my  Church,  &  I  opened  the  Church  at  Dedham,  being  the 
Sixth  that  I  have  had  the  pleasure  to  open  since  I  have  been  in  the  Society’s 
service  ;  and  the  last  Week  I  officiated  at  Houghton,  &  the  People  desired 
me  to  procure  them  a  Bible  &  Common  Prayer  Book  for  the  use  of  the  Church. 
If  you  will  be  so  good  as  to  propose  their  Petn  to  the  Hon’ble  Society,  it  is 
59 


1761.] 


\66 


probable,  in  their  wonted  Charity,  they  will  bestow  them  upon  that  Church. 
In  almost  all  my  Letters  for  sev1  Years,  I  have  Petitioned  for  some  smaller 
Common  Prayer  Books,  to  bestow  them  on  the  poorer  sort  of  People,  for 
which  I  am  continually  solicited ;  &  they  are  very  scarce  &  very  dear  here. 
I  hope  soon  to  receive  some  from  the  Ven’ble  society,  &  I  will  carefully  dis¬ 
pose  of  them  where  they  will  be  most  likely  to  answer  the  end  of  the 
Charity. 

Your  affect6  bror,  &c., 

F.  MILLER 

Braintree,  in  New  Engd,  Ap1  13th,  1761. 


Mr.  Mc GILCHRIST  to  the  Secretary . 

Revd  Sir, 

The  Church  of  Salem,  since  I  wrote  to  you  last,  has  been  New  shingled, 
clapboarded,  &  sashed,  &  the  Proprs  have  lately  passed  a  Vote  to  lengthen  it 
20  feet.  Difference  of  Opinion  at  present  causes  no  division  of  affection  be¬ 
tween  the  Members  of  the  Church  of  England  and  the  Dissenters.  Even  the 
Vulgar  have  learned  by  experience  that  there  is  neither  idolatry  nor  popery  in 
our  Service,  &  the  church  is  always  crowded  when  any  of  the  Meetings  is 
unsupplied.  The  Revd  Mr.  Apthorp  is  much  respected  in  this  Country,  as  he 
deserves.  He  has  built  himself  a  handsome  House  at  Cambridge,  and  expects 
that  his  Church  will  be  so  far  completed  as  to  be  fit  for  him  to  preach  in  in  a 
month’s  time.  Mr.  Brown,  Junr,  of  Piscatawa,  and  his  manner  of  preachy 
are  very  agreeable  to  the  Congregation  of  Newport,  in  Rhode  Island,  &  he 
likes  the  place,  and  therefore,  as  I  understand,  the  concurrence  of  the  Society 
is  desired  on  both  sides,  that  he  may  be  appointed  missionary  there  in  the 
room  of  Mr.  Pollen,  who  has  left  the  place  and  is  settled  at  Jamaica. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

WILL.  MCGILCHRIST. 

Salem,  July  27th,  1761. 


467 


[i 761 . 


M\  BOURS  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Revd  Sir, 

*  I  wrote  the  Hon’ble  Society,  the  last  Year,  that  the  C  hurch 
here  continued  to  flourish,  &  that  the  greatest  unanimity  reigned  amongst  the 
sev1  denominats  of  People  in  this  Town.  Blessed  be  God,  I  have  it  in  my 
power  to  assure  them  that  those  happy  dispositions  still  remain  with  us,  & 
that  the  Church,  notwithstanding  the  death  of  sev1  members  of  it,  increases 
greatly.  I  have  constantly  a  full  audience,  a  great  number  of  which  are  very 
devout  in  their  worship  &  exemplary  in  their  lives.  I  have  baptized,  from  the 
24th  of  June,  1760,  to  the  24th  of  June,  1761,  59  Infants,  and  have  had  one 
added  to  the  Communion,  and  the  whole  number  of  constant  Communicants 
is  at  present  47. 

Revd  Sir,  &c., 

PETER  BOURS. 

Marblehead,  Aug1  2d,  1761. 


Mr.  BASS  to  the  Secretary. 


Newbury,  N.  England,  Septr  29th,  1761. 

Revd  Dr., 

I  am  sorry  I  have  occasion  to  complain  of  any  of  the  Dissenters,  with 
whom,  generally  speakg  I  live  in  very  good  harmony ;  but  a  number  of 
them,  lately  made  a  Parish  by  our  General  Court,  have  had  the  insolence  to 
intrude  themselves,  with  2  of  their  Teachers,  into  the  Old  Church,  Viz1, 
Queen  Anne’s  Chapel  in  this  Town,  &  to  hold  a  Fast  in  it.  They  had  once 
or  twice  before  broke  into  the  Church  to  transact  their  Parish  Affairs,  without 
asking  any  body’s  leave,  &  I  have  reason  to  think  have  been  endeavouring 
to  undermine  &  ruin  the  Interest  of  the  Church  in  that  part  of  the  Town. 
Notwithstandg  which  they  came  to  me,  about  2  months  before  their  late 


1 7  6  ■  •] 


468 


intrusion,  with  a  request  that  I  would  suffer  them  to  hold  their  religious  meet¬ 
ings  in  the  Church  till  they  could  build  a  Meeting-house  for  themselves; 
which  I  thought  proper  by  no  means  to  grant.  However,  understanding 
afterwards  that  they  designed  to  go  in  without  my  leave,  being  countenanced 
by  some  few  of  the  People  who  usually  worship  at  that  Church,  I  wrote  a  line 
forbidding  any  Dissenting  Teacher  to  officiate  in  the  Church,  &  gave  it  to  the 
Churchwardens,  who  delivered  it  to  the  2  forementd  Teachers  as  they  were 
going  into  the  Church,  but  it  did  not  stop  them.  I  immediately  wrote  an  Ac¬ 
count  of  the  matter  to  Mr.  Bernard,  the  Govr  of  the  Province,  who  was  pleased 
to  recommend  it  to  me  and  the  Churchwardens  to  grant  their  request,  they 
disclaiming  all  right  to  the  Church,  &  disavowing  the  force  that  has  been 
used  by  them  ;  but  I  wrote  back  to  His  Excellency  that,  as  the  Revd  &  Hon’ble 
Society  had  a  right  in  the  Church,  as  having  supported  it  for  many  Years,  & 
intrusted  it  to  my  care,  I  thought  myself  obliged  to  wait  for  their  approbation  ; 
and  I  do  now  earnestly  request  a  line  from  the  Society  as  soon  as  may  be, 
directing  me  how  to  conduct  in  this  affair.  Since  my  last,  I  have  baptized 
4  Infants — Whites — &  3  blacks,  Viz4,  a  Man  &  Wife,  with  their  Child.  I  have 
drawn  for  my  last  half  Year’s  Salary,  which  please  to  order  paid,  &  you’ll 
oblige,  &c., 

EDWARD  BASS. 


The  Churchwardens  of  Sfueen  Anne  s  Chapel '  in  Newbury , 

N.  England ,  to  the  Secretary. 


Newbury,  New  England,  Octr  10th,  1761. 

Revd  Doctor, 

We,  the  Churchwardens  of  Queen  Anne’s  Chapel  in  this  Town,  beg  the 
favors  of  the  Revd  &  Hon’ble  Society’s  advice  &  assistance  in  the  affair  of  the 
Intrusion  lately  made  on  our  church,  as  represented  in  the  Revd  Mr.  Bass’s 
letters ;  and  we  apply  ourselves  particularly  to  you,  Sir,  as  the  father  of  the 
Churches  in  America.  If  such  insults  are  not  taken  proper  notice  of,  we 
know  not  where  they  may  end,  or  what  may  be  the  consequence  of  them. 
We  meddle  not  with  the  Dissenters,  or  their  concerns,  &  desire  only  to  be 


469 


[1762. 


protected  in  the  Enjoyment  of  Our  Churches  &  religious  privileges;  and  we 
hope  the  Society  will  be  so  kind  to  write  us  by  the  first  opportunity.  In  the 
meantime, 

We  remain, 

Their  &  Yr  most  obliged,  humble  Servts, 

Joseph  Long. 

George  Warthen. 


M’\  BASS  to  the  Secretary. 


Newbury,  N.  England,  March  25th,  1762. 

Revd  Doctor, 

I  have  nothing  new  or  remarkable  to  write  you ;  all  things  relating  to  the 
Church  here  are  peaceable  &  quiet,  as  they  have  ever  been,  saving  that 
intrusion  of  the  Dissenters  of  which  I  gave  you  an  account  in  my  last. 

Since  my  last,  I  have  baptized  8  Infants — Whites.  I  have  drawn  for  my 
last  y2  Year’s  Salary,  which  please  to  order  paid,  &  you’ll  oblige,  &c., 

EDWARD  BASS. 


The  Inhabitants  of  Amesbury ,  New  England ,  to  the  Secretary . 


Amesbury,  New  England,  May  28th,  1762. 

Revd  D\, 

We,  the  Subscribers,  Inhabitants  of  the  Town  of  Amesbury,  humbly  Crave 
the  Revd  and  Hon’ble  Socy’s  assistance,  &  beg  they  would  take  our  Case  into 
speedy  Consideration.  There  have  been  Professors  of  the  Church  of  Eng¬ 
land  among  us  for  these  20  or  30  Years  or  more,  &  a  Church  was  built  here 
many  years  ago,  but  not  in  a  convenient  place.  We  are  now  increased  to  a 
considerable  number,  and  have  lately  built  another  Church,  named  King 


470 


1762.] 

George  the  3rd’8  Chapel,  and  we  earnestly  desire  the  Publick  Worship  of  God, 
and  the  Administration  of  the  Sacraments  according  to  the  Church  of  Eng¬ 
land,  for  the  benefit  of  Our  families,  who  have  never  yet  enjoyed  them,  as 
well  as  of  Ourselves,  who  do  some  times  enjoy  them,  by  travelling  a  great 
wayes  and  over  a  River,  which  makes  it  very  difficult,  and  for  a  great  part  of 
the  Year  impracticable  to  get  to  Church.  We  have  in  view  for  Our  Minister  a 
Young  Gentleman  educated  at  Our  College,  who  is  of  a  good  family  and  can 
be  well  recommended,  and  whom  we  beg  the  Society’s  leave  to  send  to  Eng¬ 
land  for  Holy  Orders,  unless  they  shall  think  more  proper  to  send  us  a 
Missionary  from  thence.  We  engage  to  build  him  a  convenient  dwelling 
house,  &  to  provide  a  Glebe,  and  to  pay  him  £20  Sterling  per  Annum;  and 
we  hope  in  time  to  be  able  to  do  more,  as  there  is  a  prospect  [of]  the  Church’s 
encreasing  here  greatly.  A  speedy  answer  to  this  request  will  greatly  oblige 
the  Society’s 

Most  obedient  & 

humble  Servants, 

DANIEL  COFFIN  &  others. 


Mr.  PRICE  to  the  Secretary . 


Soon  after  my  admission  into  Priest’s  Orders,  I  accepted  a  Chaplainship  at 
Widdaw,  a  Factory  on  the  Coast  of  Guinea.  In  my  voyage  there  I  fell  into 
the  hands  of  Pirates,  who  detained  me  for  some  time,  and  robbed  me  of  the 
best  part  of  my  effects.  Upon  my  release,  I  proceeded  to  the  place  of  my 
destination,  where  I  was  soon  seized  with  a  fever  which  destroys  many  there. 
Sir  Challoner  Ogle,  after  taking  the  same  Pirates,  came  to  the  Factory  of 
Widdaw,  &  finding  me  in  a  low  state  of  health,  in  compassion  carried  me 
from  thence  in  the  Swallow  Man  of  War,  as  Chaplain  to  Jamaica,  about  the 
time  of  the  Duke  of  Portland’s  arrival  there ;  upon  whom  I  waited  in  order  to 
receive  his  commands  to  England,  where  I  then  designed  to  return,  but  upon 
his  persuasion  was  prevailed  upon  to  remain  on  the  Island,  &  was  thereupon 
appointed  his  Chaplain  &  Minister  of  St.  Ann’s  Parish.  In  this  station  I  con¬ 
tinued  3  Years,  till  my  health  began  to  be  impaired,  upon  representing  which 


47 1 


[1762. 


to  the  Duke  of  Portland,  after  some  entreaty,  he  consented  to  my  return 
home,  &  favored  me  with  Letters  of  recommendat"  to  sev1  of  his  relations  in 
England,  &  to  Dr.  Gibson,  the  Bishop  of  London,  who  soon  after  presented 
me  to  the  living  of  Leigh,  in  Essex,  with  a  promise  of  farther  favours.  Here 
I  lived,  with  bad  health,  abo1  2  Years,  when  a  Presentation  to  the  King’s 
Chapel  in  Boston,  in  New  England,  was  offered  me.  My  ill  state  of  health  & 
a  desire  of  being  serviceable  to  the  Church  in  a  Country  where  Ministers  are 
much  wanted,  inclined  me  to  accept  the  Offer,  notwithstanding  many  fair 
views  of  preferment  I  had  at  home.  Soon  after  my  Admission  into  the  King’s 
Chapel,  in  Boston,  the  Bishop  of  London  honord  me  with  the  Commissarial 
power  over  the  Churches  in  New  England,  which  station  I  continued  in  till 
his  decease,  &  I  flatter  myself  not  without  approbatn.  How  faithfully  I  dis¬ 
charged  this  trust,  the  great  increase  of  Churches  during  my  presiding  there 
will  testify,  to  most  of  which  I  contributed  no  little  assistance,  both  by  my 
labours  and  benefactions.  Advancing  in  years,  &  wearied  with  my  publick  & 
private  duties  in  Boston,  after  a  residence  of  20  Years  there,  by  the  favour  of 
the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel,  I  retired  to  a  mission  at  Hop- 
kinston,  where  I  spent  the  remainder  of  my  time  in  that  country,  an  Order 
from  Bishop  Sherlock  and  a  desire  of  seeing  my  native  country  brought  me 
home,  where  I  would  willingly  spend  the  remainder  of  my  days ;  but  as  my 
income  at  present  is  very  scanty,  &  my  family  large,  having  a  Wife  &  6 
Children,  I  humbly  hope  my  Case  may  be  considered  as  worthy  a  favorable 
notice  &  recompense. 

ROGER  PRICE. 

London,  July  the  13th,  1762. 


M\  CANER  to  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury. 


Boston,  in  New  England,  Aug1  9th,  1762. 

May  it  please  Your  Grace, 

I  write  this  not  without  apprehension  that  your  Grace  will  think  me  too 
officious  ;  yet  I  know  no  other  way  of  communicating  the  Difficulties  to  which 


1762.]  472 

the  Interest  of  our  Church  is  exposed  in  this  part  of  the  World,  nor  any  one 
else  to  whom  I  can  apply  for  Redress.  Had  any  one  here  Authority  to  con¬ 
vene  the  rest  of  his  brethren,  I  presume  this  would  not  have  been  a  single, 
but  a  joint  address  from  all  the  clergy  in  these  parts,  who  cannot  look  on  with 
Indifference  while  the  Dissenters  are  using  every  possible  method  of  Giving  a 
check  to  the  Progress  of  the  Church  of  England.  Of  this  nature  I  esteem  an 
Act  of  this  province,  past  at  the  Sessions  of  the  General  Assembly  in  May 
last,  of  which  I  have  enclosed  a  copy  for  your  Grace’s  perusal ;  for  notwith¬ 
standing  the  Specious  Preamble  it  contains,  I  am  well  assured  that  the  real 
design  of  it  is  to  frustrate  the  pious  designs  of  the  Society  for  the  Propaga¬ 
tion  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts,  while  under  pretence  of  spreading  the 
knowledge  of  true  religion  among  the  Indians  (a  scheme  in  its  nature  imprac¬ 
ticable,  and  which  upon  experience  has  always  been  found  such  till  those 
Indians  are  first  civilized),  they  will  be  found  to  send  missionaries  to  inter¬ 
fere  with  those  whom  the  Society  have  already  placed  upon  our  Frontier 
settlements.  Your  Grace  will  not  esteem  this  an  uncharitable  Conjecture, 
since  it  is  founded  upon  the  Knowledge  of  certain  Facts  which  would  be  too 
tedious  to  relate.  I  believe  your  Grace  will  think  it  a  new  thing  that  a  Society 
of  this  kind  should  be  incorporated  and  enabled  to  hold  a  real  Estate  of  the 
Yearly  Value  of  Two  Thousand  pounds  Sterling,  without  being  subject  to  any 
Visitor,  none  but  their  own  members  having  Authority  to  call  for  or  inspect 
their  Books  or  Accounts,  nor  any  security  given  that  so  considerable  a  sum 
shall  not  in  Process  of  Time  be  employed  against  the  Government.  But  I 
shall  not  presume  to  point  out  the  ill  consequences  of  this  Act,  which  your 
Grace  will  perceive  much  easier  than  I  can  describe.  It  is  enough  for  me  to 
represent  the  fact  in  such  Season  as  may  give  opportunity  for  preventing  its 
being  approvd  at  home,  till  which  it  is  of  no  force.  I  suppose  it  may  be 
brought  forward  some  time  next  Winter.  I  hope  your  Grace  will  forgive  this 
freedom  from 

Your  Grace’s  most  dutiful, 

most  obedient,  &  most  humble  servant, 

HENRY  CANER. 


473 


[1762. 


Mr.  BASS  &  Mr.  BROWNE  to  the  Secretary . 


Newbury,  New  England,  22d  Sepr,  1762. 


Revd  Dr. 

We  take  the  liberty  to  second  the  request  of  the  Amesbury  People,  who 
are  begging  the  Society’s  Assistance  towards  the  support  of  a  Minister,  & 
to  recommend  them  as  proper  objects  of  Your  charitable  Notice.  Altho’  at 
present  they  are  not  numerous,  yet  divers  of  them  are  some  of  the  most  sub¬ 
stantial  men  in  the  Town  ;  &  the  circumstances  of  the  adjacent  places  render 
it  more  than  probable  that  the  Church  will  grow  very  fast  among  them,  and 
that,  in  the  course  of  a  few  Years,  they  will  be  a  large  and  flourishing  Congre¬ 
gation  ;  especially  as  at  this  time  there  is  a  Dissenting  Society  just  by  them, 
which  is  very  likely  to  be  dissolved,  thro’  enthusiasm,  &  the  more  sober  and 
considerate  among  them  will  take  refuge  in  the  Church.  Besides  the  Peti¬ 
tioners  who  have  subscribed  their  names,  there  are  many  Others,  both  in 
Amesbury  &  the  neighboring  places,  who  stand  ready  to  join  with  them  in 
case  of  a  favorable  Answer  from  the  Society. 

Your  most  obed‘,  humble  servants, 

EDWARD  BASS, 
ARTHUR  BROWNE. 


Mr.  APTHORP  to  the  Secretary . 


Cambridge,  in  New  England,  29th  Septr,  1762. 

Revd  Sir, 

It  is  now  almost  a  Year  since  I  have  officiated  in  the  Church  at  Cambridge, 
from  its  first  opening  in  Octr,  1761.  I  have  little  to  add  to  my  acco*  of  this 
Mission  sent  in  March  last.  It  is  an  Infant  Settlement,  under  some  particular 
disadvantages,  &  our  present  members  are  but  few ;  those  we  have  are 
serious  &  respectable  Characters,  &  tho’  my  first  expectations — the  result  of 

60 


1762.] 


4.74 


inexperience — were  too  sanguine,  I  entertain  good  hopes  that  God  will  bless 
this  Mission  &  render  it  really  serviceable  to  religion. 

In  the  past  year,  I  have  baptized  12  Persons,  &  at  the  last  Monthly  com¬ 
munion,  the  Sacrament  was  administered  to  near  40  Communicants. 

I  have  now  drawn  Bills  of  this  date  for  One  Year’s  Salary,  being  the  whole 
time  in  which  I  have  actually  officiated  as  Minister  to  this  Congregation ;  tho’ 
my  appointment  to  this  Mission  began  25th  March,  1759,  the  interval  was 
employed  in  building  the  Church.  Its  unsettled  state  has  occasioned  some 
intricacy  in  my  accts  with  the  Society,  which  will  be  cleared  up  to  their  satis¬ 
faction  by  Mr.  Trecothick,  one  of  their  Members.  During  my  future  Service, 
I  ask  their  permission  to  draw  Bills  annually  for  my  Salary,  at  Michaelmas. 

It  will  be  of  great  use  to  send  to  this  Mission  some  Common  Prayer 
Books,  &  some  other  Books  of  devotion,  to  be  distributed  among  the  People. 
I  shall  be  greatly  obliged  if  you  will  occasionally  honor  me  with  your  Letters 
expressing  the  Society’s  Opinion  of  what  has  been  done  here,  and  their  direc¬ 
tions  to  me. 

I  am, 

Revd  Sir,  &c., 

EAST  APTHORP. 


Letter  to  Mr .  CANER ,  Oct .  6th ,  1762. 


Lambeth,  Octr  6th,  1762. 

Good  Mr.  Caner, 

I  received  your  Letter  of  Aug.  9,  yesterday,  and  I  am  very  sorry  that  you 
should  have  any  Apprehension  of  my  thinking  you  too  officious.  I  fear,  in¬ 
deed,  that  I  have  not  been  punctual  in  answering  your  letters,  though  I  have 
always  been  glad  to  receive  them.  But  the  cause  of  my  omission  hath  been 
partly  that  the  time  did  not  seem  to  be  come  either  for  what  I  have  chiefly  at 
heart,  the  Settlement  of  Bishops  in  our  American  Colonies,  or  for  the  im¬ 
provement  of  the  use  of  Commissaries  under  the  Bishop  of  London,  or  for 
the  appointment  of  Inspectors  by  the  Society ;  &  partly  that  necessary  busi¬ 
ness  here,  &  sickness,  have  filled  up  the  whole  of  my  time.  I  have  now  the 
remains  of  Gout  in  both  my  hands,  and  a  fresh  attack  upon  one  foot  and 


475 


[1762. 


knee,  not  without  some  threatening  Symptoms  in  the  other.  Nor  I  think 
have  I  been  quite  free  above  three  months  in  the  last  twelve ;  but  I  see  the 
necessity  of  taking  immediate  notice  of  your  last  Favor.  It  appears  very 
strange  to  me  that  no  earlier  intelligence  concerning  this  act  of  your  assem¬ 
bly  hath  been  sent  from  any  Quarter,  and  it  is  pity  that  when  you  were  so 
kind  to  write  about  it,  you  had  not  sent  an  account  of  those  facts  on  which 
you  found  your  persuasion  that  bad  designs  are  crouched  under  it.  I  wish 
you  would  still  send  an  account  of  them,  though  possibly  it  may  come  too 
late :  because  if  it  doth  not,  it  may  assist  very  much  in  convincing  Persons 
here.  For  my  own  part,  I  see  the  matter  just  in  the  same  light  that  you  do, 
and  think  your  observations  very  just  and  material.  Neither  your  Governor 
nor  any  of  his  Majesty’s  Officers  as  such,  nor  any  other  persons  by  virtue  of 
their  stations  are  members  of  this  society,  which  I  think  remarkable.  There 
is  a  competency  of  dissenting  ministers,  and  amongst  them,  Dr.  Mayhew — 
whether  any  Church  of  England  men  I  doubt,  but  desire  to  be  informed. 
One  may  be  sure  this  step  hath  been  warily  taken,  and  it  must  be  warily 
opposed.  I  am  of  opinion  that  our  Society  must  not  appear  against  it — the 
answer  would  be  that  they  have  done  little  in  this  way  themselves,  &  ought 
not  to  hinder  others.  That  the  new  society  may  lessen  the  Income  or  the 
credit  or  the  fruits  of  the  old  one,  will  be  far  from  an  objection  against  it  in 
the  minds  of  many.  And  indeed  no  serious  person  can  disapprove  the  pro¬ 
fessed  intention  of  the  Act,  so  far  as  opportunities  may  be  found,  for  execut¬ 
ing  it.  But  I  conceive  it  may  be  shewn  that  several  improprieties  &  De¬ 
fects  in  the  Present  Frame  of  it,  make  it  unfit  for  the  Royal  Assent.  Pos¬ 
sibly,  also,  one  may  venture  to  suggest  with  due  caution  to  some  persons,  that 
no  Act  for  this  purpose  will  come  from  Boston,  which  is  not  so  framed  as  to 
add  more  influence  to  the  Dissenters  than  will  be  expedient.  But  how  far 
this  will  be  regarded  I  cannot  promise.  On  inquiry  I  find  that  this  Act  lies 
now,  with  43  others,  before  the  Board  of  Trade,  which  I  believe,  in  all  matters 
that  may  affect  Religion,  consults  the  Bishop  of  London ;  therefore  I  shall 
send  to  him  at  Bath,  by  the  next  post,  a  printed  copy  of  the  Act  and  your  Let¬ 
ter,  and  my  own  opinion  upon  the  affair.  A  Pamphlet  hath  lately  been  sent 
me  from  America,  with  a  Title  to  this  effect :  “  The  real  advantages  of  con¬ 
forming  to  the  Church  of  England  impartially  represented” — which  I  fear  may 
do  great  harm  if  not  answered,  &  more  if  improperly  answered.  The  proper 
manner,  I  think,  is  that  of  great  seriousness  &  perfect  mildness  &  fair  Con- 


1 762.] 


476 


fession  of  our  Imperfections,  where  we  cannot  vindicate  ourselves,  joined 
with  earnest  Intreaties  to  the  Author,  that  he  would  consider  as  one  who 
must  give  account  of  every  Idle  word,  what  Spirit  he  hath  shewn  himself  to 
be  of,  &  to  the  Dissenters,  that  they  would  consider  whether  they  are  perfect, 
&  whether  ludicrous,  virulent,  exaggerating  Language  is  the  Christain  method 
of  Treating  religious  subjects,  &  the  Conduct  of  Brethren  who  differ  from 
each  other  in  opinion,  at  the  same  time  the  facts  which  he  hath  alleged  or  to 
which  he  hath  alluded  should  be  vindicated  from  any  misrepresentations  wch 
he  hath  made  of  them  with  home  expostulations,  but  very  gentle  ones  where 
needful.  And  so  many  of  these  facts  are  American  that  no  one  can  write 
upon  them  fully,  unless  he  hath  long  resided  in  America,  or  is  furnished  with 
more  materials  from  thence  than  can  be  expected.  And  nothing  should  be 
published  till  it  hath  been  thoroughly  examined  in  every  view  already  men¬ 
tioned,  by  sensible  &  cool  men,  who  will  speak  their  minds  freely.  But  no 
confutation  will  be  effectual  unless  our  missionaries  &  their  people  will  con¬ 
scientiously  amend  whatever  Faults  can  be  justly  charged  upon  them.  I  hope 
to  be  a  better  Correspondent  hereafter,  If  I  am  able.  For  the  present  I  have 
gone  to  the  utmost  bounds  of  my  ability.  God  bless  you,  good  Mr  Caner. 
Pray  for 

Your  loving  Brother, 

THO.  CANT. 


❖ 


A  Letter  from  Bishop  OSBALDESTON ,  October  iim,  1762, 
respecting  the  New  England  Society . 

My  Lord, 

I  have  the  honour  of  your  Grace’s  letter,  with  Mr.  Caner’ s,  and  the  ac‘  of 
the  Assembly  at  Boston  for  Propagating  Christian  Knowledge,  the  latter,  the 
more  I  consider,  the  more  difficulties  arise  to  have  it  modelled  in  the  manner 
your  Grace  seems  to  wish ;  as  it  does  not  relate  to  the  maintenance  of  the 
Clergy,  nor  the  Jurisdiction  of  our  Established  Church,  it  ought  not,  nor  in¬ 
deed  can,  with  any  proprietry  be  referred  to  me,  but  to  the  Society  at  Large, 
for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel,  where  your  Grace’s  great  wisdom  &  long 
experience,  with  the  assistance  of  its  members,  I  hope  will  be  sufficient  to 


477 


[1762. 


defeat  the  consequences  that  are  apprehended  to  be  hurtful  to  that  society. 
The  missionaries  abroad  have  been  extremely  negligent  in  not  giving  early 
notice  of  this  proceeding,  &  those  mentioned  that  have  been  lately  or  still  are 
in  England,  can  scarce  be  excused  for  having  no  intelligence  of  what  passes 
in  North  America. 

I  had  no  intimation  of  this  Act  till  I  had  it  from  your  Grace.  Mr.  Caner 
shou’d  have  set  forth  the  facts  on  which  he  founds  his  opinion  of  the  fatal 
effects  that  will  attend  our  Society  by  this  new  Corporation,  which  I  suppose 
will  come  to  you  in  due  time. 

I  shall  rejoice  to  hear  of  your  Grace’s  speedy  &  perfect  recovery.  The 
waters  at  this  place  hitherto  agree  well  with  me.  I  trust  I  shall  receive  bene¬ 
fit  by  them,  during  the  course  of  my  Drinking  them  for  one  month;  when  that 
term  expires,  I  propose  to  return  to  Fulham,  where  I  shall  with  pleasure 
receive  your  commands,  &  be  ready  to  concur  with  you  in  all  measures  to 
prevent  the  bad  consequences  of  this  new  projected  scheme.  I  am  with  great, 
truth,  my  Lord, 

Your  Grace’s  most  obedient  &  most  humble  servant, 

RIC.  LONDON. 

Bath,  Octr  11th,  1762. 


Mr.  JVM  SMITH  to  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury . 


London,  22nd  Novr,  1762. 

My  Lord, 

I  have  enclosed  such  Objections  to  the  Massachuset’s  Act  as  occurred  to 
me  in  the  Short  time  I  could  allot  to  it,  which  added  to  those  made  by  your 
Grace,  &  which  I  have  therefore  but  slightly  touched  on,  I  am  persuaded  will 
be  sufficient,  if  duly  weighed,  to  Induce  his  Majesty’s  Boards  to  repeal  it,  as  it 
now  stands. 

But  then  the  Lords  of  Trade  should  soon  be  made  masters  of  the  objections, 
because  if  the  Act  passes  them  it  will  be  more  difficult  to  get  it  set  aside  in 
Council,  tho’  I  still  believe  that  this  would  be  done  there  even  on  the  bare 
mention  of  these  objections  by  any  considerable  member. 


1762.] 


478 


Not  only  the  Good  of  the  Church  in  America,  but  the  very  Subsistence  of 
the  Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel  seem  to  be  affected  by  this  Law,  tho’ 
these  are  not  made  arguments  against  it  in  the  enclosed  paper ;  but  this  new 
Society  by  being  on  the  spot  in  America  will  have  many  advantages  over  any 
society  here.  They  will  be  watchful  to  improve  every  opportunity ;  their 
missionaries  will  soon  get  the  principal  footing  in  a  few  capital  Places  among 
the  Indians ;  they  will  publish  that  they  are  doing  a  main  part  of  that  work 
for  which  our  society  was  chiefly  erected,  and  which  as  they  will  say  we  have 
neglected,  viz.,  the  care  of  the  Indians  ;  by  which  and  the  like  means  they  will 
probably  prejudice  multitudes  against  our  Society,  dry  up  many  of  those 
charitable  sources  from  which  support  is  now  drawn,  &  go  near  perhaps  to 
bring  its  very  being  into  Jeopardy. 

But  these  are  perhaps  only  Fears  of  mine,  &  therefore  I  shall  not  urge 
them  further  at  present,  having  only  time  to  subscribe  myself 

Your  Grace’s  most  dutiful  son  &  serv1, 

W.  SMITH. 


To  his  Grace  the  Lord  Archbishop  of  Canterbury . 


REMARKS 

on  an  Act  lately  passed  in  the  Massachusetts  Government,  erecting  and  in¬ 
corporating  a  New  Society  for  “  Propagating  Christian  Knowledge  among  the 
Indians  in  North  America.” 

I. 

This  Act  seems  an  Encroachment  on  the  Rights  of  other 
American  Provinces  ;  and  in  the  Execution  will  un¬ 
doubtedly  be  attended  with  much  Jealousy  and  Con¬ 
fusion,  so  far  as  this  New  Society  may  claim  any 
care  of  the  Indians  that  do  not  belong  to  their  own 
Province.  For 

Every  American  Province  claims,  and  has  always  exercised  the  care  and 
management  of  its  own  Indians  in  immediate  Subordination  to  the  Crown. 
The  Massachusetts  Province  therefore  has  no  right  to  erect  a  Corporation  for 


479 


[1762. 


the  Religious  care  and  instruction  of  any  Indians  but  their  own.  The  other 
Provinces,  from  Temporal  Considerations  of  Trade  with  the  Indians  as  well 
as  from  Religious  Considerations,  will  never  bear  the  sole  care  of  the  Indians 
to  be  engrossed  by  a  particular  Corporation  in  any  single  province,  much  less 
a  corporation  among  whom  there  appears  not  to  be  one  member  of  the 
Church  established  in  the  mother  Country.  And  of  all  Provinces,  the  New 
England  Independents  had  the  least  right  to  think  of  being  indulged  in  this, 
having  few  Indians  belonging  to  their  province ;  the  Bulk  of  this  Body 
belonging  to,  &  bordering  upon  New  York,  Pensylvania,  Virginia,  and  Caro¬ 
lina  ;  in  all  which  (except  Pensylvania)  the  public  and  established  Religion  is 

that  of  the  Church  of  England. 

<_> 

II. 

This  Act  tends  evidently  to  overturn  the  Plan  and  Order 
settled  by  his  Majesty  for  the  Government  of  the 
North  American  Indians.  For 

The  Crown  has  appointed  two  Superintendants  of  Indian  affairs :  one  for  the 
Southern  and  one  for  the  Northern  District  of  America.  Now  this  Act  has 
not  provided  that  the  missionaries  to  be  sent  out  by  this  New  Society  shall  be 
under  any  Direction  of  the  King’s  Superintendant  or  Agent  for  Indian  Affairs, 
and  yet  if  any  Set  of  Religious  Instructors  may  go  among  the  Indians  with¬ 
out  the  Superintendant’s  approbation,  or  continue  among  them  however  ob¬ 
noxious  to  him,  his  Influence  among  them  &  services  to  the  Crown  might 
be  entirely  defeated. 

A  very  late  Instance  will  strengthen  this  remark.  About  six  years  ago  a 
set  of  Quakers  in  Pensylvania  formed  themselves  into  what  they  call’d  “  a 
Friendly  Association  ”  for  (I  think)  pacifying  the  Indians.  This  seemed  an 
innocent  and  praiseworthy  design.  The  Indians  were  then  ravaging  our 
Frontiers.  People  were  willing  to  see  them  pacify’d  by  any  means,  and  if  the 
Quakers’  method  of  good  words  and  large  presents  to  those  who  had  been 
such  cruel  enemies  was  to  be  more  effectual  to  reduce  them  to  reason  than 
chastising  them  in  our  turns  by  the  arm  of  Flesh,  no  body  could  object  to  the 
experiment ;  nay,  people  of  different  denominations  gave  their  money  freely, 
and  the  Friendly  Association  soon  had  a  large  stock.  But  by  this  time  our 
affairs  in  America  put  on  a  new  Face.  The  French  were  driven  from  their 
strongholds ;  the  Indians  left  to  stand  alone,  and  consequently  ready  to  listen 


1 762.] 


480 


to  terms  of  accomodation,  for  which  purpose  the  Quakers’  presents  were  not 
unseasonable,  and  the  Indians  were  at  length  pacified.  The  Friendly  Associ¬ 
ation  ought  therefore  now  to  have  ceased ;  but  far  from  this :  they  turned 
their  thoughts  to  keeping  an  exclusive  management  of  the  Indians  for  the 
purposes  of  Trade  &  Politics,  claiming  to  be  heard  as  a  body  in  all  treaties 
with  them,  so  that  at  last  it  was  found  that  the  Indians  spoke  nothing  but  what 
was  dictated  to  them  by  the  Friendly  Association  ;  and  that  instead  of  treat¬ 
ing  with  Indians  we  were  only  holding  a  parley  with  a  private  Junto  of  our 
own  people. 

The  mischief  of  this  was  clearly  seen  by  Sir  William  Johnson,  the  Super- 
intendant  of  the  northern  Indians,  at  a  treaty  held  last  Summer  at  Easton,  in 
Pensylvania,  where  he  declared  that  as  agent  for  the  Crown,  he  would  suffer 
no  private  society  to  have  any  management  of  Indians  ;  nor  did  know  any 
character  under  which  this  Friendly  Association  could  presume  to  be  present 
at  a  treaty ;  nor  could  suffer  presents  to  be  made  to  the  Indians  thro’  any 
other  Channel  but  that  appointed  by  the  Crown,  nor  in  the  name  of  any  pri¬ 
vate  society  but  the  name  of  the  Government  only. 

Sir  William  Johnson’s  report  of  these  transactions  was  read  and  ap¬ 
proved  at  the  Board  of  Trade  last  Friday,  in  regard  to  a  Land  dispute  stirred 
up  by  this  Friendly  association,  between  the  Indians  and  Proprietors  of  Pen¬ 
sylvania,  in  which  the  said  society  appears  for  Political  purposes  to  have  used 
many  undue  practices  among  the  Indians,  which  were  fully  detected  by  Sir 
William,  and  no  doubt  are  as  fully  laid  before  the  board  in  his  report  &  let¬ 
ters  attending  it. 

Now  if  this  small  voluntary  association  could  in  a  few  years  depart  so  far 
from  their  original  Plan  and  create  so  much  Trouble  to  the  King’s  agent  for 
Indian  affairs,  what  may  not  this  new  Society  at  length  do,  more  especially 
when  it  is  considered  that — 

HI. 

Not  only  the  missionaries  to  be  sent  out  by  the  said  Society,  but  even  the 
Society  itself  are  left  independant  of  all  civil  Controul  &  Government,  being 
made  accountable  to  nobody  by  the  Act  ? 

Now  the  Society  constituted  in  this  Kingdom  for  propagating  the  Gospel 
in  Foreign  parts,  tho’  consisting  of  some  of  the  greatest  personages  both  in 
Church  and  State,  &  exercising  its  office  immediately  in  the  Metropolis  under 


[i  762. 


481 

the  eye  of  Government,  is  yet  made  accountable  annually  for  their  trust. 
Why  then  should  this  new  Society,  subsisting  in  a  distant  province  of  Amer¬ 
ica,  be  left  wholly  accountable  to  themselves  ?  Can  their  avowed  principles 
entitle  them  to  such  a  constitution  ?  All  of  them,  we  may  well  believe,  deny 
the  King’s  supremacy  in  religious  matters.  Dr.  Mayhew,  one  of  the  chief  of 
them,  sneering  at  our  establishment,  says,  “  In  a  certain  Island  the  King  is 
Head  of  the  Church;”  felicitating  himself  that  this  is  not  the  case  in  New 
England.  Now  it  may  be  submitted  how  proper  it  is  to  trust  the  Religious 
Instruction  of  our  Indian  Friends  to  those  who  deny  the  supremacy  &  even 
authority  of  the  King  in  all  religious  matters.  It  appears  from  the  face  of 
this  act  that  it  is  intended  to  be  made  use  of  for  other  purposes  than  its  title 
expresses.  For  there  is  a  Parenthesis  (Page  2nd)  in  which  a  Provision  is 
inserted,  excepting  from  the  general  design  of  converting  the  Indians,  all  such 
sums  “  as  may  be  differently  appropriated  by  the  donors,”  under  Color  of 
which  they  may  carry  on  any  other  design  whatsoever,  and  a  main  design 
seems  to  be  acting  in  opposition  to  a  society  already  constituted  for  similar 
purposes,  subsisting  under  the  eye  of  Government  here,  and  that  has  always 
been  ready  and  desirous  to  send  as  many  missionaries  among  the  Indians  as 
would  be  rendered  useful. 

These  objections,  if  duly  weighed,  must  certainly  shew  this  act  in  its  pres¬ 
ent  form  to  be  very  unfit  for  the  royal  assent  and  confirmation.  To  entitle  it 
to  this,  an  equal  number  of  the  society  at  least  ought  to  have  been  of  the  Es¬ 
tablished  Church ;  they  should  have  been  made  accountable  at  some  proper 
board  or  place  for  their  conduct;  they  should  have  been  confined  to  the  In¬ 
dians  within  their  own  province,  so  as  not  to  breed  confusion  among  the 
various  other  governments ;  their  missionaries  should  have  been  obliged  to 
act  in  Concurrence  with  and  in  Subordination  to  the  King’s  Agent  or  Super- 
intendant  for  Indian  affairs,  and  it  would  seem  too  (unless  it  could  be  shewn 
that  the  Indians  desired  the  contrary),  that  the  missionaries  should  have  been 
of  the  religion  Established  in  the  Mother  Country;  or  at  least  that  such 
should  have  the  preference  where  they  can  be  found  equally  qualified  and  will¬ 
ing  for  the  work ;  and  lastly,  that  they  should  have  been  limited  by  the  act 
from  carrying  on  any  other  designs  in  their  incorporated  capacity,  save  what 
relates  entirely  to  Propagating  Christian  knowledge  among  the  Indians. 

61 


1762.] 


482 


Mr.  CANER  to  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury. 


Boston,  in  N.  E.,  23rd  Decr,  1762. 

My  Lord, 

I  had  the  Honor  of  your  grace’s  letter  of  the  11th  of  August,  and  cannot 
sufficiently  express  my  acknowledgments  for  your  goodness  and  condescen¬ 
sion  in  taking  such  immediate  and  particular  notice  of  my  imperfect  Repre¬ 
sentation  of  matters  that  concern  the  Church  in  these  parts.  I  am  more  par¬ 
ticularly  affected  that  your  grace  should  submit  to  this  task  under  an  afflictive 
disorder,  which  must  make  writing  to  be  very  troublesome.  I  pray  God  to 
remove,  if  it  be  His  bless’d  will,  and  in  the  meantime  to  moderate  the  affliction 
which  hinders  your  grace  from  exerting  all  your  influence  in  the  care  and 
government  of  the  Church  over  which  you  worthily  preside. 

The  facts,  my  Lord,  upon  which  I  founded  my  opinion  of  the  artful  design 
of  erecting  the  Society  I  mentioned,  are  of  such  a  nature  and  have  been  so  pri¬ 
vately  conducted  that  tho’  they  leave  room  for  strong  apprehensions,  yet  will 
not  always  admit  of  a  legal  proof.  Nor  did  I  think  the  recital  of  such  facts 
necessary  for  preventing  the  Royal  assent  to  an  act  so  absurd  as  this  is,  and 
which  is  liable  to  such  mischievous  consequences  to  the  government,  and  it 
was  therefore  my  intention  to  have  left  Religion  out  of  the  question  in  the 
present  case,  and  to  have  insisted  upon  the  Impropriety  of  it  only  in  a  Civil 
Sense. 

However,  in  obedience  to  your  grace’s  commands,  I  shall  mention  a  few 
things  which  (supposing  these  men  to  act  uniformly  and  consistent  with  their 
former  conduct)  are  to  me  a  sufficient  ground  for  apprehending  a  sinister  de¬ 
sign  in  the  members  of  the  Corporation  proposed. 

When  your  Society  first  opened  a  mission  in  the  Narragansett  Country, 
where  there  was  no  settled  Minister  of  any  Denomination,  the  Ministers  and 
others  of  this  town  sent  one  Torrey  of  their  party,  tho’  not  professedly,  to  pre¬ 
vent  the  success  of  his  mission.  This  man  had  so  little  prospect  of  success, 
that  he  could  get  but  four  persons,  two  men  and  two  women  (as  appears  by  a 
printed  account  now  before  me),  to  give  him  what  they  term  a  Call  to  the  Min¬ 
istry  there,  altho’  if  I  mistake  not,  their  platform  requires  five;  and  altho’  the 
Congregation  collected  by  him  (as  I  have  often  been  inform’d  upon  the  spot) 


483 


[1762. 


for  many  years  consisted  of  but  Eight  or  Ten  People,  yet  they  have  assid¬ 
uously  continued  to  support  it  to  this  very  day.  When  your  Society,  compas¬ 
sionating  the  state  of  Providence,  in  New  England,  at  that  Time  abounding 
with  sectaries  of  all  denominations,  who,  with  no  settled  Ministry  among 
them,  and  agreeing  in  nothing  but  an  abhorrence  of  our  New  England  Inde¬ 
pendants,  from  whom  they  conceiv’d  themselves  to  have  receiv’d  uncommon 
injuries  and  persecutions,  your  Society,  I  say,  no  sooner  sent  a  Missionary 
there,  than  the  Minister  of  this  Town  hastens  one  of  their  own  persuasion  to 
Providence  (his  salary  to  be  paid  from  hence),  to  plant,  if  possible,  their  own 
notions,  in  opposition  to  the  labours  of  the  Society’s  Missionary,  and  tho’  at¬ 
tended  with  very  little  success,  they  have  not  desisted  to  this  day.  About  the 
year  1727,  the  Narragansett  Indians,  by  the  preaching  and  labours  of  the  late 
Dr.  Maisparron,  were  induced  to  countenance  the  setting  up  of  a  Church  among 
them  for  divine  worship,  to  which  purpose  the  Sachem  gave  twenty  acres  of 
land  for  a  Glebe,  and  three  acres  to  Erect  a  Church  upon,  which  was  accord¬ 
ingly  set  up,  and  the  Indians,  with  the  neighbouring  inhabitants,  recommended 
by  the  Governor  and  Council  of  Rhoad  Island,  petitioned  his  Majesty  King 
George  to  grant  a  Missionary  for  that  service.  Of  this  transaction  thus  far,  I 
myself  was  an  eye-witness.  The  Petition  indeed  receiv’d  no  answer,  but  it 
stirred  up  the  activity  of  the  Dissenters  in  this  Town,  who  presently  sent  one 
Parker,  a  weak,  enthusiastic  man,  to  be  Minister  in  that  neighbourhood,  ap¬ 
parently  again  (tho’  not  professedly)  to  defeat,  as  far  as  he  was  able,  the 
scheme  that  had  been  form’d. 

Before  your  Society  opened  a  Mission  upon  Kennebec  River,  the  settlers 
there  could  by  no  endeavour  obtain  a  minister,  tho’  Formerly  that  neighbour¬ 
hood  abounded  with  Indians;  Yet  as  soon  as  a  Missionary  was  settled  there, 
a  succession  of  young  men  were  sent  from  hence  to  offer  their  service,  under 
the  conduct  either  of  a  Fellow  of  the  College,  or  some  elderly  Minister,  not 
professedly  again,  but  apparently  in  my  opinion,  to  prevent  the  Church  of 
England  from  obtaining  an  Establishment  there,  altho’  hitherto  their  endeav¬ 
ours,  by  the  good  conduct  of  Mr.  Bailey,  have  been  rendered  ineffectual. 

Among  all  this  diligence  and  application  of  theirs  to  hinder  the  Advance¬ 
ment  of  Religion,  according  to  the  usage  of  the  Church  of  England,  They 
have  endeavoured  to  Establish  one  Mission  at  Stockbridge,  or  Houstoonuck, 
for  the  Benefit  of  the  Indians  and  English  settlers  in  those  parts,  tho’  now, 
since  the  war  commenced,  dwindled  to  nothing,  like  that  of  your  Society’s  at- 


1762.] 


484 


tempt  among  the  Mohawks ;  and  which  will  always  be  the  case  with  such  mis¬ 
sions  till  the  Indians  are  civilized  and  brought  to  some  regular  method  of 
living.  This  instance,  however,  I  call  an  attempt  to  convert  the  Indians. 
Another  Minister  they  have  helped  to  support  at  Natic,  a  place  about  thirty 
miles  from  Boston,  where  there  are  about  twelve  families  of  civilized  Indians 
among  English  Inhabitants.  They  have  also  sometimes  assisted  in  the  sup¬ 
port  of  a  Minister  at  Martha’s  Vineyard,  where  there  are  a  number  of  Indian 
Inhabitants  as  well  as  English,  but  intirely  civilized  and  under  the  regulation 
of  English  Laws  and  Customs. 

When  I  say  the  Ministers  and  others  of  Boston  have  paid  the  expenses  of 
the  several  excursions  above  mentioned,  I  do  not  mean  that  they  advanc’d  the 
Money  among  themselves,  but  only  that  they  directed  the  application  of  it. 
For  the  Money  (as  I  am  inform’d),  is  chiefly  sent  from  a  society  in  Scotland, 
and  perhaps  much  of  it  from  their  brethren  in  England,  and  lodged  with  a 
sort  of  corresponding  members  or  Trustees  here,  to  be  distributed  at  their  dis¬ 
cretion.  The  instances  mentioned  above  are  all  that  I  can  recollect  of  their  at¬ 
tempts  to  convert  the  Heathen,  which,  compared  with  their  expensive  endeav¬ 
ours  to  defeat  the  Establishment  of  the  Church  of  England  in  these  parts, 
may  convince  any  unprejudiced  person  where  their  Zeal  is  chiefly  pointed,  and 
give  a  reasonable  foundation  to  be  apprehensive  of  any  combination  of  theirs 
supported  by  so  large  a  fund,  notwithstanding  any  specious  pretence  with 
which  such  a  design  may  be  shadowed. 

I  will  just  mention  one  thing  more,  which  tends  to  confirm  my  suspicion. 
When  subscriptions  were  handing  about  in  the  most  private  manner  for  form¬ 
ing  the  society  now  in  question,  some  busy  undertaker  inadvertantly  applied 
to  Collr  Royall,  who  is  a  member  of  the  Church  of  England  and  one  of  his 
Majesty’s  council,  who  readily  and  generously  subscrib’d  (and  who  was  the 
only  one  of  the  Church  of  England  to  whom  the  subscription,  as  far  as  I  can 
learn,  was  ever  offered  or  communicated) ;  but  when  the  Collr  s  came  to  be 
known  to  the  rest  of  the  associates,  he  was  desired,  as  I  am  inform’d,  to  with¬ 
draw  his  subscription,  as  being  of  a  different  persuasion  from  the  rest,  but 
this  he  refused,  replying  that  they  might  vote  him  out  if  they  pleased,  but  that 
he  should  not  voluntarily  withdraw.  I  have  not  lately  seen  the  Collr  to  ask 
him  the  Truth  of  this  report,  but  the  person  who  inform’d  me  thinks  he  had 
it  from  his  own  Mouth. 

It  was  from  these  and  suchlike  instances  my  Lord,  that  I  form’d  my  opinion 


4§  5 


[i  762. 


of  the  Hidden  Design  and  Intention  of  Erecting  this  new  society;  whether 
I  had  sufficient  ground  for  my  apprehensions,  I  must  leave  to  your  Grace  to 
judge.  No  man  is  more  disposed  to  a  candid  opinion  and  friendly  treatment 
of  the  Dissenters  than  myself.  But  when  I  see  them  employed  with  an  un¬ 
wearied  activity  to  destroy  the  good  effects  which  your  society  have  for  above 
sixty  years  been  labouring  to  produce,  I  must  own  I  cannot  help  expressing 
my  concern,  and  using  all  my  little  influence  to  defeat  their  endeavours;  al- 
tho’  I  am  of  Opinion  that  no  attempt  to  convert  the  Indians  will  effectually 
succeed  till  they  are  civilized,  and  brought  off  from  their  savage  way  of 
living;  Yet  had  the  Gentlemen  of  this  new  society  any  disinterested 
disposition  to  make  Tryal  of  that  work,  your  society  was  ready  form’d  and 
Incorporated  by  Royal  Charter,  for  that  among  other  purposes  to  whose 
trust,  therefore,  they  might  have  safely  confided  any  sums,  expressly  limiting 
the  application  to  that  undertaking.  In  short,  my  Lord,  in  every  view  that 
I  can  take  of  it,  I  am  obliged  to  look  upon  it  as  a  party  affair,  unnecessary 
in  itself,  and  liable  to  many  very  bad  consequences. 

The  Pamphlet  your  Grace  refers  to  is  another  instance  of  the  misguided 
zeal  and  improper  spirit  with  which  these  men  are  acted.  People  of  our 
Communion,  and  particularly  the  Clergy,  have  thought  it  their  duty  to  culti¬ 
vate  a  friendly  Temper  towards  the  Dissenters  at  this  Juncture,  especially 
when  the  common  cause  of  our  country  required  that  every  hand  and  heart 
should  unite  in  its  defence  But  see,  my  Lord,  the  return  we  have  met  with 
for  our  good  will.  Indeed  slander  and  misrepresentation  are  found  more  suc¬ 
cessful  than  argument,  at  least  they  are  more  frequently  used.  But  I  confess 
I  had  not  the  apprehension  of  the  evil  influence  of  this  Pamphlet  which  your 
Grace  seems  to  entertain.  Some  of  my  Brethren  consulted  me  upon  it  at  its 
first  appearance,  and  I  frankly  gave  it  as  my  sentiment  that  it  did  not  deserve 
an  ansr;  That  to  enter  into  controversy  with  such  dirty  Writers  was  doing 
them  an  Honor,  and  giving  their  scribbling  an  importance  which  neither  of 
them  merited;  That  ev’ry  serious  man  of  either  persuasion  must  look  upon 
it  with  contempt,  as  ev’ry  man  knew  it  to  be  a  forgery  ;  That  should  it  be 
answered,  we  might  expect  a  rejoynder,  since  the  same  spirit  and  Temper 
would  always  be  ready  with  some  scurrilous  reply,  knowing  that  by  scattering 
dirt  plentifully,  some  of  it  would  probably  stick,  and  that  finally  we  should  be 
obliged  to  recede,  first  (which  with  the  vulgar  is  equal  to  yielding  a  victory), 
because  their  numbers  enable  them  to  bear  the  charge  of  these  things  longer 


1 762.] 


486 


than  we  can;  for  these  and  the  like  reasons  I  thought  it  best  to  be  silent. 
However,  should  an  answer  be  undertaken,  I  thought  it  ought  to  be  conducted 
either  in  the  method  your  grace  has  prescribed  (which  I  then  largely  men¬ 
tioned),  or  else  upon  their  own  plan,  affirming  that  the  letter  pretended  to  was 
false  copy,  and  that  the  present  reply  was  the  original.  In  which  method 
there  would  be  an  Opportunity  of  setting  the  Church  of  England  and  the 
conduct  of  her  Clergy  here  in  a  fair  and  just  light,  and  if  recriminations  were 
thought  proper,  we  should  have  field  enough  to  make  the  party  blush  if  any 
shame  were  left,  without  deviating  at  all  from  truth  and  fact. 

These,  my  Lord,  were  my  sentiments  in  regard  to  this  Pamphlet,  which  I 
am  sorry  did  not  fall  in  more  perfectly  with  your  Grace’s  opinion,  and  which, 
had  I  earlier  known,  I  should  certainly  have  thought  it  my  duty  to  concur  with. 
In  the  meantime,  I  hear  Mr.  Beach  of  Reading,  is  preparing  an  answer  to  it,  but 
of  what  kind  I  cannot  say,  and  it  is  probable  I  may  not  know  till  I  see  it  from 
the  Press. 

This  I  can  truly  say,  that  without  such  boasted  pretences  to  Godliness,  the 
Professors  of  the  Church  of  England  here,  in  general,  in  point  of  Moral 
Character  are  at  least  equal  to  the  dissenters.  If  Foreigners  were  to  speak, 
they  would  perhaps  say  more.  And  as  to  the  Ministers  and  Missionaries  em¬ 
ploy’d  thro’out  the  several  Governments  of  New  England,  ev’ry  one  of  whom 
except  two  or  three  lately  come  over,  I  personally  know ;  Altho’  I  see  some 
things  in  a  few  which  I  cannot  approve,  and  wish  were  amended,  Yet  I  can 
seriously  affirm  that  with  all  their  defects  they  are  not  to  be  equall’d  by  the 
same  number  of  dissenting  preachers,  taken  indifferently,  either  as  to  ability, 
soundness  of  doctrine,  or  a  good  and  exemplary  Life  and  Conversation.  To 
this  Tryal  I  dare  challenge  the  Dissenters,  tho’  they  have  a  most  extraordinary 
talent  at  praising  themselves.  I  have  for  above  thirty  years  past  been  no  un- 
attentive  observer  of  the  state  of  Religion  in  this  part  of  the  world,  and  am 
of  opinion  that  your  society  is  intitled  to  all  possible  gratitude  from  hence,  for 
the  many  great  and  good  effects  which,  under  God,  have  been  the  consequence 
of  their  Endeavours.  To  these  it  is  principally  owing  that  the  knowledge  of 
the  People,  in  matters  that  concern  Religion,  have  been  greatly  enlarged;  that 
Infidelity  and  Enthusiasm  have  been  kept  within  some  bounds;  and  if  Practi¬ 
cal  Religion  and  Vital  Piety  have  not  prevailed  so  much  as  might  be  wished, 
or  your  laudable  endeavours  have  merited,  I  look  upon  it  as  rather  owing  to 
the  general  corruption  of  the  age,  and  that  licentiousness  of  manners  which 


487 


[1762. 


abounds  thro’out  the  Nation,  than  to  any  particular  defect  in  the  conduct  of 
your  society,  or  the  want  of  Diligence  and  Prudence  in  those  you  have  em¬ 
ploy’d. 

Your  Grace  thinks  it  may  be  objected  that  your  society  have  done  little 
towards  converting  the  Indians.  I  confess  they  have  done  little,  and  yet  I 
think  they  could  not  have  done  more,  nor  perhaps  ever  will  be  able  to  do 
anything  considerable  till  the  civil  Government  have  done  more  than  they  have 
yet  done  to  facilitate  such  an  undertaking.  It  is  a  popular  topic  for  the  Dis¬ 
senters  to  expatiate  upon,  and  wise  and  understanding  men  among  us  look 
upon  it  in  that  light,  who  very  well  know  that  if  your  society  have  done  little, 
they  have  done  still  less.  I  beg  your  Grace  will  indulge  me  in  a  few  things 
more. 

Our  friends  in  England  appear  to  me  to  have  entertained  too  high  an 
opinion  of  the  Influence  and  Interest  of  the  Dissenters  here,  and  too  con¬ 
temptible  an  one  of  that  of  the  Church  of  England.  We  have  three  large 
Churches  in  this  town,  and  by  the  public  list  of  Taxes  it  appears  that  we  pay 
one  third  of  the  whole.  As  far  as  I  can  learn,  the  Zeal  of  the  Dissenters  here 
is  not  very  expensive  to  themselves,  but  by  strong  representation  from  hence, 
their  friends  in  England  and  Scotland  are  induced  to  bear  the  burden  of  what 
they  amuse  the  world  with  as  their  own.  They  have  what  they  call  an  Evan¬ 
gelical  Treasury  here,  which  I  am  inform’d  is  chiefly  supplied  from  England 
and  Scotland,  but  applied  at  the  pleasure  of  a  Junto  here.  The  transactions 
of  this  Society,  and  indeed  all  their  transactions  of  this  kind,  are  entirely 
secret,  no  public  or  printed  account  given,  either  from  whence  the  Benefactions 
come,  or  how  they  are  applied.  And  this,  indeed,  is  the  principal  objection  I 
have  to  the  incorporating  their  new  society.  Let  the  act  be  but  amended,  let 
them  be  obliged  to  publish,  like  your  Society,  an  annual  account  of  their  fund, 
of  the  Benefactions  Received,  and  how  they  have  been  disposed  of,  and  I  have 
no  further  objection.  Let  them  be  incorporated  and  try  what  they  can  do, 
and  God  give  them  success.  Till  that  is  done,  I  must  have  leave  to  suspect 
the  application  of  so  considerable  a  fund  is  rather  intended  to  promote  party 
designs  than  true  Religion. 

There  is  one  thing  which  I  have  observed  has  been,  and  continues  to 
be  of  more  disservice  to  your  Society,  and  gives  the  Dissenters  greater  ad¬ 
vantage  than  anything  else  that  I  know,  and  that  is  the  unguarded  accounts 
of  some  younger  missionaries,  sent  home  to  the  Society,  and  too  literally  pub- 


1 762.] 


488 


lished  in  their  abstracts.  These  Accounts  are  sometimes  so  very  sanguine, 
that  I,  who  very  well  know  their  several  missions  and  the  state  of  them,  have 
myself  been  really  grieved  that  their  letters  had  not  been  conceiv’d  in  more 
modest  terms.  This  has  induced  some  good  men  here  to  wish  that  either 
such  letters  as  are  designed  to  be  sent  home  were  submitted  to  the  inspection 
of  some  cooler  head,  to  soften  the  terms  in  which  they  are  express’d,  or  else 
that  their  accounts  were  laid  before  such  person,  to  be  formed  into  one  com¬ 
mon  draught,  comprehending  their  several  representations,  and  in  that  form 
transmitted  to  the  Society.-  This  need  not  prevent  the  Missionaries  from  cor¬ 
responding  separately  with  the  Society ;  but  it  would  enable  the  Secretary  to 
judge  how  far  it  might  be  proper  to  suppress  some  sanguine  expression  in 
private  letters,  by  comparing  them  with  the  more  public  account.  A  little 
more  than  twenty  years  ago  I  remember  the  Society  printed  a  paper  of  the 
kind  I  now  mention,  and  sent  it  over  as  a  formulary  to  be  complied  with.  In 
the  first  column  was  the  name  of  each  Mission,  opposite  to  which,  in  the  sun¬ 
dry  other  columns,  were  to  be  put  down  the  several  matters  which  the  Society 
desired  to  be  inform’d  of.  Each  Missionary  was  obliged  to  send  annually  an 
account  of  his  Mission  to  the  Commissary,  with  whom  a  number  of  blanks 
was  lodged,  and  who  was  to  fill  up  one  of  them  from  time  to  time  with  these 
amounts,  and  transmit  them  to  the  Secretary.  This  was  undoubtedly  a  whole¬ 
some  provision,  nor  have  I  been  able  to  conjecture  why  it  was  laid  aside;  as 
I  am  not  a  member  of  the  Society,  this  may  be  thought  impertinent  in  me, 
but  I  trust  your  Grace  will  forgive  it,  as  the  effect  of  my  earnest  desire  that 
the  pious  Endeavours  of  the  Society  may  be  attended  with  that  success  they 
deserve,  and  which  well-disposed  men  pray  for.  As  what  I  have  wrote  above 
relative  to  our  new  corporation  was  intended  to  satisfy  your  Grace  what  rea¬ 
sons  I  had  for  suspecting  some  unfair  design  in  the  members  of  it,  and  as 
there  are  reasons  enough  of  a  civil  nature  for  opposing  the  Establishing  this 
Act,  without  making  use  of  these  Motives,  I  must  beg  your  Grace  not  to 
communicate  my  observations  unless  it  be  to  trusty  friends  who  will  make  a 
proper  use  of  them.  Doctr  Johnson  has,  I  perceive,  communicated  what  your 
Grace  wrote  to  him  upon  this  subject  to  some,  and  I  wish  it  may  not  propa¬ 
gate  till  it  gets  into  improper  hands.  I  have  no  inclination  to  enter  into  a 
controversy  with  these  men,  nor  would  willingly  bring  the  Resentment  of  a 
Government  upon  myself,  if  it  may  be  avoided.  The  Act  was  sent  to  your 
Grace  as  soon  as  it  appear’d  in  print,  tho’  possibly  a  Copy  might  be 


489  [i  763* 

sent  home  long  before,  by  those  whose  interest  it  was  to  delay  the  publica¬ 
tion. 

I  beg  the  continuance  of  your  Grace’s  Blessing  and  Prayers, 

Being  your  most  dutiful, 
most  obedient, 

and  most  humble  servant, 

H.  CANER. 

- ♦ - 


Mr.  CANER  to  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury. 


Boston,  in  N.  England,  Jany  7th,  1763. 

My  Lord, 

It  is  but  a  few  days  since  I  had  the  pleasure  of  answering  the  Letter 
which  your  Grace  did  me  the  honor  to  write  of  the  eleventh  of  August.  Yet 
as  some  things  have  since  occurr’d  which  it  may  not  be  improper  to  mention, 
I  have  taken  the  opportunity  of  doing  it  by  the  Bearer,  Mr.  Roger  Viet,  with 
whom  indeed  I  have  but  a  few  days’  personal  acquaintance,  but  who  is  recom¬ 
mended  by  some  of  the  Clergy  in  Connecticut  for  holy  orders  and  a  Mission 
at  Lymesbury;  concerning  which  Matter  I  can  only  say,  that  some  of  the 
Clergy  in  that  Government  have  wrote  to  me  that,  altho’  they  know  nothing 
exceptionable  in  Mr.  Viet’s  conduct,  yet  there  is  a  party  in  the  Parish  who  are 
not  fond  of  his  settling  among  them;  from  which  circumstance  they  are 
apprehensive  of  bad  consequences  if  he  should  be  sent  to  that  place,  and 
do  therefore  wish  the  society  might  employ  him  in  some  other  mission. 

My  Lord,  I  hinted  in  my  last  that,  altho’  the  Dissenters  were  fond  of 
amusing  the  world  with  pretences  to  great  disinterestedness  in  promoting  the 
cause  of  Religion,  yet  that  their  Zeal  is  chiefly  pointed  at  suppressing  the 
Church  of  England;  as  a  farther  proof  of  which,  besides  the  Pamphlet  your 
Grace  took  notice  of,  they  are  now  reprinting  here  De  Laune’s  Plea  for  the 
Non-conformists,  in  order  to  give  people  the  worst  impressions  of  our  Church; 
they  have  also  lately  printed  a  sermon  by  Dr.  Chauncy  of  this  Town,  in  sup¬ 
port  of  the  validity  of  Presbyterian  ordination,  not  without  hard  and  ungener¬ 
ous  reflections  upon  Episcopal  Government,  preached  at  a  Lecture  with  an 

62 


1 763-] 


490 


annual  Establishment  for  this  among  other  purposes,  by  the  last  will  and  Tes¬ 
tament  of  Paul  Dudley,  Esqre,  late  Chief  Justice  of  the  Province;  the  principal 
attempt  of  this  sermon  is  to  Invalidate  the  Evidence  of  Ignatius’s  Epistles  in 
favor  of  Episcopacy,  by  Renewing  the  charge  of  Spuriousness  and  Forgery, 
from  which  they  have  been  so  well  vindicated  by  the  learned  Bishop  Pearson. 

Another  sermon  was  published  the  last  year  by  one  Styles,  which  was  En¬ 
titled  “the  Union,”  the  author’s  intention  being  to  invite  all  parties  and  sects 
in  the  Country  to  unite  against  the  Church  of  England. 

To  all  these  provocations  and  Insults,  our  Clergy  have  made  no  reply, 
avoiding  to  be  thought  disturbers  of  the  public  peace  by  encouraging  dis¬ 
affection  among  the  people  at  a  time  when  their  union  was  so  absolutely 
necessary,  but  have  peaceably  applied  themselves  to  the  cultivation  of 
practical  piety,  and  the  suppression  of  Vice  and  Immorality.  The  only  reason 
that  I  can  give  for  that  bitterness  of  spirit  which  seems  thus  of  a  sudden  to 
break  out  among  the  Dissenters  is,  that  they  look  upon  the  war  as  near  a 
conclusion,  and  that  a  great  part  of  the  conquests  made  in  America  will 
probably  be  ceded  to  the  British  Crown.  So  remarkable  a  Crisis,  it  is  natural 
to  imagine,  will  fall  under  such  regulations  as  will  either  greatly  establish  the 
Church  of  England,  or  the  Dissenting  Interest,  in  this  part  of  the  world. 
Their  activity  is  therefore  employed  to  the  uttermost,  both  here  and  in  England, 
to  secure  the  Event  in  their  favor.  And  I  am  sorry  to  say,  that  their  conduct 
in  this  matter  is  as  disingenuous  as  their  diligence  is  remarkable. 

Your  Grace  will  not  ask  why  we  take  no  measures  to  oppose  these 
proceedings:  for  besides  what  I  hinted  before,  the  reasons  are  too  obvious — we 
are  a  Rope  of  Sand;  there  is  no  union,  no  authority  among  us;  we  cannot  even 
summon  a  Convention  for  united  Counsell  and  advice,  while  the  Dissenting 
Ministers  have  their  Monthly,  Quarterly,  and  Annual  Associations,  Conven¬ 
tions,  &c.,  to  advise,  assist,  and  support  each  other  in  any  Measures  which  they 
shall  think  proper  to  enter  into.  This,  My  Lord,  is  a  melancholy  subject, 
which  I  take  no  pleasure  to  dwell  upon,  and  therefore  will  conclude  with 
begging  the  Continuance  of  Your  Grace’s  Blessing  and  Prayers  for  us  all,  and 
especially  for 

Your  Grace’s  most  dutiful, 

most  obedient,  and 

most  humble  servant, 

H.  CANER. 


49i 


[1763. 

(P.  S.)  As  I  have  no  occasion  at  this  time  to  write  to  the  Society,  I  beg 
leave  to  acquaint  your  Grace,  that  Dr.  Miller,  the  Society’s  Missionary  at 
Braintree  in  this  neighborhood,  was  seized  with  a  Paralytic  disorder  about 
two  months  ago :  from  which,  if  his  life  should  continue,  there  is  little  or  no 
prospect  of  his  recovery  to  a  Capacity,  of  discharging  his  Duty. 

H.  C. 


Mr.  APTHORP  to  the  Secretary . 


Cambridge  in  New  England,  12th  Feby,  1763. 

Revd  Sir, 

This  Letter  is  in  consequence  of  one  which  I  have  just  rec’d  from  Mr. 
Trecothick,  a  Member  of  the  Society.  In  the  year  1759,  they  appointed  me 
their  Missionary  at  Cambridge,  with  a  salary  of  ^50,  commencing  25th  March. 
By  unavoidable  delays  the  Church  here  was  not  opened  for  divine  Service  till 
above  2  Years  after,  in  October,  1761.  During  this  time  I  drew  no  Bills  on 
the  Society,  not  thinking  myself  at  liberty  to  receive  a  Salary  for  which  I  could 
not  officiate.  I  therefore  determined  to  appropriate  the  Salary  of  that  interval, 
if  allowed  by  the  Society,  to  assist  this  Church  in  the  expense  of  its  building. 
This  I  had  intimated  to  the  late  Secretary,  but  had  not  an  opportunity  of 
knowing  from  him  the  Society’s  pleasure,  and  I  afterwards  drew  a  blank  Bill 
of  Exchange  for  that  2  Years:  not  specifying  the  Sum  which  I  asked  as  the 
Society’s  bounty  to  my  Church.  But  as  Mr.  Trecothick,  to  whom  I  transmitted 
my  bills,  now  acquaints  me  that  “  no  part  of  my  Salary  has  been  yet  rec’d,  & 
that  the  whole  from  the  Lady  day  preceding  my  appointment  to  this  Mission 
stands  to  my  credit  in  the  Society’s  books,  &  waits  only  the  appearance  of  my 
bills  with  proper  advice  to  the  Secretary,”  I  now  think  it  incumbent  on  me  to 
draw  Bills  on  the  Society  for  my  Salary  from  25th  March,  1759,  to  29th  Septr, 
1761  (wherein  I  could  not  officiate  at  Cambridge),  for  ^125  Sterling:  which  Sum. 
if  granted  by  the  Society,  is  entirely  appropriated  to  the  benefit  of  this  Church, 
towards  the  payment  of  its  debts,  which  here  &  in  England  amount  to  above 
^500,  &  are  a  great  incumbrance  to  our  New  Settlement  &  small  Congrega¬ 
tion.  As  I  have  no  personal  interest  in  the  above  Sum  of  ^125, 1  take  leave 


1763-] 


492 


to  repeat  my  instances  to  you  &  the  Society,  that  it  may  be  paid  to  Mr. 
Trecothick  for  the  use  of  this  Church ;  which  it  is  hoped  will  become  more 
extensively  useful  when  freed  from  its  present  incumbrances. 

With  regard  to  my  Salary  since  I  have  actually  officiated,  I  have  considered 
it  as  commencing  from  29th  Sep tr,  1761,  about  which  time  the  Church  was 
opened.  I  accord’ly  drew  for  One  Year’s  Salary,  last  Micha’s,  which  I  do 
regularly  once  a  Year,  on  the  same  Quarter  day,  during  my  future  Service. 

I  persuade  myself  you  will  excuse  this  particular  detail,  as  to  suggest  a 
method  of  easing  the  debt  of  my  Church  is  doing  it  an  effectual  Service.  At 
this  Season  of  the  Year  I  have  a  very  small  Congregation  of  the  neighbouring 
families ;  but  in  Summer  the  Church  is  well  frequented :  it  will  in  time 
probably  answer  the  views  of  the  Society,  &  become  more  useful  to 
religion. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

EAST  APTHORP. 


Mr ,  CANER  to  the  Secretary, 


Boston,  Feby  19th,  1763. 

Revd  Sir, 

The  present  melancholy  state  of  the  Mission  at  Braintree,  lays  me  under 
the  disagreeable  necessity  of  acquainting  the  Society  with  the  death  of  the 
Revd  Dr.  Miller,  their  late  worthy  Missionary  at  that  place,  from  whose  funeral 
I  am  just  now  retd. 

At  the  earnest  desire  of  that  Church  I  am  induced  to  transmit  their 
acknowledgments  to  the  Society  for  their  compassionate  care  of  them  hitherto, 
&  to  beg  the  continuance  of  their  favors  in  appointing  a  Successor  to  their 
late  worthy  Pastor. 

About  a  Year  ago,  at  the  desire  of  the  People  of  Stoughton  &  Dedham,  I 
mentd  the  great  want  of  a  Missionary  for  those  2  Towns,  who  are  about  4  Miles 
asunder  &  about  1 2  from  Braintree.  Their  distress  is  now  much  increased  by 
the  death  of  Dr.  Miller,  who  was  the  only  Missionary  capable  of  giving  them 
assistance.  If  it  be  not  consistent  with  the  circumstances  or  inclination  of  the 
Society  to  provide  more  than  one  Missionary  for  these  3  Churches,  it  may 


493 


[i  763- 


possibly  be  most  for  their  common  Interest  if  the  Society  should  direct  the 
succeeding  Missionary  to  officiate  alternately  one  Sunday  at  Braintree  &  the 
other  at  Dedham  or  Stoughton.  These  are  indeed  but  small  Churches: 
Braintree  consisting  of  about  28  or  30  Families,  Dedham  of  12  or  14,  & 
the  Church  at  Stoughton  of  18;  but  they  are  a  very  worthy  honest  People 
&  deserving  of  the  Society’s  compassion,  to  which  I  beg  leave  heartily  to 
recommend  them. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

H.  CANER. 


Mr.  THOMPSON  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Scituate,  New  England,  Lady  day,  1763. 

Revd  Sir, 

Since  my  last  of  Septr  25,  1762,  I  have  recd  yr  Letter  of  Feb’y  23d,  1762, 
&  I  most  humbly  beg  yours  &  the  Hon’ble  Socy’s  pardon  for  any  omission  or 
unintelligible  expression  in  my  letter  of  Septr  25th,  1761,  which  you  refer  to,  & 
I  beg  leave  to  acquaint  the  Hon’ble  Society  that  in. Scituate,  Hanover,  Marsh¬ 
field,  &  Pembroke,  the  Towns  in  my  Mission,  there  are  700  families  of  various 
persuasions.  Some  call  themselves  Presbyterians,  some  Independants,  some 
Congregationalists,  some  Anabaptists,  some  Quakers,  &  some  there  are  that 
make  no  profession  of  any  religion,  and  the  number  of  those  who  profess 
themselves  of  the  Church  of  England  are  50  families,  who  came  into  the 
Church  after  proper  instruction  from  among  those  different  denominations  of 
Dissenters,  &  behave  themselves  regular  &  are  steady  in  their  attendance  on 
the  public  Worship  of  God;  &  the  Number  of  actual  Communicants  of  the 
Church  of  England  at  present  is  47  White  Persons  &  3  Indians. 

In  the  last  £  Year  I  have  baptized  2  White  Infants  &  one  Indian  Child.  I 
steadily  officiate  at  Sl  Andrew’s  in  Scituate  4  Sundays,  and  on  the  5th  at 
Trinity  Church  in  Marshfield,  &  once  a  month  at  the  New  Church  at  Bridge- 
water  on  a  Week  day  in  the  Summer  Season  *  *  * 

EBENEZER  THOMPSON. 


1 7^3-] 


494 


Mr.  BASS  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Newbury,  New  England,  March  25th,  1763. 

Revd  Dr., 

I  have  rec’d  the  Society’s  Instructions  relating  to  the  affair  of  Queen 
Anne’s  Chapel,  in  this  Town,  and  have  conformed  thereunto — altho’  as  I 
perceive  the  Revd  &  Hond  Society  do  not  think  it  convenient  to  grant  the 
Amesbury  People  a  Missionary  at  present,  yet  if  they  should  think  proper  to 
send  them  a  few  small  books  &  pamphlets  tending  to  recommend  the  Service 
of  the  Church,  such  as  are  usually  sent  by  the  Society,  I  am  persuaded  it 
would  do  great  Service  *  *  * 

EDWARD  BASS. 


Better  from  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  to  Mr.  CANER. 

Good  Me.  Caner, 

I  thank  you  heartily  for  your  two  letters  of  Decr  23,  1762  and  Jany  7, 
1763,  and  I  have  no  doubt  but  the  Intentions  of  the  Dissenters  are  such  as 
you  represent.  Indeed  your  several  Facts  prove  it  to  any  Considerate  per¬ 
son.  But  I  earnestly  desire  that  you  would  examine  whether  it  be  true  that 
Collr  Royall  was  requested  to  withdraw  his  subscription,  for  this  would  be  in 
effect  an  acknowledgement  of  their  purpose.  The  act  would  have  been 
rejected  by  the  board  of  Trade.  I  mean  they  would  have  made  a  report 
against  it,  to  the  privy  Council,  on  Political  Considerations,  if  Lord  Sandys 
had  continued  at  the  head  of  that  board  one  day  longer,  and  I  believe  it  will 
be  done  still. 

You  judge  very  rightly,  that  it  would  not  be  desirable  to  raise  a  formal 
controversy  upon  the  Pamphlet  which  I  mentioned  to  you.  I  did  not  then 
know  that  Mr.  Beach  had  any  thoughts  of  answering  it.  But  now  I  do  know 
it,  I  will  take  care  that  he  shall  be  acquainted  with  my  opinion  concerning 


495 


[i  763- 


the  subject,  and  particularly  shall  be  told  that  I  conceive  he  will  do  well  to 
declare  beforehand  that  he  will  carry  on  the  dispute  no  further.  And  Indeed, 
as  the  Pamphlet  is  anonymous,  his  answer  may  be  so  too. 

Your  testimony  to  the  good  character  of  our  Missionaries  and  the  useful¬ 
ness  of  their  labours  gives  me  great  satisfaction.  They  have  suffered  much 
in  their  Reputation  here,  for  want  of  being  distinguished  in  discourse  from 
some  others  of  the  Episcopal  Clergy,  particularly  of  the  Southern  Parts.  I 
hope  there  will  be  now  a  more  favorable  Season  for  the  instruction  of  the 
Indians  than  we  or  our  Fathers  have  known ;  that  we  shall  do  our  best,  be  it 
more  or  less,  to  improve  the  opportunity,  and  that  the  Civil  power  in  America 
will  have  directions  from  hence  to  assist  us.  Yet  I  would  not  speak  too  con¬ 
fidently  of  these  things,  especially  of  the  last.  Little  hath  been  said  hitherto 
on  the  subject  of  Bishops,  to  the  King’s  Ministers,  and  less  by  them.  The 
Dissenters  indeed  give  out  that  we  are  very  busy  upon  it,  and  have  made  a 
great  progress,  and  thus  they  endeavour  to  raise  an  alarm.  Between  the 
present  Session  of  Parliament,  which  is  expected  to  end  in  about  three  weeks, 
and  the  next,  the  affairs  of  America  will  probably  be  taken  into  consideration 
by  our  great  men,  and  then  will  be  the  time  for  us  to  try  our  interest  with 
them.  But  the  less  is  said  about  the  matter  beforehand  without  doors  the 
better. 

Doubtless  the  Dissenters  treat  us  very  unkindly  by  publishing  pieces 
against  us  now,  when  we  never  were  less  disposed  to  give  them  any  offence. 
But  as  you  observe,  they  have  their  reasons  and  are  wise  in  their  Gen¬ 
eration.  We  must  study  to  be  so  too,  and  not  be  provoked  into  saying  any¬ 
thing  which  they  can  turn  into  a  handle  against  us.  Indeed  I  think,  as  far  as 
I  can  judge  on  a  cursory  view,  that  Mr.  Stiles  and  Dr.  Chauney,  whose  dis¬ 
courses  you  have  been  so  kind  as  to  send  me,  are  tolerably  moderate,  all 
things  considered,  in  what  they  say  of  us.  For  they  must  be  expected  to  say 
things  which  we  do  not  like,  as  we  should  be  apt  to  say  things,  on  the  same 
occasions,  which  they  would  like  as  little.  They,  I  hope,  are  losing  ground, 
and  such  are  commonly  angry.  We  are  gaining  it,  and  we  shall  gain  it  much 
the  faster  by  preserving  good  Temper. 

Mr.  Styles  hath  entered  into  a  great  deal  of  curious  matter,  both  ecclesi¬ 
astical  and  political.  I  should  be  glad  to  know  how  just  his  representation  is 
of  the  present  state  of  the  Several  Religious  Denominations.  He  saith  the 
Congregational  party  is  the  Established  Church  in  New  England,  but  that 


1 7^3-] 


496 


they  do  not  require  others  to  pay  towards  the  support  of  that  Church.  Now 
I  had  understood  that  no  Church  was,  properly  speaking,  established  there, 
and  that  yet  the  Congregational  Party  did  require  others  to  Pay  to  the  Con¬ 
gregational  Ministers  at  least  in  some  places. 

I  am  extremely  sorry  that  any  of  our  Missionaries  are  led,  either  by  Van¬ 
ity  or  otherwise,  to  send  us  accounts  which  are  too  favorable  and  mislead  us. 
The  old  method  mentioned  by  you  was  never  laid  aside  with  the  consent  of 
the  Society ;  many  if  not  most  of  the  Missionaries  observe  it  in  substance 
still,  and  such  as  do  not  have  been  particularly  admonished  by  the  Present 
Secretary  to  return  to  it.  We  are  indeed  willing  to  hear  from  them  all  some¬ 
thing  further  than  can  well  be  expressed  in  that  method  of  Information.  And 
no  wonder  that  we  publish  it,  when  it  is  to  our  advantage.  But  nothing  can 
be  of  real  advantage  further  than  it  is  true ;  nor  is  every  truth  always  to  be 
published.  And  therefore  the  Secretary  shall  have  directions  to  charge  our 
correspondents,  that  they  be  accurate  and  discreet  in  what  they  write,  and  to 
be  so  himself  in  what  he  prints.  And  our  friends  in  America  will  be  very 
kind  in  reproving  our  young  missionaries  gently  when  they  find  them  faulty 
in  this  respect,  and  in  giving  us  exacter  informations,  together  with  Cautions 
what  things  it  may  be  better  for  us  to  pass  over  in  silence. 

I  shall  be  careful  not  to  name  any  persons  without  need  on  this  or  any 
other  like  occasion.  As  Dr.  Johnson  is  the  only  person  besides  you  with 
whom  at  present  I  statedly  correspond,  and  as  I  have  formerly  intimated  the 
necessity  of  proper  Secresy  to  him,  and  take  him  to  be  a  prudent  as  well  as 
a  good  man,  I  write  freely  and  openly  to  you  both.  Neither  your  name  nor 
that  of  the  Society  will  be  mentioned  here  in  relation  to  the  act  of  assembly. 

We  have  appointed  Mr.  Viett  assistant  to  Mr.  Gibbs,  at  Simsbury.  For 
as  we  understand  the  party  who  oppose  him  to  be  in  the  Interest  of  one  Mr. 
Bernard,  who  is  not  of  the  Church  of  England,  and  as  Mr.  Viett  hath  friends 
and  relations  there,  we  think  fixing  him  in  that  place  immediately,  the  Best 
way  to  prevent  bad  consequences. 

I  am,  with  much  regard, 

Your  loving  Brother, 

Lambeth,  March  30,  1763.  THOs  CANT. 


497 


t 

[1763 


Extract  fro?n  the  Council  Books  concerning  the  Act  of  the 
Assembly  at  Boston ,  for  a  Society  to  propagate  Christian 
Knowledge  among  the  Indians . 


May,  1763. 

Memd.  On  the  11th  of  May,  1763,  the  Lords  of  the  Committee  took  into 
consideration  a  Report  of  the  Board  of  Trade,  upon  an  Act  pass’d  in  the 
Province  of  the  Massachusets  Bay,  in  Feby,  1762,  Entitled  an  Act  to  incor¬ 
porate  certain  persons,  by  the  name  of  the  Society  for  Propagating  Christian 
Knowledge  among  the  Indians  of  North  America — And  reported  as  their 
opinion  to  His  Majesty,  that  the  Act  ought  to  be  repealed,  and  on  the  20th  of 
May,  1763,  His  Majesty  in  Council  was  pleased  to  repeal  the  said  Act. 

No  Bishop  was  present  either  at  the  Committee  or  the  Council. 


Letter  from  Mr.  CANER  to  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury . 


Boston  in  N.  England,  June  8th,  1763. 

My  Lord, 

I  take  the  liberty  of  inclosing  to  your  Grace  two  pamphlets,  one  wrote  by 
Mr.  Apthorpe,  the  Socyetie’s  Missionary  at  Cambridge ;  the  other,  containing 
observations  upon  it,  by  Dr.  Mayhew,  of  this  Town.  The  occasion  of  their 
Publication  was  this :  a  Day  or  two  after  the  Funeral  of  the  late  Dr.  Miller,  of 
Braintree,  an  Indecent  and  antichristian  Insult  upon  his  Memory  was  pub¬ 
lished  in  one  of  our  Newspapers  (supposed  by  Dr.  Mayhew),  representing  the 
Dr  ’s  Ministry  and  Services  in  a  ridiculous  light,  and  reflecting  in  a  ludicrous 
manner  upon  the  Missions  in  General,  and  particularly  that  of  Cambridge, 
with  much  insult  and  abuse  of  the  Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel.  This 
Notorious  breach  of  Humanity  as  well  as  decency  was  modestly  taken  notice 
of  in  a  succeeding  newspaper,  to  which  a  still  more  abusive  and  scurrilous 

reply  was  returned.  A  few  days  after,  Mr.  Apthorpe  Published  the  enclosed 

63 


1763-] 


498 


Pamphlet,  in  vindication  of  the  Institution  and  Conduct  of  the  Society,  which 
occasioned  the  ungenteel  reflections  which  your  Grace  will  find  in  Dr.  May- 
hew’s  Pamphlet,  In  which,  not  content  with  the  Personal  abuse  of  Mr.  Ap- 
thorpe,  he  has  insulted  the  Missions  in  General,  the  Society,  the  Church  of 
England,  in  short,  the  whole  rational  establishment,  in  so  dirty  a  manner,  that 
it  seems  to  be  below  the  Character  of  a  gentleman  to  enter  into  controversy 
with  him.  In  most  of  his  sermons,  of  which  he  published  a  great  number, 
he  introduces  some  malicious  invectives  against  the  Society  or  the  Church  of 
England,  and  if  at  any  time  the  most  candid  and  gentle  remarks  are  made 
upon  such  abuse,  he  breaks  forth  into  such  bitter  and  scurrilous  personal 
reflections,  that  in  truth  no  one  cares  to  have  any  thing  to  do  with  him.  His 
Doctrinal  Principles,  which  seem  chiefly  copied  from  Ld  Shaftsbury,  Boling- 
broke,  &c.,  are  so  offensive  to  the  generality  of  the  Dissenting  Ministers,  that 
they  refuse  to  admit  him  a  member  of  their  association,  yet  they  appear  to 
be  pleased  with  his  abusing  the  Church  of  England.  But  enough  of  him. 

Our  new  Corporation  finding  themselves  disappointed  in  their  hopes  of 
being  confirmed  at  home,  I  am  told  have  fallen  upon  a  method  of  uniting 
themselves  to  a  society  in  Scotland  (who  I  suppose  are  already  incorporated) 
for  carrying  on  their  purposes.  I  cannot  obtain  any  certain  knowledge  either 
of  that  Society  or  of  the  Designs  of  this,  who  keep  every  thing  a  profound 
secret,  only  now  and  then  something  accidentally  transpires  by  which  means 
it  is  that  I  have  obtained  this  little  intimation.  That  my  former  conjecture 
concerning  their  design  was  not  without  foundation,  is  very  plain,  since  instead 
of  sending  Missionaries  to  the  Indians,  they  have  lately  sent  one  or  two  to 
Kennebec,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Mr.  Bailey,  the  Society’s  Missionary  there. 
In  spite  of  their  caution,  a  little  time  I  suppose  will  more  perfectly  open  their 
real  intention  in  the  late  projected  Incorporation. 

I  humbly  beg  your  Grace’s  Blessing, 

being,  with  all  duty  and  respect, 

Your  Grace’s  most  obedient 

and  most  humble  Servant, 

HENRY  CANER. 


499 


Mr.  CANER  to  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury. 


Boston  in  N.  England,  June  22d,  1763. 

May  it  please  your  Grace, 

The  Bearer  of  this,  Mr.  Samuel  Frink,  waits  upon  the  Lord  Bishop  of 
London  for  holy  orders,  and  upon  the  Society  for  a  Mission  at  Rutland,  a 
place  about  Sixty  Miles  from  Boston,  which  is  the  nearest  place  to  which  that 
people  can  apply  for  the  ordinances  of  Religion  agreable  to  the  Church  of 
England.  Many  Families  of  that  Profession  from  England  and  Ireland  are 
settled  in  Rutland  and  the  neighbouring  places,  and  are  earnestly  desirous  of 
having  the  advantage  of  a  Church  among  them.  To  this  end  they  have  con¬ 
tributed  as  much  as  at  present  they  are  able,  but  to  me  they  appear  likely  to 
support  a  minister  themselves  if  they  might  be  assisted  but  for  a  few  years 
only.  I  received  a  letter  last  year,  signed  by  twenty-four  heads  of  families, 
desiring  that  I  would  favor  them  with  a  visit  and  preach  among  them,  which 
accordingly  I  did,  and  was  highly  pleased  with  the  excursion,  a  very  large 
body  of  People  attending  in  the  fields,  for  they  had  no  house  sufficient  to  con¬ 
tain  them.  They  are  generally  Husbandmen — an  open,  honest,  uncorrupt 
people,  and  I  think  truly  deserving  the  compassion  and  assistance  of  the 
Society. 

As  to  Mr.  Frink,  he  was  born  among  them  (his  father  being  a  dissenting 
Minister  in  that  neighbourhood),  and  they  are  therefore  much  attached  to 
him.  I  have  personally  known  Mr.  Frink  for  some  time.  About  two  years 
ago  he  applied  to  me  for  some  direction  in  his  studies,  having  in  the  course 
of  his  reading  found  himself  under  a  necessity  of  conforming  to  the  Church. 
Since  that  time  he  has  conducted  as  a  worthy  member  of  the  Church  of  Eng¬ 
land,  and  has  been  preparing  himself  for  holy  orders.  He  has  always  borne  an 
unexceptionable  character  for  prudence  and  piety,  and  I  tusrt  will  prove  a  very 
worthy  Missionary,  if  your  Grace  and  the  Society  shall  see  fit  to  employ  him. 

I  inclose  to  your  Grace  some  short  remarks  upon  Dr.  Mayhew’s  observa¬ 
tions,  wrote  (as  I  am  inform’d)  by  a  lawyer  in  a  neighbouring  government, 
which  is  all  that  has  occurr’d  of  that  kind  since  my  last. 

I  beg  the  continuance  of  your  Grace’s  Blessing, 

being  Your  Grace’s  most  dutiful  and  obedient  Servant, 

H.  CANER. 


1763-] 


500 


Mr.  APTHORP  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Cambridge  in  New  England,  25th  June,  1763. 

Revd  Sir, 

I  am  honor’d  with  your  Letter  of  31  Jan’y,  &  am  thankful  to  the  Society 
for  their  approbation  of  my  Service  in  this  Mission  and  for  their  Grant  of  the 
Books  I  requested. 

As  the  Society  expect  to  be  informed  by  their  Missionaries  of  the  partic¬ 
ular  state  of  their  missions,  &  of  the  general  state  of  religion  as  it  comes  un¬ 
der  our  observation,  I  thought  it  proper  to  transmit  them  the  Pamphlets  you 
receive  with  this  Letter:  from  which  they  may  form  a  Judgment  of  the  temper 
that  prevails  among  us  &  of  the  opinions  of  this  time  &  country  in  relatn  to 
their  good  design.  As  some  apology  for  my  own  part  in  this  dispute,  I  would 
ask  leave  to  acquaint  the  Society  that  the  short  Pamphlet  of  considerations, 
&c.,  was  wholly  occasioned  by  some  anonymous  libels  which  appeared  in  our 
Newspapers  on  the  death  of  Dr.  Miller  of  Braintree,  grossly  reflecting  on  the 
Society  &  their  Missionaries,  &  in  particular  on  the  Mission  at  Cambridge,  which 
(notwithstanding  the  greatest  caution  on  my  part  &  the  moderate  Sentiments 
of  my  people)  is  thought  by  some  to  affect  the  interests  of  the  dissenting  per¬ 
suasion.  It  seemed  expedient  to  take  some  notice  of  the  insults  offered  us, 
and  (not  without  the  concurrence  of  a  better  judgment  than  my  own)  I 
offered  to  the  Public  a  short  explanatn  of  the  Charter  of  the  Society,  which 
they  were  charged  with  greatly  infringing.  This  occasion  was  greedily  seized, 
as  it  was  insidiously  sought  for  by  a  Dissenting  Minister  of  Boston,  a  man  of 
a  singular  character,  of  good  abilities,  but  of  a  turbulent  &  contentious  dispo¬ 
sition,  at  variance,  not  only  with  the  Church  of  England,  but  in  the  essential 
doctrines  of  religion,  with  most  of  his  own  party.  This  Gentleman,  unpro¬ 
voked  &  unknown  by  me,  officiously  engaged  himself  in  this  controversy  with 
as  much  animosity  &  personal  abuse  as  if  I  had  treated  him  with  the  utmost 
indignity.  This  is  hardly  to  be  accounted  for  otherwise  than  by  supposing 
him  the  author  of  the  anonymous  Newspaper  libels,  which  were  of  a  nature 
that  would  justify  against  a  concealed  Slanderer  any  little  acrimony  that  may 


501 


[1763. 


appear  in  the  considerations.  That  Pamphlet  was  indeed  too  hastily  written 
&  published  :  being  at  first  intended  only  to  appear  in  a  Newspaper.  But  as 
I  thought  it  gave  a  true  interpretation  of  the  Society’s  original  powers  con¬ 
firmed  by  their  own  uniform  sense  of  them,  I  was  not  solicitous  about  some 
smaller  slips,  which  this  author  has  not  failed  to  take  the  utmost  advantage  of. 
As  his  observations  abound  with  personal  reflections  &  even  with  aspersions 
of  my  moral  character,  I  should  have  made  some  vindication  of  myself  to  the 
Public;  but  it  was  the  opinion  of  my  friends  &  congregat11  that  it  was  unneces¬ 
sary,  as  these  calumnies  were  in  a  manner  self  confuted,  &  were  not  well 
rec’d  by  the  Dissenters  themselves.  This  author  is  too  contentious  to  cease 
from  renewing  these  disputes  on  the  least  opening  given  him  :  &  it  is  appa¬ 
rent  that  he  sought  this  controversy  as  an  occasion  of  publishing  such 
objections  as  he  had  been  long  collecting  against  the  Society  &  the  Church 
of  England.  If  the  Society  shall  judge  that  the  personal  aspersions  of  this 
writer,  as  far  as  I  am  myself  concerned,  deserve  a  confutation,  I  am  ready  to 
lay  before  them  a  defence  of  myself  in  any  particular  that  may  be  thought  to 
require  it.  Your  discernment  &  the  wisdom  of  the  Society  need  not  any  cau¬ 
tion  against  forming  a  judgment  of  the  Dissenters  in  New  England  from  the 
temper  and  character  of  this  Writer.  Those  especially  among  whom  I  live  at 
Cambridge  have  expressed  to  me,  in  all  their  behaviour,  a  very  Christian 
Spirit :  &  I  trust  there  has  been  nothing  in  my  own  conduct  or  sentiments 
which  might  justly  give  them  offence. 

It  is  an  uneasiness  to  me  that  the  Pensions  of  the  Missionaries  are  so 
much  excepted  against  by  the  Dissenters,  and  I  hope  it  will  one  day  be  in  my 
power,  with  the  concurrence  of  my  congregat11,  to  free  the  Society  from  the 
burden  of  this  Mission.  Neither  the  present  circumstances  of  the  Church  nor 
my  private  affairs  will  as  yet  admit  of  our  resigng  the  Society’s  patronage 
without  essentially  hurting  this  new  &  unsettled  mission.  The  congre¬ 
gation  is  but  small  &  but  few  of  them  support  the  church’s  annual  expences ; 
I  have  made  out  a  List  of  such  as  are  Proprietors  of  Pews  &  regular  Com¬ 
municants,  with  the  numbers  in  their  families,  where  I  could  ascertain  them 
with  any  exactness.  Some  who  regularly  attend  my  church  have  Families 
of  children,  servants,  &c.,  who  are  Dissenters.  I  beg  leave  to  assure  the 
Society  that  I  have  never  intentionally  deceived  them  by  false  accounts  of  this 
Mission,  of  which  however  I  at  first  entertained  too  sanguine  expectations. 

The  late  Secretary,  Dr.  Bearcroft,  wrote  to  me  some  time  since  acquainting 


1763.] 


502 


me  with  the  Society’s  intent"  of  omitting  my  Name  in  the  list  of  their  mem¬ 
bers,  as  I  suppose  it  was  unprecedented  that  a  Missionary  should  be  a  mem¬ 
ber  of  the  Society.  As  Dr.  Mayhew  in  his  observations  has  taken  some 
advantage  of  this  circumstance,  you  will  perhaps  judge  it  best  to  omit  my 
name  in  the  future  lists.  I  hope  you  will  pardon  so  long  a  Letter,  and  that 
the  Society  will  candidly  consider  whatever  has  been  done  by  me  in  the  duty 
I  owe  them  as  intented  for  the  best.  I  am,  &c.,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

EAST  APTHORP. 


Families  &  Parishioners  of  Christ  Church,  Cambridge,  1763. 


In  Cambridge, 

David  Phipps  &  family, 

9 

2 

Communicants. 

Ralph  Inman,  - 

10 

1 

44 

Henry  Vassall,  -  -  -  - 

10 

2 

44 

John  Vassall,  - 

8 

1 

44 

Richd  Lechmere,  - 

9 

2 

44 

Joseph  Lee,  - 

5 

2 

u 

James  Apthorp,  - 

6 

t  4 

Benj"  Faneuill, 

5 

1 

44 

Joseph  Welsh,  - 

6 

2 

44 

Thos  Sherren, 

2 

2 

44 

Wm  Dolly,  ----- 

2 

44 

Samuel  Ryland, 

1 

44 

In  Charlestown,  Mrs.  Temple  &  family,  - 

6 

3 

44 

Nath1  Dowse,  - 

8 

1 

44 

Benj“  Jennings,  - 

6 

2 

41 

In  Medford, 

Robert  Temple, 

10 

.  2 

44 

Mrs.  Royall,  -  -  -  - 

4 

1 

44 

Mrs.  Thompson, 

1 

1 

44 

James  Bailey  &  family, 

3 

44 

-  Brown, 

1 

44 

In  Woburn, 

Ebenezer  Read,  - 

1 

44 

Swithin  Read, 

2 

44 

George  Read,  - 

1 

44 

Seth  Read,  -  -  -  - 

1 

4  4 

-  Skelton,  - 

1 

•4  4 

-  Symonds,  - 

1 

1 1 

503 


[i  763- 


Mr.  Mc  GILCHRIST  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 


Salem,  June  27th,  1763. 


Revd  Sir, 

*  *  *  When  Dr.  Miller  died,  there  was  published,  in  one  of  the 

Boston  Newspapers,  an  anonymous  gross  insult  on  the  dece’d,  on  the  Mission 
at  Cambridge,  &  on  the  Society,  which  next  week  was  chastized  by  a  severe, 
manly,  &  well  written  reprimand  (Mr.  Apthorp  I  suppose  was  the  author). 
This  was  nibbled  at  for  some  time  in  a  low  vulgar  manner  in  all  the  Boston 
Newspapers.  Mr.  Apthorp  afterwards  published  a  vindication  of  the  conduct 
of  the  Society  in  settling  Missions  in  the  most  populous  parts  in  America, 
which  was  answered  by  Dr.  Mayhew  of  Boston,  with  much  scurrility  &  abuse. 
Mr.  Apthorp’s  conduct  in  the  whole  affair  has  been  prudent  &  candid,  but  that 
of  the  Dissenters,  Rancorous  &  Spiteful. 

I  am,  &c., 

WM.  MCGILCHRIST. 


Letter  from  Mr.  CANER  to  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury. 


Boston  in  N.  England,  Aug51  16,  1763. 

My  Lord, 

Since  the  Act  for  incorporating  our  new  society  is  not  approv’d  at  home,  it 
will  not  be  necessary  to  say  anything  further  about  it ;  otherwise  I  could  have 
inform’d  your  Grace  that  what  I  mentioned  concerning  Collr  Royall  I  have 
since  had  from  his  own  mouth,  and  much  more  than  I  before  heard.  The 
turn  that  society  has  taken  to  unite  themselves  to  the  Scots  Society,  I  hinted 
to  your  Grace  in  a  letter  of  the  8th  of  June.  They  now,  I  think,  pass  under 
the  denomination  of  Commissioners  to  certain  Societies  in  England  and  Scot¬ 
land  for  promoting  the  Gospel,  or  something  of  that  kind.  In  this,  their  new 
capacity,  they  have  lately  manifested  a  truly  Christian  and  Catholic  disposi¬ 
tion  upon  the  following  occasion  : 


1763-] 


5°4 


One  Mr.  Cornelius  Bennett,  whom  Dr.  Johnson  has  frequently  mentioned 
to  the  society  as  desiring  the  employment  of  a  Catechist  to  the  Indians,  was 
willing  to  take  the  first  opportunity  of  the  peace  for  entering  upon  his  design, 
for  whose  encouragement  a  subscription  was  proposed,  which,  while  Mr.  Ap- 
thorpe  was  negociating,  some  of  the  Commissioners  who  chanc’d  to  be  pres¬ 
ent  offered  their  assistance,  and  accordingly  voted  fifteen  Pounds  Sterling  for 
one  year  towards  Mr.  Bennett’s  support,  by  which  time  it  was  imagined  your 
Society  might  provide  for  him.  Mr.  Bennett  hopes  to  proceed  upon  his  un¬ 
dertaking  in  September,  but  if  he  should  have  no  other  allowance  than  what 
he  sets  out  with,  he  will  soon  be  obliged  to  return,  whatever  success  he  may 
meet  with. 

I  have  indeed  met  with  some  objections  to  Mr.  Styles’  representations  of 
the  present  state  of  the  several  religious  denominations  here,  tho’  I  believe 
he  has  endeavoured  to  be  as  just  as  he  could.  But  as  to  his  saying  that  the 
Congregational  Party  is  the  Established  Church  in  new  England,  altho’  he  is 
not  alone  in  this  assertion,  yet  I  cannot  sufficiently  wonder  at  their  persisting 
in  this  mistake  when  it  is  so  very  plain  by  the  articles  of  Union  of  the  two 
Nations  of  Great  Britain,  that  the  Church  of  England  is  established  in  Per¬ 
petuity,  in  all  the  Territories  at  that  time  to  England  belonging.  The  Act  of 
Parliament  (5  A.,  c.  5)  entitled  an  Act  for  securing  the  Church  of  England  as 
by  Law  Established,  mentions  not  only  England,  but  the  Territories  thereunto 
belonging ,  and  this  Act  was  by  the  Act  of  union  of  England  and  Scotland  (5  A., 
c.  8)  made  an  essential  and  fundamental  part  of  the  union.  In  truth,  my 
Lord,  I  think  it  capable  of  the  clearest  proof  that  the  Church  of  England  is 
established  in  these  Colonies,  since  every  Act  of  Parliament  made  for  Estab¬ 
lishing  the  Church  of  England,  from  the  time  of  Edward  the  Sixth,  expressly 
mentions  as  well  the  Dominions  as  the  Realm  of  England,  and  every  subse¬ 
quent  Act  from  thence  to  the  time  of  Queen  Ann,  refers  back  and  reestab¬ 
lishes  every  former  Act  which  had  been  before  made.  I  confess  this  Estab¬ 
lishment  of  the  Church  of  England  in  the  Plantations  seems  to  be  only  as  to 
Church  Government,  and  that  only  amongst  the  People  of  the  Church  of  Eng¬ 
land,  or  perhaps  we  may  call  it  an  Establishment  de  Jure,  but  not  de  Facto , 
since  it  is  certain  that  the  Civil  Government  here  do  yield  all  their  counte¬ 
nance,  support,  and  encouragement  not  to  the  Church  of  England,  but  to  the 
Congregational  persuasion.  However,  the  Church  of  England  has  undoubt¬ 
edly  a  legal  Parliamentary  Establishment  here,  and  all  other  Denominations 


505 


L1 763- 


must  be  look’d  upon  as  sectaries,  since  they  can  have  no  ecclesiastical  Juris¬ 
diction  among  themselves,  as  appears  by  a  Letter  from  the  Lords  Justices  to 
William  Dummer,  Esqr.,  Lieu1  Governor  of  the  Massachusets  bay,  Dated 
Whitehall,  Octr  7th,  1725,  in  which  an  application  of  the  Ministers  of  this  Prov¬ 
ince  to  the  Legislative  body  for  holding  a  Synod  is  called  a  contempt  of  his 
Majesty’s  Prerogative  and  otherwise  severely  reprehended,  yet  notwithstand¬ 
ing  all  this,  the  Congregational  Party  do,  as  your  Grace  observes,  in  some 
places  oblige  the  Professors  of  the  Church  of  England  to  pay  to  the  support 
of  their  Teachers.  Laws  have  indeed  been  made  for  their  relief,  but  they  are 
often  evaded  unless  in  places  where  a  minister  of  the  Church  of  England 
resides  within  the  Parish.  This  is  not  the  Case  with  the  Quakers,  who  are 
perfectly  unmolested,  wheresoever  they  live. 

I  inclose  Mr.  Beach’s  Reply  to  the  pamphlet  your  Grace  mentioned,  and 
likewise  some  remarks  upon  the  incidental  reflections  in  Dr.  Mayhew’s  book 
of  observations.  This  last  I  suppose  was  wrote  by  one  of  the  Missionaries. 

I  beg  your  Grace’s  Blessing, 
and  am 

Your  Grace’s  most  dutiful 

and  obedient  servant, 

H.  CANER. 

P.  S.  By  what  mistake  I  know  not,  Your  Grace’s  letter  of  March  23rd  came 
to  hand  but  two  days  ago. 


M'.  BASS  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Newbury,  N.  England,  Septr  29,  1763. 

Rev’d  Dr., 

Since  my  last  I  have  baptized  10  Infants,  and  have  also  performed  divine 
Service  and  preached  twice  at  the  Church  in  Amsbury,  as  the  Revd  Mr.  Brown 
of  Portsmouth  has  done  once.  There  was  each  time  a  large  &  atttentive 
Congregation,  especially  at  the  opening  of  the  Church,  when  2  or  3  of  the 

64 


1 763.]  5°6 

Dissenting  Teachers  were  present.  If  the  Revd  &  Hond  Society  should  think 
fit  to  send  the  Amsbury  People  some  proper  Books  to  remove  their  objec¬ 
tions  &  prejudices  against  the  Church  of  England,  I  am  persuaded  it  would 
lead  much  to  its  increase  in  that  place.  *  *  * 

EDWARD  BASS. 


♦ 


Copy  of  a  letter  written  to  the  Reverend  Mr.  Hooper  of 
Trinity  Church  in  Boston ,  by  Mr.  Barnard ,  an  eminent 
dissenting  clergyman ,  in  answer  to  one  from  the  former , 
desiring  the  latter  would  be  so  good  as  to  send  him  a  just 
and  honest  Character  of  Mr.  IV illiam  JV alter,  who  was 
talked  of  as  a  fit  person  to  be  assistant  Minister  at  said 
Church. 

Salem,  Oct.  15th,  1763. 

Reverend  Sir, 

In  answer  to  yours  of  the  11th  inst,  I  have  to  write  what  follows.  I  em¬ 
brace  with  pleasure  every  proper  occasion  of  giving  my  opinion  of  the  real 
Character  of  Mr.  William  Walter.  He  came  out  of  our  College  with  the 
reputation  of  one  of  the  best  classical  Scholars  of  his  Class.  He  liv’d  first  in 
this  Town  in  the  Business  of  a  Grammar-Schoolmaster,  which  trust  he  exe¬ 
cuted  for  several  years  to  universal  acceptance  faithful  and  Careful,  I  have 
reason  to  believe,  in  forming  the  tender  minds  of  his  pupils  to  virtue  and 
religion,  as  well  as  forwarding  them  in  their  Scholastic  exercises.  When,  to 
the  sorrow  of  the  Town,  he  quitted  that  employ,  he  became  connected  with 
the  Custom-house ;  this  business  naturally  raised  complaints  against  him 
among  trading  people.  But  all  I  have  heard  were  of  his  not  being  so  flexible 
in  some  matters  as  they  wished,  none  of  oppression,  much  less  of  mean  fraud¬ 
ulent  ways  of  filling  his  own  pockets.  This  way  of  life  has  led  him  much  into 
Company  of  all  Characters ;  but  I  have  never  heard  of  any  vicious  compli¬ 
ances  of  his,  any  imputation  on  his  virtue,  anything  inconsistent  with  the 
Character  one  ought  to  maintain  who,  by  a  constant  attendance  at  the  Lord’s 
table  with  us  for  divers  years,  has  in  that  public  strong  manner  testified  his 


507  [1763- 

belief  of  Christianity  and  resolution  of  living  according  to  its  maxims.  Thus 
much  of  his  general  Character. 

Mr.  Walter,  sir,  from  the  time  of  his  Coming  to  Salem,  has  ever  treated 
me  with  singular  respect,  particularly  in  visiting  me  much  oftener  than  those 
of  his  age  are  apt  to  do  those  of  our  order,  from  whence  I  have  had  oppor¬ 
tunity  of  being  let  into  as  much  of  his  Character  as  frequent  conversation  and 
familiar  acquaintance  would  let  me  into. 

His  temper  is  innocently  cheerful,  open,  and  friendly;  he  has  a  tender  and 
delicate  sense  of  Honor,  a  just  Idea  of  the  truest  honor.  He  is  kind  and 
compassionate.  I  believe  I  could  give  some  rare  instances  of  this  happy  dis¬ 
position  for  one  in  his  circumstances. 

His  prudence  has  been  tried  in  the  various  scenes  of  life  he  has  passed 
thro’,  and  to  have  obtained  so  fair  a  fame  as  he  now  enjoys,  I  think  implies 
a  good  degree  of  it. 

His  learning  I  have  already  hinted  at;  he  is  besides  as  perfect  in  the 
French  as  any  among  us,  and  his  general  acquaintance  with  polite  and  Solid 
learning  will,  I  suppose,  soon  appear  to  any  who  converses  with  him. 

His  Conversation  is  easy  and  cheerful  tho’  attended  with  a  disposition  to 
give  it  an  edifying  and  serious  turn,  which  has  led  me  sometimes  to  tell  him 
jocosely,  that  he  was  made  for  a  parson,  and  would  be  one  at  last,  tho’  I  own 
I  had  now  given  up  the  point. 

I  believe,  Sir,  Mr.  Walter  is  really  and  inwardly  a  Christian,  and  that  if 
called  to  vindicate  and  promote  the  cause  of  Christ,  he  will  do  it  ex  animo  et 
totis  viribus ,  and  from  his  good  understanding  there  is  a  prospect  of  his  doing 
it  with  much  success. 

I  cannot  help  adding  that  there  is  that  particular  tenderness  and  softness 
in  Mr.  Walter’s  complexion,  which  will  render  him  highly  agreeable  to  peo¬ 
ple  in  sickness  and  Distress,  when  many  are  apt  to  have  the  best  relish  for 
the  company  of  a  Clergyman. 

If  Mr.  Walter’s  mind  is  easy  with  the  terms  of  conformity,  and  his  principal 
views  are  the  honor  of  God  and  the  serving  the  cause  of  truth  and  virtue,  I 
heartily  bid  him  God  Speed.  For  under  whatever  exterior  this  best  of  causes 
is  laboured  with  success,  I  therein  rejoice,  yea  and  will  rejoice. 

But  I  hope  he  will  never  undergo  such  a  Miraculous  change  in  his  mental 
eyesight,  of  which  there  have  been  instances,  as  to  view  all  without  his  -future 
pale  in  the  light  of  raw  head  and  bloody  bones.  More  seriously,  I  hope  he’ll 


1 7^3-] 


5°8 


never  get  so  buried  in  the  fringes  of  religion  as  to  lose  sight  of  the  substance 
of  it,  nor  imagine  he  shall  serve  his  Master  by  smiting  his  Brethren  engaged 
in  the  same  service.  I  am  pretty  sure,  sir,  he  will  not  be  so  advised  by 
you. 

Your  design,  sir,  in  your  letter,  is  Truly  honorable  to  gain  what  satisfaction 
you  may  of  the  Christian  temper  and  Conduct  of  one  you  would  introduce 
into  the  Ministry.  Thro’  the  want  of  care  in  this  respect,  religion  has  been 
sometimes  sorely  wounded  in  the  house  of  her  friends. 

As  to  your  keeping  this  letter  private,  I  would  not  be  thought  officiously 
to  thrust  myself  into  an  affair  of  this  sort,  but  so  far  as  any  important  interest 
of  Mr.  Walter  may  be  in  any  degree  affected  by  it,  I  look  upon  my  writing 
to  be  a  matter  of  right,  not  of  Grace. 

And  yet  I  am  sensible  I  have  been  too  tedious,  too  diffuse,  too  minute  for 
public  inspection,  and  some  passages  would  not  perhaps  have  escaped  me  to 
any  of  your  cloth  but  Mr.  Hooper.  I  suppose  if  my  testimony  is  of  any  con¬ 
sequence,  your  extracts  will  be  sufficient  authority.  I  leave  it  entirely  to  your 
prudence,  only  believe  me,  whatsoever  I  have  written  of  Mr.  Walter,  has  not 
been  from  any  proneness  to  flattery,  but  my  real  mind,  for  I  exceedingly 
esteem  and  love  him. 

I  am,  Sir,  yours,  &c., 

THOS.  BARNARD. 


Letter  from  M'\  CANER  to  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury . 


Boston  in  New  England,  Novr  16,  1763. 

May  it  please  your  Grace, 

I  have  taken  the  liberty  to  inclose  an  Examination  of  Dr.  Mayhew’s  Obser¬ 
vations,  &c.,  containing  a  longer  &  more  particular  Reply  than  had  been 
published  before  ;  to  which  is  subjoined  a  Letter  in  vindication  of  the  Society, 
wrote  by  Dr.  Johnson.  Dr.  Mayhew  it  is  said  has  lately  received  a  Letter  from 
Mr.  Mandint,  Agent  for  this  Province,  thanking  him  for  his  Book  of  Observa¬ 
tions,  and  (as  it  is  given  out)  acquainting  him  that  your  Grace  has  so  far 
approved  of  his  Book  as  to  promise  that  no  more  Missionaries  shall  be  sent 


509 


[1763- 


where  there  are  Dissenting  Teachers  already  established.  As  great  an  im¬ 
position  as  this  is,  it  has  its  use,  and  tends  to  keep  up  the  spirit  of  the  party. 
Nay,  they  think  it  receives  confirmation  from  the  disappointment  of  Mr.  Trink 
in  regard  to  a  Mission  at  Rutland,  the  news  of  which  has  got  hither  before 
him.  And  indeed  I  am  truly  sorry  upon  many  accounts  that  the  Society  did 
not  find  themselves  in  a  condition  to  encourage  a  Mission  in  that  place,  tho’ 
it  had  been  with  the  smallest  allowance.  Had  that  People  the  encouragement 
of  but  ^20  Sterg.  for  7  years,  I  am  fully  persuadedt  hey  would  want  no  other 
assistance.  Some  Gentlemen  in  Boston  are  willing  to  add  £10  more  per 
annm  for  7  years,  if  Mr.  Trink  might  still  be  allow’d  to  fix  at  Rutland. 

If  the  Society  should  be  obliged  to  desert  the  Churches  in  New  England, 
Dr.  Mayhew’s  malicious  slander  and  falsehood  will  have  obtained  its  end,  & 
truth  and  innocence  must  sink  under  the  weight  of  calumny  and  abuse. 

This  letter  will  be  delivered  to  your  Grace  by  Mr.  Wm  Walter,  whose  de¬ 
sign  is  to  wait  upon  my  Lord  of  London  for  Holy  Orders,  with  a  view  to  his 
becoming  Assistant  to  the  Revd  Mr.  Hooper  at  Trinity  Church  in  this  Town, 
the  Proprietors  whereof  have  voted  him  a  Salary  of  £ 60  Sterling  per  annm 
for  that  purpose.  I  have  had  but  a  short  acquaintance  with  Mr.  Walter, 
altho’  he  was  born  &  educated  in  the  Neighborhood  ;  but  he  bears  the  char¬ 
acter  of  an  ingenious  person  and  one  of  good  morals. 

Since  writing  the  above,  Dr.  Mayhew  has  published  what  he  calls  a  Vindi¬ 
cation  of  his  Observations  in  Reply  to  the  Examination  &  Letter  above  men¬ 
tioned.  I  have  therefore  inclosed  this  also  ;  It  is  so  intemperately  conducted 
that  I  question  whether  it  deserves  notice.  I  wish  I  were  near  enough  to 
receive  your  Grace’s  opinion  whether  to  reply  to  this  piece  or  not. 

I  beg  the  continuance  of  your  Grace’s  Blessing  and  prayers  in  behalf  of  us 
all  &  particularly  of 

Your  Grace’s 

Most  dutiful  &  Obedient  Servant, 

H.  CANER. 


1763.] 


5IQ 


Letter  from  Mr.  IEILLIAM  HOOPER  to  the  Archbishop 

of  Canterbury . 


May  it  please  your  Grace, 

Tho’  altogether  unknown  to  your  Grace,  I  beg  leave  to  acquaint  you  with 
an  affair  of  great  benefit  to  the  Churches  in  &  about  this  our  Town  of  Boston, 
as  well  as  to  the  particular  Church  of  which  I  have  the  honor  to  be  Minister, 
and  which  therefore  must  be  very  acceptable  to  your  Grace,  to  whom,  under 
his  Majesty,  the  care  of  the  Church  of  England  more  especially  belongs. 

The  Heirs  of  the  late  Thomas  Greene,  Esqh,  Merchant  in  this  Town,  in 
compliance  with  a  design  their  Father  entertained  for  some  time  before  he 
died,  but  which  he  had  not  mentioned  in  his  Will,  in  Honor  to  his  Memory 
have  chearfully  given  in  trust  forever  to  the  Minister,  Wardens,  &  Vestry  of 
Trinity  Church  in  this  Town,  the  sum  of  ^500  Sterling,  to  be  by  them  man¬ 
aged  as  a  Fund  for  maintaining  a  Clergyman  that  may  be  a  constant  Assist¬ 
ant  to  the  Minister  of  said  Church,  except  when  said  Trustees  shall  think  fit 
to  send  him  to  supply  any  one  of  the  Churches  in  &  about  Boston  that  may 
be  vacant  by  the  death,  sickness,  or  otherwise  necessary  absence  of  the  stated 
Minister. 

Providing  said  Trustees  will  undertake  to  make  such  an  addition  to  Mr. 
Greene’s  ^500  Sterling  as  together  with  it  may  make  a  tolerable  support  for 
a  young  Clergyman  till  something  better  may  offer. 

This  Donation  said  Minister,  Wardens,  and  Vestry  have  chearfully  and 
thankfully  accepted,  and  in  the  space  of  a  few  weeks,  from  among  themselves 
and  some  more  Gentlemen  of  the  same  Church,  have  raised  a  Sum  equal  to 
that  of  Mr.  Greene’s,  and  appropriated  it  to  the  same  end.  So  that  the  Assist¬ 
ant  will  have  payed  him  yearly  £ 60  Sterling,  the  lawful  Interest  of  a  thousand 
pounds,  which  £60,  with  the  Salary  payed  me  and  other  charges,  make  about 
^300  Sterling  per  annm,  a  greater  voluntary  Sum  perhaps  than  is  expended 
by  any  other  Congregation  in  America  for  the  support  of  the  worship  of  the 
Church  of  England. 

If  the  young  Gentleman  whom  we  have  chosen  for  Assistant,  and  is  to  wait 
on  the  Right  Reverend  Lord  Bishop  of  London  for  Holy  Orders,  should  have 


5i  i  [1763. 

the  Honour  to  be  admitted  into  your  Grace’s  presence,  he  will  inform  your 
Grace  of  several  things  which  I  believe  you  will  be  pleased  to  know. 

I  am,  with  the  highest  Veneration, 

May  it  please  your  Grace, 

Your  Grace’s 

Most  Obedient 

&  most  devoted  Servant, 

WILLIAM  HOOPER. 

P.  S.  I  have  presumed  to  send  your  Grace  a  Copy  of  the  Sermon  preached 
at  Mr.  Greene’s  Funeral;  and  likewise  the  inclosed  Copy  of  a  Letter  to  me 
from  Mr.  Bernard,  an  Eminent  Dissenting  Clergyman,  which  I  believe  will  be 
pleasing  to  your  Grace. 


Mr.  WEEKS  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Marblehead,  Novr  25th,  1763. 

Revd  Sir, 

I  embrace  this  opportunity,  which  is  the  first  which  I  have  had  since  my 
entrance  on  my  Cure,  of  expressing  in  the  most  grateful  terms  my  acknowl¬ 
edgments  for  their  goodness  in  appointing  me  agreably  to  my  desires  to 
the  mission  of  Marblehead.  *  *  *  I  cannot  help  just  mentioning  to 

the  Society  the  just  sense  which  the  People  under  my  ministry  seem  to  have 
of  their  goodness,  and  in  consequence  of  it  they  rec’d  me  with  the  greatest 
joy,  having  been  long  destitute  of  public  worship,  and  have  not  been  wanting 
in  anything  that  might  make  my  life  agreeable  and  easy.  Notwithstanding  it 
has  been  a  year  and  a  half  since  they  have  had  any  regular  Service  in  the 
Church,  yet  I  have  been  told,  and  I  mention  it  with  pleasure,  not  one  Parish¬ 
ioner  has  departed  from  its  worship  or  Communion. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

JOSHUA  WINGATE  WEEKS. 


1 764.] 


51 2 


Mr.  APTHORP  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Cambridge  in  New  England,  12th  March,  1764. 

Revd  Sir, 

I  beg  leave  to  desire  that  you  would  lay  the  enclosed  printed  Papers 
before  the  venble  Society.  I  transmit  them  at  the  request  of  the  President 
and  Fellows  of  Harvard  College  in  this  place,  which  has  sustained  the  total 
loss  of  their  Library,  with  one  of  their  buildings,  by  Fire.  I  think  it  an  occa¬ 
sion  of  exerting  that  public  and  Christian  spirit  which  has  ever  animated  the 
Society,  to  contribute  their  assistance,  as  they  have  done  formerly,  by  a  pres¬ 
ent  of  Books  towards  repairing  this  Great  loss  to  religion  and  learning  in  a 
Colony  wholly  unprovided  of  public  Libraries.  I  have  only  to  add,  that  the 
Library  and  other  advantages  of  the  College  are  distinguishing  benefits  to 
this  mission  and  that  I  am  under  personal  obligation  both  to  the  Town  and 
College  for  their  favor  to  me  in  that  and  other  instances. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

EAST  APTHORP. 


Mr .  BASS  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Newbury,  New  England,  March  25th,  1764. 

Revd  Dr., 

Since  my  last  I  have  baptized  4  Infants.  The  Church  here  does  not  de¬ 
crease,  nor  can  I  say  that  it  increases  so  fast  as  it  could  be  wished.  Method¬ 
ism  prevails  much  among  us :  more  I  believe  than  in  any  other  town  in  the 
Country.  That  enthusiastick  spirit  is  lately  revived  to  an  uncommon  degree 
and  appears  in  a  manner  almost  incredible.  Religious  meetings  are  frequent 


[1764. 


5 1 3 

mostly  in  the  night,  at  which  the  People,  not  only  grown  persons  of  both  sexes 
but  even  little  children,  cry  out,  utter  very  strange,  some  that  have  been  pres¬ 
ent  say  blasphemous  expressions,  &  fall  into  raptures  &  trances.  None 
of  my  church  are  at  all  infected  with  these  things.  *  * 

EDWARD  BASS. 


♦ 


M’\  THOMPSON  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Scituate,  New  England,  March  26th,  1764. 

Revd  Sir, 

I  beg  leave  to  acquaint  the  Honble  Society,  that  my  Congregations  at  Scit¬ 
uate,  Marshfield,  &  Bridgewater,  continue  to  encrease,  tho’  but  slowly.  In  the 
last  ]/2  year  I  have  baptized  4  White  Infants,  one  Negro  &  one  Indian  Infant, 
&  have  also  recd  sev1  New  Communicants  ;  but  by  reason  of  deaths  &  people 
removing  to  New  Towns  Settling  on  the  frontier  of  this  Province  the  number 
does  not  increase,  but  continues  at  50,  who  come  regularly  to  the  Holy  Com¬ 
munion.  *  *  *  I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

EBENEZER  THOMPSON. 


M\  CANER  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Boston  in  New  England,  May  21s1,  1764. 

Revd  Sir, 

I  am  favored  with  yours  of  Decr  3rd,  &  observe  in  it  that  Taunton  must 
still  despair  of  assistance  from  the  Society.  I  am  told  however  that  Mr. 
Lyons  is  lately  gone  for  England  at  the  desire  of  that  People,  in  hopes  to 
65 


1764.] 


514 


obtain  Orders  upon  the  Strength  of  their  own  Subscriptions,  which  amount  I 
think  to  about  £30  Sterling  exclusive  of  their  Glebe.  I  am  sorry  he  is  not 
like  to  obtain  some  little  addition  to  his  support,  but  more  especially  that 
this  &  such  like  discouragements  should  be  owing  to  the  abuse  of  the  Dis¬ 
senters,  who  themselves  enjoy  every  privilege  &  advantage  they  can  wish 
for  with1  opposite  but  we  must  be  content.  *  * 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

H.  CANER. 


Mr.  Mc GILCHRIST  to  the  Secretary. 


Salem,  July  17th,  1764. 

Revd  Sir, 

I  recd  the  honor  of  yours,  dated  Decr  3d,  1763,  and  have  enquired  into  the 
Number  of  Inhabitants  in  Salem  ;  which  upon  the  last  survey  was  found  to  be 
4500,  including  women  &  childa. 

An  1 10  Heads  of  families  are  members  of  the  Church  of  England  which  are 
all  of  Salem  except  7,  who  belong  to  the  Neighb’ring  Parishes.  The  Number 
of  Baptisms  in  1763  is  22  &  that  of  communicants  last  Easter  is  21.  Mr. 
Weeks  behaves  well  in  Marblehead,  &  is  liked  and  esteemed  both  by  Church¬ 
men  &  Dissenters.  Dr.  Mayhew  has  published  a  defence  of  his  Observats 
against  the  London  answerer,  but  it  is  a  mean  performance  &  requires  no 
reply. 

The  establishing  Missions  in  New  England  has  contributed  much  to  pro¬ 
mote  Peace  &  Harmony  between  Churchmen  &  Dissenters,  and  to  wean  the 
latter  from  their  rigid  notions  &  aversion  to  the  Church;  Episcopacy  and 
Popery  used  formerly  here  to  be  reckoned  much  the  same  thing,  &  are  so 
accounted  now  in  places  that  are  remote  from  any  Mission,  and  it  seems  not 
unlikely  that  if  to  this  day  the  Church  Service  had  been  kept  out  of  New 
England  they  wod  be  indifferent  whether  they  were  under  English  or  French 
Government.  I  heard  one  of  the  best  &  calmest  of  their  Country  Ministers 
say,  2  Years  ago,  that  the  sign  of  the  Cross  was  idolatry,  but  where  there 
are  Missions  such  Opinions  are  but  little  countenanced.  When  they  see  our 
Service  fairly  set  forth  before  their  Eyes  they  are  convinced  that  those  things 


5i5 


[1764. 


whereof  they  were  informed  concerning  us  are  nothing.  Ocular  demonstra¬ 
tion  (and  perhaps  nothing  else  could)  abates  their  prejudices  and  satisfies 
them  that  our  Service  is  neither  idolatrous  nor  superstitious. 

I  am, 

Revd  Sir,  &c., 

WILL  MCGILCHRIST. 

— - -<» - 


Mr.  WEEKS  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Marblehead,  August  13th,  1764. 

Revd  Sir, 

It  is  with  a  great  deal  of  pleasure  I  inform  you  that  there  have  been  several 
Persons  of  good  character  added  to  the  Church  since  my  officiating  here.  I 
commonly  have  a  full  &  often  a  crowded  audience,  who  appear  well  disposed 
&  devout  in  their  worship.  I  cannot  help  mentioning  the  satisfaction  with 
which  I  view  the  peaceable  and  charitable  dispositn  which  reigns  among  Per¬ 
sons  of  all  denominats :  and  there  seems  to  be  scarcely  anything  of  that  ran¬ 
cour  &  unchristian  malice  which  prevails  too  much  between  the  Church  and 
Dissenters  in  this  Country.  I  scarcely  ever  preach  but  I  can  number  sev1  Dis¬ 
senters  among  my  Hearers  :  &  upon  the  great  Festivals  of  our  Church  they 
generally  make  no  scruple  of  attending  our  worship,  and  that  with  becoming 
seriousness ;  I  endeavor  to  behave  with  prudence  and  candor,  &  find  that 
Christian  piety  &  moderatn  are  the  best  recommendat“  of  any  religion  &  the 
surest  way  to  gain  upon  the  minds  of  men  &  to  advance  the  Kingdom  of  Our 
Lord ;  but  I  still  adhere  strictly  &  conscientiously  to  the  directions  of  Our 
Liturgy,  while  I  carefully  shun  those  matters  that  gender  to  strife. 

I  am, 

Revd  Sir,  &c., 

J.  WINGATE  WEEKS. 


Mr.  HSINSLOIV  to  the  'Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Braintree,  Ist  Jan’ry,  1765. 

Revd  Sir, 

I  have,  since  I  last  wrote,  more  particularly  informed  myself  of  the  Num¬ 
bers  in  the  respective  parts  of  this  Mission,  &  find  that  in  &  near  Brain¬ 
tree  there  are  50  Families  belonging  to  this  Congregation,  out  of  which  num¬ 
ber  I  have  a  List  of  53  Persons  who  are  Communicants.  In  Stoughton  the 
Number  of  Families  of  the  Church  Profession  may  amount  to  about  20;  the 
Communicants  are  abo‘  18.  At  Dedham  &  in  its  neighborhood  there  are  to 
be  reckoned  not  more  than  10  or  12  Families  belong^  to  the  Church  there, 
among  them  are  1 1  Communicants.  I  have  hitherto  officiated  at  Stoughton 
&  Dedham  alternately,  about  one  Sunday  in  each  month,  besides  occasionally 
at  other  times,  as  I  have  been  requested.  And  as  these  2  Churches  are  with¬ 
in  the  distance  of  5  or  6  miles  of  each  other  &  their  number  at  Dedham  so 
small,  I  have  advised  the  members  of  the  two  Churches  to  unite  &  attend  to¬ 
gether  as  one  Congregatn,  which  they  readily  consent  to  &  practice,  &  by  this 
means  we  have  generally  a  decent  appearance  at  each  Church.  As  there  is 
at  Dedham  the  Estate  left  to  the  Church  by  Mr.  Coburn  (of  which  the  Society 
have  been  informed  by  the  late  Dr.  Miller)  which  in  time  will  doubtless  prove 
a  considerable  interest,  and  as  there  is  also  a  very  decent  little  Church  erected 
there  on  part  of  this  estate,  I  apprehend  from  these  circ’es  it  is  prudent  & 
requisite  to  attend  there  oftener  than  might  otherwise  seem  necessary  from 
the  small  number  of  Families  of  our  Profession,  &  by  the  people  of  Stough¬ 
ton  attending  with  me  always  *  *  *  more  or  less  at  Dedham.  I 

am  in  hopes  we  shall  avoid  any  occasion  of  reproach  or  contempt  from  the 
Dissenters.  I  have  hitherto  discovered  nothing  of  this  among  them,  but 
rather  occasionally  a  seemingly  friendly  disposition.  Sev1  of  the  Families  at 
Dedham  are  numerous  &  growing,  &  it  is  likely  that  in  the  course  of  a  few 
Years  the  little  Flock  there  may  recieve  considerable  enlargement  from  within 
itself ;  &  I  might  safely  add  that  as  conformity  to  the  established  Church  does 
&  will  increase  in  this  country,  this  Church  at  Dedham  will,  from  its  situat"  & 


5*7 


C1 765- 


endowment,  be  under  good  advantage  for  accession  to  its  numbers :  I  ought 
to  mention  to  the  Society  that  a  Member  of  this  Church  at  Dedham  lately 
deced  there,  who  had  the  care  of  the  Estate  which  devolves  to  the  Church 
upon  the  demise  of  an  aged  woman  (mother  to  Mr.  Colburn  who  bequeathed 
it).  The  Estate  was  under  some  incumbrances  to  this  person,  from  which 
he  has,  by  his  will,  generously  discharged  it,  so  that  it  will  come  free  into  the 
hands  of  the  Church  when  entitled  to  the  possession,  at  the  decease  of  the 
surviving  Mrs.  Colburn,  &  will  prove  a  good  part  of  a  foundation  for  the 
Settlement  of  a  Minister  between  the  two  churches  of  Stoughton  &  Dedham, 
when  they  are  otherwise  in  a  capacity  to  obtain  one,  till  which  time  they 
must  be  content  with  the  proportion  of  attendance  which  can  be  spared 
them  from  Braintree.  *  *  * 

E.  WINSLOW. 


M’\  WEEKS  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 


Marblehead,  June  21st,  1765. 

Revd  Sir, 

I  wrote  last  Decr  a  short  Epistle  which  I  presume  you  have  reced.  My 
Parish  continues  in  a  flourishing  condition  and  are  willing  to  cultivate  a  good 
harmony  with  the  Dissenters.  Sev1  persons  of  fortune  and  character  have 
lately  been  added  to  the  Church,  among  whom  is  one  of  the  Magistrates  of 
the  Town. 

My  congregation  is  large  but  many  of  them  poor  and  illiterate,  this  being 
one  of  the  largest  fishing  Towns  in  the  province — their  business  conduces 
extremely  to  make  them  ignorant  and  unacquainted  with  religion.  I  hope 
therefore  I  shall  answer  in  some  measure  the  pious  and  excellent  designs  of 
the  venerable  Society  in  cultivating  civility  and  good  manners  which  are  often 
the  parents  of  virtue. 

It  is  very  remarkable  that  in  so  populous  a  Town  as  Marblehead,  which 
has  above  800  men  on  the  military  list,  not  one  New  Light  or  Enthusiast  is  to 


176 5-] 


5i8 

be  found  &  only  one  family  of  Quakers.  They  are  all  either  Professors  of 
the  Established  Church  or  regular  Dissenters  (pardon  the  expression)  in  the 
Congregational  way.  But  among  many  the  spirit  of  infidelity  prevails  :  and 
as  this  pernicious  evil  is  now  in  its  infancy,  perhaps  the  extensive  beneficence 
of  the  Society  cannot  do  a  more  acceptable  Service  to  religion  than  by  send¬ 
ing  hither  a  few  books  upon  that  subject,  which  might  wholly  suppress  its 
growth.  I  will  gladly  distribute  them  in  the  best  manner  I  am  capable. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

J.  WINGATE  WEEKS. 


Mr.  CANER  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 


Boston,  June  24th,  1765. 

Revd  Sir, 

In  answer  to  your  other  Letter  I  am  sorry  to  acquaint  you  that  Mr.  Griffith 
(as  he  called  himself)  has  turned  out  the  most  impudent  Imposter  that  I  have 
ever  known.  His  name  he  now  says  (and  possibly  with  truth)  is  Mieux,  son  of 
Richd  Mieux,  a  clergyman  now  decd.  He  is  not  in  orders,  but  being  possessed 
of  Rd  Mieux’ s  Letters  of  Orders  had  erased  the  Name  and  altered  the  date, 
putting  in  Sam1  Griffith,  1762.  Yet  had  neglected  to  make  the  whole  Forgery 
of  a  piece,  for  the  Deacon’s  Orders  are  signed  Edmund  Lincoln,  and  the  Priest’s 
Orders  Edmund  London  in  the  2d  year  of  his  translation,  which  coincides 
with  the  year  1724.  This  very  bad  Man  had  with  him  a  large  number 
of  manuscript  Sermons,  some  of  which  appear  to  have  been  preached  in 
1723,  others  in  1725  &  1726.  He  is  but  27  years  of  age,  and  sometimes 
affirms  himself  to  have  been  educated  at  Oxford,  at  other  times  at  Cambridge, 
but  is  not  able  to  give  even  circumstancial  Proof  of  either.  Indeed  he  men¬ 
tions  his  having  been  of  Bennet  College  in  Cambridge,  but  I  can’t  suppose 
him  to  have  been  of  any  College  at  all,  as  he  does  not  appear  to  have  the  least 
knowledge  even  of  the  Latin  tongue. 

What  occasioned  his  detection  was  his  lying  and  stealing,  for  both  which 


5i9 


C1 76  5. 


he  is  infamous  to  a  Proverb.  He  has  stole  from  every  House  in  the  Parish 
where  he  is  intimate.  Silver  spoons,  shirts,  a  piece  of  linen,  books,  rings,  a 
Tweezer,  case  of  silver,  silk,  a  Girdle  Buckle,  umbrellas,  Napkins,  Table  cloths, 
&c.  When  he  found  himself  discovered,  he  endeavord  to  make  off,  but  was 
taken  and  is  now  in  Prison  and  to  have  his  trial  at  the  Sessions  in  October. 
The  Goods  were  some  of  them  found  upon  him  when  he  was  taken,  the  rest 
in  his  trunk.  The  pretended  Letter  of  recommendation  from  Dr.  Cobden  he 
now  owns  to  be  a  Forgery,  and  says  it  was  wrote  by  a  Niece  of  the  Doctor’s, 
who  advised  him  to  the  name  of  Griffiths,  but  I  believe  it  was  wrote  by  himself, 
for  truth  and  he  have  long  been  at  variance.  But  enough  of  a  very  bad  man. 

I  am,  &c.,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

H.  CANER. 

- + - 


Mr.  Mc  GILCHRIST  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Salem,  July  31st,  1765. 

Revd  Sir, 

The  Gentlemen  in  this  Province  are  all  in  a  manner  professed  advocates 
for  universal  toleration  and  liberty  of  conscience,  and  yet  in  direct  contra¬ 
diction  to  this  principle,  the  Dissenters  avowedly  oppose  with  all  their 
interest  a  Bishop’s  being  sent  over  to  America.  I  have  asked  some  of  the 
First  rank  among  them  how  they  could  reconcile  their  conduct  in  this  case 
with  their  principles,  and  their  answers,  unworthy  of  their  sense  and  discern¬ 
ment  in  other  matters,  discover  the  most  partial  propensity  to  their  own  party, 
for  they  stiffly  maintained  that  Spiritual  courts,  with  such  jurisdiction  as  they 
have  in  England,  would  necessarily  follow  them,  &  that  their  maintenance  wd 
be  raised  by  a  tax  upon  America.  And  all  that  I  could  reply  of  the  Plans  & 
Schemes  in  England  for  American  Bishops  being  directly  contrary  to  their 
assertions  &  of  the  absurdity  of  imagining  that  in  these  times  a  tax  should  be 
laid  upon  Dissenters  to  maintain  Bishops,  weighed  with  them  just  nothing  at 
all,  which  is  as  strong  an  instance  of  prejudice  and  blind  attachment  to  a 
Party  as  ever  I  met  with  in  my  lifetime.  I  am,  Revd,  Sir,  & c, 

WILL.  MCGILCHRIST. 


176  5-] 


520 


Churchwardens ,  Vestrymen ,  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Boston,  20th  December,  1765. 

Revd  Sir, 

*  *  *  While  we  were  consulting  the  peace  and  welfare  of  the 

Church,  were  much  surprized  to  find  that  the  Revd  Mr.  Greaton,  the  Doctor’s 
Assistant,  had  wrote  to  the  Society  and  strongly  solicited  a  succession  in  the 
Mission,  without  consulting  a  single  Member  of  the  Church,  tho’  he  was  sen¬ 
sible  he  obtained  the  place  of  being  Assistant  with  great  difficulty,  and  that 
all  obligations  between  him  and  the  Church  ceased  at  the  death  of  the  Doctor. 
Previous  to  Mr.  Greaton’s  writing  this  letter  a  Committee  from  the  Vestry 
had  fully  acquainted  him  that  it  would  not  be  for  the  interest  of  the  Church 
to  settle  him  for  its  Minister ;  however,  that  the  Pulpit  might  be  supplied, 
agreed  to  pay  him  till  next  Easter  what  they  had  before  done,  with  some 
addition,  but  at  the  same  time  informed  him  that  he  was  at  liberty  to  leave 
the  Church  when  he  pleased. 

Very  lately  the  Church  was  called  together  to  have  a  letter  wrote  to  the 
Society ;  and  when  assembled,  illegally  proceeded  to  the  choice  of  a  Minister, 
and  Mr.  Greaton  was  voted  in  by  a  majority  of  Proprietors,  the  chief  of  whom 
never  gave  the  value  of  a  dollar  for  the  benefit  of  the  Church ;  and  on  many 
of  their  Pews  contribution  is  now  due  to  near  their  value. 

We,  the  original  Proprietors  in  Christ  Church,  beg  leave  to  remonstrate  to 
the  Venerable  Society  against  such  illegal  proceedings  relative  to  the  choice 
of  a  Minister,  intreating  them  to  continue  their  valuable  benefactions  to  us  ; 
being  not  able  wholly  to  support  a  Minister,  without  their  assistance,  and 
crave  leave  to  beg  they  would  not  fix  Mr.  Greaton  in  this  Mission  until  there 
is  a  union  in  the  Church,  of  which  we  shall  take  the  first  opportunity  to  advise, 
for  in  its  present  situation,  should  Mr.  Greaton  be  fixed,  we  have  the  greatest 
reasons  to  fear  almost  a  total  subversion  must  inevitably  ensue. 

We  are,  &c., 

ROBERT  JENKINS, 

JOHN  BAKER, 

and  several  others. 


521 


[1766. 


M’\  IFINSLOIF  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 


Braintree,  8th  Jany,  1 766. 

Revd  Sir, 

*  *  The  Professors  of  the  Church  attend  the  Institutions  of 

Religion  steadily,  and  I  trust  not  unprofitly,  and  that  I  have  some  just 
ground  to  commend  their  disposition  and  endeavours  to  adorn  their  pro¬ 
fession  and  to  discover  a  becoming  sense  of  the  advantages  they  enjoy  from 
the  Society’s  favour  by  an  improvement  of  those  advantages  to  the  spiritual 
benefit  of  themselves  and  their  families. 

Much  do  I  lament  the  many  disorders  which  have  of  late  happen’d  in  this 
Province  and  the  neighbouring  Colonies,  on  occasion  of  the  Stamp  Duties 
required  by  Act  of  Parliament.  During  this  time  of  confusion  amongst  us  I 
have  endeavoured  to  urge  upon  the  people  of  this  Mission  a  special  regard 
to  the  duties  of  loyalty  to  His  Majesty,  and  deference  and  affection  to  the 
supreme  Government  of  our  Mother  Country,  together  with  a  becoming  con¬ 
fidence  in  the  Wisdom  of  Justice  of  our  superiors  there,  to  alleviate  or  remove 
any  burthens  which  may  appear  to  be  beyond  our  strength  to  bear,  and  to 
promote  the  prosperity  of  this  Continent.  In  the  outrages  which  have  been 
committed,  I  do  not  know  that  any  of  the  people  of  my  charge  have  acted 
any  part ;  I  would  hope  they  have  been  restrained  by  the  influence  of  the 
principles  of  their  profession,  and  that  a  proper  regard  to  Established  Gov¬ 
ernment  and  good  order  will  always  distinguish  the  Members  of  the  Church 
of  England  in  this  Country,  as  it  does  the  excellent  Constitution  of  the 
Church.  May  I  presume  to  add  that  notwithstanding  the  extravagant  and 
unjustifiable  proceedings  which  the  present  ferment  has  occasioned,  I  hope  we 
shall  not  forfeit  the  good  opinion  of  our  superiours  in  England ;  that  in  gen¬ 
eral  the  people  of  this  Province  and  of  the  Continent  do  highly  value  and 
esteem  their  connection  with  and  relation  to  their  Mother  Country,  and  think 
it  their  greatest  happiness  to  enjoy  her  favour  and  protection.  May  Almighty 
God  grant  that  nothing  may  happen  to  deprive  us  of  so  valuable  and  im¬ 
portant  a  blessing  and  lead  us  to  every  instance  of  behaviour  proper  to  the 
66 


1766.] 


522 


duties  we  owe  of  inviolable  allegiance  to  His  Majesty  and  his  illustrious 
House,  and  of  strict  attachment  and  respect  to  the  National  Established 
Government.  To  promote  these  duties  is  the  sincere  desire  and  shall  be  the 
hearty  endeavour  of, 

Revd  Sir,  &c., 

EDWD  WINSLOW. 


Revd  D\  CANER  to  the  Secretary. 


Boston,  27th  Feby,  1766. 

Revd  Sir, 

By  your  favor  of  Decr  7tk,  I  perceive  Cambridge  Church  is  not  like  to  be 
supplied  very  soon.  In  New  England  no  suitable  person  has  yet  offered,  but 
a  worthy  clergyman,  Mr.  Agar,  being  accidentally  in  these  parts  upon  some 
affairs  of  his  own,  has  been  kind  enough  to  supply  that  Church  for  the  Win¬ 
ter,  but  I  suppose  will  be  gone  after  Easter.  I  was  in  hopes,  notwithstanding 
any  prudential  measures  the  Society  have  found  it  necessary  to  adopt  in 
regard  to  the  Missions  in  New  England,  that  Taurton  would  not  have  been 
considered  as  prejudiced  by  such  measures,  but  have  been  looked  upon  as  an 
old  Mission.  It  has  had  an  appointment  I  think  more  than  once,  altho’  the 
Gentlemen  appointed  never  came  amongst  them,  but  disposed  of  themselves 
elsewhere ;  and  it  has  been  so  much  considered  here  in  the  light  of  a  Mission 
that  I  suppose  it  would  occasion  no  exceptions,  even  among  those  who  are 
most  disposed  to  be  captious. 

I  am  very  sorry  that  my  silence  in  regard  to  Mr.  Greaton  should  create 
any  suspicions  of  his  want  of  Merit.  He  is  a  gentleman  of  an  unexception¬ 
able  Character  in  point  of  Morals,  and  if  his  abilities  are  not  of  the  first  rate, 
yet  his  principles,  his  diligence  and  exemplary  conduct  would  doubtless  render 
him  a  blessing  to  any  of  the  New  England  Missions  in  which  the  Society 
might  determine  to  place  him.  Some  few  people,  indeed,  in  Christ  Church 
have  objected  to  his  succeeding  the  late  worthy  Dr.  Cutler  (and  doubtless 
it  is  some  disadvantage  to  him  to  succeed  a  Gentleman  of  Dr.  Cutler’s  emi¬ 
nence),  but  the  Churchwardens  and  a  very  great  majority  of  the  Congrega- 


523 


[1766. 


tion  have  made  choice  of  Mr.  Greaton  for  their  Minister,  if  the  Society  shall 
approve  their  choice.  This  contest  in  that  Church  was  the  true  reason  of  my 
silence,  being  not  willing  to  have  it  known  (if  it  might  possibly  be  avoided) 
that  there  had  been  a  difference  among  them ;  therefore  after  giving  both 
parties  my  best  advice,  I  chose  to  wait  the  event  before  I  made  any  particular 
mention  of  Mr.  Greaton  to  the  Society. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

H.  CANER. 


Revd  Mr.  THOMPSON  to  the  Secretary. 


Scituate,  N.  England,  March  25th,  1766. 

Revd  Sir, 

I  beg  leave  to  acquaint  the  Honorable  Society  that  it  is  a  great  comfort 
and  satisfaction  to  me  that  I  have  been  in  some  degree  successful  in  spreading 
among  my  people  the  influence  of  the  good  doctrines  and  principles  of  the 
Church  of  England,  which  have  visibly  improved  the  appearance  of  religion 
among  them  and  given  them  the  best  guard  against  error  and  delusion  of 
every  kind,  and  by  inculcating  upon  them  the  duties  of  our  holy  religion  that 
we  should  always  be  possessed  with  an  easy,  peaceable  disposition,  and  that 
we  study  to  be  quiet  and  mind  our  own  business,  and  as  much  as  lies  in  us  to 
live  peaceable  with  all  men,  and  pay  a  ready  and  dutiful  obedience  to  the  law¬ 
ful  commands  of  our  superiours.  I  have,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  preserved 
my  people  from  the  murmurs  and  disorders  that  have  lately  prevailed  in  some 
parts  of  this  Province,  and  I  can  with  truth  and  justice  say  that  my  people  are 
most  true  and  faithful  subjects  of  our  most  gracious  Sovereign,  and  honest 
and  sincere  professors  and  Members  of  the  Church  of  England.  Since  my 
last  letter  of  the  25th  of  September  I  have  Baptized  5  infants.  The  number 
of  regular  Communicants  are  49  white  people  and  2  Indians. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

EBENEZER  THOMPSON. 


1766.] 


524 


M\  WINGATE  WEEKS  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Marblehead,  June  20th,  1766. 

Revd  Sir, 

This  Town,  tho’  made  up  chiefly  of  Dissenters,  in  the  late  tumults  was 
always  moderate  and  gave  public  Testimony  against  those  violences  &  that 
indecent  opposition  which  almost  everywhere  prevailed.  And  in  a  choice  of 
Representatives  made  last  month,  this  Town  I  think  sends  the  only  Churchman 
that  sits  in  the  General  Assembly.  These  things  discover  an  agreeable  har¬ 
mony,  which  I  wish  was  spread  thro’  the  whole  Country. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir, 

J.  WINGATE  WEEKS. 

- ♦ - 

Revd  Mr.  Mc GILCHRIST  to  the  Secretrry. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Salem,  June  27th,  1766. 

Revd  Sir, 

Last  year  the  Clergy  present  at  Dr.  Cutler’s  Funeral  agreed  to  have  an 
annual  Convention  in  Boston,  to  promote  mutual  love  &  harmony  amongst 
ourselves,  and  to  assist  each  other  with  advice  in  difficult  cases.  Accordingly 
we  met,  14  in  number,  the  beginning  of  this  Month  &  made  something  of  an 
appearance  for  this  Country,  when  we  walked  together  in  our  Gowns  and 
Cassocks.  Dr.  Caner  acquainted  us  that  our  Convention  was  approved  of  by 
the  Bishop  of  London,  was  chosen  Moderator  and  Secretary,  &  gave  us  an 
excellent  discourse  in  King’s  Chapel,  and  we  were  honored  with  the  Gov¬ 
ernor’s  Company  at  Dinner.  As  this  convention  will  make  us  acquainted 
together,  so  I  hope  we  shall  love  one  another,  as  the  Clergy  do  in  England,  & 
it’s  like  to  be  of  Service  to  the  Church,  by  giving  us  a  greater  consideration 
in  the  Eyes  of  the  people.  I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

WILL.  MCGILCHRIST. 


525 


[1766. 


M  .  IV I NS LOJF  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Braintree,  i  st  July,  1766 

Revd  Sir, 

Our  Worship  at  Braintree,  Stoughton,  and  Dedham  is  constantly  &  de¬ 
cently  attended,  &  I  have  reason  to  hope  the  power  of  Religion  is  known 
among  our  members,  &  that  they  honestly  aim  to  abound  in  its  genuine 
Fruits.  I  have  baptized  in  the  past  six  months  4  adult  young  persons  of  one 
Family,  8  White  &  2  Negro  Infants.  The  number  of  Communicants  at  Brain¬ 
tree  is  usually  about  40;  at  Stoughton  upwards  of  20,  including  those  who 
attend  from  Dedham;  wdiere,  on  account  of  their  small  numbers  &  the  incon¬ 
venient  condition  of  the  Church,  this  holy  Ordinance  cannot  with  proper  decency 
be  administered  to  these  people  at  Stoughton  and  Dedham,  whose  numbers 
unitedly  make  up  near  30  Families,  may  in  time  see  themselves  formed 
into  a  decent  Congregation,  and  be  under  some  advantage  from  the  Estate 
which  will  devolve  to  the  Church  at  Dedham,  to  obtain  their  earnest  wishes 
of  the  Settlement  of  a  Minister  among  them,  but  at  present  they  must  be 
content  with  what  proportion  of  Service  can  be  spared  to  them  from  Braintree. 
I  attend  at  these  places  once  in  a  Month  alternately  as  long  as  the  Season  for 
travelling  will  admit.  What  they  contribute  towards  my  support  does  not 
much  more  than  suffice  to  defray  the  expense  of  attending  them.  But  I 
believe  their  numbers  will  increase,  and  I  hope  their  Dispositions  &  abilities 
may  be  enlarged. 

It  is,  Sir,  from  strong  inclinations,  as  well  as  a  sense  of  incumbent  Duty, 
that  I  shall  endeavour,  at  this  juncture,  to  remind  the  people  of  my  Charge  of 
those  obligations  we  in  these  Colonies  are  under,  suitably  to  acknowledge  & 
gratefully  to  resent  the  Grace  and  lenity  of  His  Majesty  and  the  parliament,  in 
the  Repeal  of  the  Stamp  Act,  notwithstanding  so  much  unbecoming  behaviour 
on  our  parts.  The  people  here  seem  universally  affected  with  this  indulgence 
and  generosity,  &  I  hope  it  will  produce  the  permanent  effect  of  every  possible 
Testimony  of  Loyalty  &  respect,  affection  &  confidence.  To  me  it  will  be  a 
pleasure  to  inculcate  these  duties  on  this  occasion,  &  to  improve  every  occa¬ 
sion  for  this  purpose  which  the  Constitution  of  our  Church  affords  and  enjoyns, 
to  urge  them,  from  the  divine  Authority  of  our  holy  Religion. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  & c., 

EDWD  WINSLOW. 


1767.] 


526 


The  Churchwardens  of  Christ  Church ,  in  Boston ,  to  the 

Secretary . 

Boston,  Jany  29th,  1867. 

Revd  Sir, 

If  you  will  please  to  look  over  our  Letter  of  the  20th  Decr,  1765,  you  may 
observe  that  we  apologize  for  not  writing  sooner  than  we  did.  The  reason 
we  then  gave  was  general,  as  we  hoped  there  would  be  no  occasion  of  enter¬ 
ing  into  particulars.  But  the  Revd  Dr.  Caner  having  communicated  to  us 
some  Paragraphs  from  the  venerable  Society’s  Letters  relating  to  this  church, 
we  think  it  our  indispensable  duty  to  lay  before  them  a  more  particular 
account  of  the  proceedings  and  state  of  our  church.  First,  the  reason  of  our 
not  writing  sooner  than  we  did.  There  were  some  Gentlemen  who  would  not 
concur  with  us  in  recommending  the  Revd  Mr.  Greaton  to  the  venerable  Socy 
to  be  their  Missionary  for  this  Church.  Their  number  was  but  small  at  first, 
not  more  than  5  or  6  Proprietors,  and  they  not  all  determined  to  leave  us,  but 
yet  we  thought  it  best  if  possible  to  lose  none,  therefore  postponed  writing 
for  a  time,  hoping  we  should  come  to  an  unanimous  agreement,  but  instead 
of  that,  those  few  persons  became  more  intractable  and  endeavoured  to  gain 
others  to  their  opinion,  and  to  make  a  Party. 

Finding  ourselves  in  this  situation  and  considering  our  inability  (even  when 
united)  to  support  a  Minister  without  assistance,  we  summoned  a  vestry  meet¬ 
ing  in  order  to  consider  and  determine  what  was  best  to  be  done.  It  was  then 
proposed  that  as  the  business  was  of  so  much  consequence  as  the  recommend¬ 
ing  to  the  venble  Society  a  Person  to  be  their  missionary  and  minister  of  this 
church,  the  whole  congregation  shod  be  called  together  and  the  business  deter¬ 
mined  by  them. 

This  was  opposed  by  those  persons  who  were  not  for  recommending  the 
Revd  Mr.  Greaton,  but  being  put  to  vote  it  was  carried  in  the  affirmative,  and 
accordingly  the  Proprietors  of  Pews  (who  by  the  Laws  and  rules  of  this  church 
are  the  only  proper  voters)  were  notified  by  the  clerk  from  the  Desk  on 
Thursday  the  5th  of  Dec.,  1765,  and  they  attended  on  Sunday  follow^,  when 
divine  Service  was  over  in  the  afternoon,  and  passed  the  following  votes : 


527 


[1767. 


First,  That  it  is  necessy  now  to  write  to  the  venerable  Society  to  inform  them 
of  the  death  of  our  late  worthy  Pastor  their  Missionary,  to  return  them 
the  thanks  of  this  church  for  the  support  and  protection  they  have  so 
liberally  afforded  us,  and  to  beg  the  continuance  of  their  charitable  ben¬ 
efactions. 

The  question  was  then  put,  Whether  it  is  proper  to  recommend  any 
person  to  the  venerable  Society  as  Minister  for  this  Church  ?  Voted  in  the 
affirmative. 

The  Question  was  then  put,  Wher  they  wd  have  a  Minister  chose  to  be 
recommended  to  the  Society  by  a  hand  vote  or  a  written  vote?  Voted  by  a 
written  vote,  and  that  every  voter  sign  his  Name  to  his  vote. 

Voted  unanimously,  That  the  Revd  Mr.  James  Greaton  be  recommended  to  the 
Society  to  be  established  Minister  of  this  chucrh,  and  that  Messrs.  Francis 
Shaw  and  John  Pigeon  (the  two  present  churchwardens),  together  with 
Thos  Ivers,  be  a  Committee  to  write  to  the  Society  respecting  our  present 
proceed^. 

The  business  being  carried  thus  far,  those  Gentn,  tho’  they  would  not  at  the 
time  vote  against  what  was  done,  yet  afterwards  made  every  objection  they 
could  suggest.  The  chief  and  indeed  the  only  one  they  were  united  on  was, 
That  the  business  was  done  without  timely  considerate  notwithstanding  we 
had  sev1  vestry  meetings,  and  had  delayed  the  matter  for  4  months  after  the 
death  of  our  Revd  Pastor,  in  short  till  the  congregation  in  general  were  very 
uneasy.  But  to  show  ourselves  willing  to  comply  with  anything  that  had  a 
prospect  of  preservg  the  Peace  and  unity  of  the  church,  we  agreed  to  comply 
with  their  desires,  which  was  to  summon  a  vestry  Meeting,  which  was  done, 
and  all  the  objections  heard  that  they  had  to  offer,  and  their  proposals  sub¬ 
mitted  to,  which  were  as  follow:  That  a  Committee  be  chosen  to  examine  into 
the  qualificati11  of  the  voters,  which  was  done,  and  they  made  their  return  to 
the  vestry,  which  was  accepted  as  follows:  62  Pews  improved  by  undoubted 
voters,  5  by  disputable  ones,  and  26  have  no  title  to  vote — there  being  in  all 
93  Pews  in  the  church. 

They  then  desired  that  the  Proprietors  should  be  called  togr  again  to 
know  whether  or  not  they  would  reconsider  their  former  votes,  and  that  every 
one  should  be  served  with  a  written  notification,  which  was  agreed  to,  and  the 
diction  of  it  submitted  to  themselves;  having  proceeded  thus  far  we  promised 
ourselves  a  happy  reconciliation.  The  Proprietors  met  and  the  attendance 


1767.] 


528 


was  more  general  than  at  any  meeting  on  the  occasion  before ;  the  business 
being  laid  before  them,  every  objection  was  heard  and  duly  considered,  and  a 
very  great  majority  were  of  the  mind,  that  to  reconsider  their  former  votes 
would  be  undoing  what  they  had  on  mature  deliberation  done,  to  do  the  same 
thing  over  again. 

The  Question  being  put,  Shall  we  reconsider  our  votes  of  the  8th  instant 
or  not?  it  passed  in  the  Negative  by  a  very  great  majority.  In  consequence 
of  these  Proceedings  the  Committee  wrote  their  Letter  to  the  venerable 
Society  of  the  20th  Decr,  1765,  having  first  communicated  the  contents  to  those 
Gentlemen,  who  still  seemed  to  be  dissatisfied,  saying  they  would  do  their 
endeavour  to  prevent  the  Society  granting  our  request.  We  are  now  in¬ 
formed  by  the  Revd  Dr.  Caner  that  they  wrote  to  the  Society  in  the  character  of 
Original  Proprietors,  signed  by  near  20  Persons,  charging  us  with  illegal  pro¬ 
ceedings,  etc.  We  were  very  much  surprised  at  this  information,  as  we  never 
knew  there  were  half  that  number  objected  to  our  proceedings,  which  put  us 
on  inquiry,  and  we  find  they  prevailed  on  some  persons  to  sign  that  Letter 
who  have  no  connection  with  us  but  belong  to  other  churches,  others  that 
(tho’  they  sometimes  come  to  the  church)  are  no  Proprietors,  and  some  very 
late  ones  ;  upon  the  whole  we  have  found  1 7  Persons  that  own  the  signing  that 
Letter,  among  whom  there  are  6  that  are  no  Proprietors  nor  have  any  right 
to  vote  in  matters  relating  to  this  church ;  and  it  is  with  pleasure  that  we 
now  inform  the  venerable  Society  that  sev1  of  those  Gentn  who  are  Proprie¬ 
tors  have  now  concurred  with  the  majority  of  the  church,  and  we  doubt  not 
we  should  be  entirely  united  but  for  one  Gent11  (Mr.  Hugh  McDaniel)  who 
declares  himself  determined  to  oppose  us  in  all  our  proceedings.  But  we 
flatter  ourselves  that  so  small  an  opposition  will  have  but  little  influence  with 
the  venerable  Society.  As  to  the  legality  of  our  Proceedings  we  are  sure  that 
we  acted  with  openness,  integrity,  and  the  best  of  our  Judgments — the  fore¬ 
going  being  a  true  and  faithful  acco4  of  the  matter  as  it  was  then  recorded  on 
the  church  Books,  which  we  laid  before  the  Revd  Dr.  Caner  at  the  time  it  was 
transacted,  we  submit  to  the  venerable  Society. 

Having,  in  as  brief  a  manner  as  the  nature  and  circumstances  of  the  busi¬ 
ness  would  admit,  finished  the  narrative  of  our  proceedings,  we  beg  leave  to 
lay  before  the  venerable  Society  the  true  state  of  our  church.  We  have  a 
very  compleat  Brick  building  well  furnished  with  every  conveniency,  but  it  is 
situate  at  the  North  part  of  the  Town  where  the  Inhabitts  are  not  so  wealthy 


529 


H1 767. 


as  those  near  the  other  churches,  and  consequently  we  have  a  larger  propor¬ 
tion  of  poor  to  support  by  charity;  and  as  the  Government  here  is  principally 
in  the  hands  of  Dissenters,  we  think  ourselves  under  some  disadvantage  in 
regard  to  our  General  taxation  (as  has  always  been  the  case). 

The  church  is  commonly  well  filled  with  an  orderly  &  well  behaved  congre¬ 
gation,  tho’  poor.  The  number  of  communicants  are  generally  about  50,  and 
at  some  particular  festivals,  as  Christmas  &  Easter  Sunday,  more.  During 
the  time  of  the  long  indisposition  of  our  late  worthy  Pastor  (which  was  near 
9  years)  we  continued  to  pay  him  2  Dollars  a  week,  and  paid  considble  sums 
for  supplying  the  Pulpit  before  the  Revd  Mr.  Greaton  engaged  with  us — him 
we  allowed  ^50  Sterling  per  annum,  and  by  collections  at  different  times 
added  about  ^15  Stg  per  annum  more;  and  since  the  decease  of  the  Revd  Dr. 
Cutler  we  have  given  him  30s.  Stg  a  week,  which  little  more  than  half  main¬ 
tains  his  family.  These  charges,  with  the  necessary  repairs  of  the  church  and 
the  expense  of  the  Funeral  of  our  late  Pastor,  has  been  a  very  heavy  tax 
upon  us,  by  means  of  which  we  are  considerably  in  debt,  so  that  if  the  vener¬ 
able  Society  should  not  think  proper  to  continue  their  charitable  assistance  to 
us,  we  shall  not  be  able  to  support  a  minister  suitable  for  this  place — the  ut¬ 
most  we  could  raise  would  be  so  small  we  could  not  expect  any  Gentleman  of 
ability  and  learning  would  accept  it.  In  regard  to  the  Revd  Mr.  Greaton  we 
have  now  laid  before  the  Society  a  true  state  of  the  disposition  of  the  people 
towards  him,  and  to  speak  our  minds  freely  with1  any  other  motive  than  the 
peace  and  prosperity  of  this  church,  we  are  of  the  opinion  that  if  the  venerable 
Society  shall  think  proper  to  establish  him  as  a  Missionary  in  this  church,  every 
animosity  will  subside  and  we  shall  be  restored  to  that  unity  and  love  among 
ourselves  for  which  this  congregation  has  always  been  remarkable.  But  if 
it  shall  appear  otherwise  to  the  Society,  and  they  think  proper  to  appoint 
some  other  person,  we  shall  submit  &  concur  with  them  for  the  continuance 
and  well  being  of  this  church — at  the  same  time  we  heartily  recommend  the 
Revd  Mr.  Greaton  as  a  person  in  every  respect  truly  worthy  of  their  care  and 
protection. 

We  beg  leave  to  subscribe  ourselves,  & c., 

FRANCIS  SHAW,  I  Wardens  of 
THOMAS  IVRES,  j  Christ  Church. 


67 


1767.] 


530 


Mr.  THOMPSON  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Scituate,  New  England,  March  25th,  1767. 

Revd  Sir, 

I  continue  to  officiate  steadily  in  my  two  churches  at  Scituate  and  Marsh¬ 
field,  and  my  People  give  their  regular  attendance  on  the  worship  of  God  and 
behave  well,  and  lately,  at  the  request  of  a  few  families  of  the  Professors  of 
the  Church  of  England  living  in  Plymouth,  the  first  settled  Town  in  this 
Province,  I  went  to  them  and  baptized  three  of  their  children,  performed 
Divine  Service  and  preached  in  the  Court  Plouse  to  a  large  congregation, 
many  of  which  never  before  heard  the  liturgy  of  the  Church  of  England. 

EBENEZER  THOMPSON. 


The  Clergy  of  Boston ,  &fc.,  to  the  Secretary. 


Boston,  June  17,  1767. 

Revd  Sir, 

The  Clergy  of  this  and  the  neighb’ring  Government  of  Rhode  Island,  both 
Missionaries  and  others,  being  now  together  at  their  annual  Convention,  beg 
leave  to  mention  to  the  Society  some  few  things  relative  to  these  churches. 
In  general  the  missions  of  these  Governments  are  in  a  laudable  State,  but  we 
are  sorry  to  say  that  Christ  Church  in  Boston  is  still  affected  &  greatly  suffers 
by  the  divisions  that  prevail  in  it. 

The  church  at  Cambridge,  which  has  been  in  an  unsettled  condition  ever 
since  Mr.  Apthorp’s  resignation,  is  now  happily  supplied  by  the  arrival  of  the 
Revd  Mr.  Sargent. 

At  Taunton  Mr.  Lyon  is  labouring  very  diligently  &  not  with4  good  success, 
supported  only  with  the  small  encouragement  of  £30  Sterling  per  annum  & 
his  parsonage.  His  labours  are  likewise  extended  to  Bridgewater  the  dis- 


53i 


[i  767. 


tance  of  10  miles,  and  sometimes  to  Middleborough  about  15  miles.  The 
Glebe  of  Taunton  may  be  worth  about  £6  Sterling  per  annum  &  the  people 
have  lately  built  a  new  and  very  decent  Parsonage  House,  and  in  other 
respects  have  faithfully  exerted  themselves  towards  Mr.  Lyon’s  support.  We 
cannot  therefore  but  hope  the  Society  will  encourage  their  attachment 
&  his  industry  &  usefulness  by  making  some  further  provision  for  his  sub¬ 
sistence. 

We  understand  by  the  Revd  Mr.  Bailey  that  the  Society  have  agreed  to 
establish  a  mission  at  George  Town  upon  Kenneback  River  when  the  people 
can  find  a  suitable  person  to  recommend  for  that  purpose.  They  conceive 
they  have  now  found  such  a  one  &  have  accordly  recommended  Mr.  Willerd 
Wheeler,  the  Bearer  of  this,  who  is  well  known  to  several  of  us  &  deservedly 
bears  the  character  of  a  person  of  sound  principles  and  good  morals,  firmly 
attached  to  our  Government  and  constitution  both  in  Church  and  State,  and 
from  whom  we  conceive  the  Society  may  promise  themselves  a  faithful  and 
prudent  Missionary  if  they  shall  think  proper  to  employ  him. 

It  is  however  a  great  discouragement  to  those  who  would  offer  themselves 
to  the  service  of  these  American  churches  that  they  are  still  obliged  to  submit 
to  the  danger  and  expence  of  a  voyage  of  1,000  leagues  long  to  qualify  them¬ 
selves  for  that  service. 

Since  the  first  Settlement  of  Christianity  so  large  a  Continent  as  this  was 
never  known  without  a  resident  Bishop.  We  flattered  ourselves  that  such  an 
extensive  territory  as  was  heretofore  possessed  &  hath  since  been  added  to  the 
British  Dominions  by  the  last  war  would  certainly  have  been  followed  by  some 
provision  of  this  kind,  but  especially  the  late  popular  tumults  in  these  colonies 
we  imagined  would  have  strongly  pointed  out  the  necessity  of  such  a  step 
towards  the  uniting  and  attaching  the  colonies  to  the  mother  Country  and 
have  silenced  every  objection  that  could  be  raised  against  it. 

We  are  too  remote  and  inconsiderable  to  approach  the  Throne,  yet  could 
His  Majesty  hear  the  voice  of  so  distant  a  People  the  request  for  American 
Bishops  would  appear  to  be  the  Crye  of  many  thousands  of  His  most  faithful 
subjects. 

We  do  however  think  ourselves  happy  in  this,  that  the  Society  will  omit 
no  favorable  opportunity  of  representing  the  advantages  that  may  accrue  to 
these  Colonies  to  religion  and  to  the  British  Interest  by  condescending  to  this 
our  request. 


1 767-] 


532 


We  bless  God  for  the  great  and  good  effects  of  the  Society’s  care  and 
attention  to  these  colonies  and  hope  it  will  please  God  that  they  may  become 
instrumental  in  obtaining  this  further  invaluable  blessing  of  resident  Bishops 
for  America. 


We  are,  with  great  veneration, 

the  Society’s  dutiful  and  obedient,  and,  Revd  Sir, 

Your  most  humble  Servants, 


W.  Walter, 

John  Lyon, 

W.  Serjeant, 

JAS  Greaton, 
Edwd  Bass, 

Edwd  Winslow, 

S.  Fayerweather, 


Jacob  Bailey, 

J.  Wingate  Weeks, 
H.  Caner, 

JN0  Usher, 

Ebenr  Thompson, 
Will.  McGilchrist, 
JNO  Frontbeck. 


Mr.  IV I NSL  0  IV  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Braintree,  23d  July,  1767. 

Revd  Sir, 

We  have  some  small  accession  to  our  Numbers  at  Braintree,  and  I  have 
probable  hopes  that  the  two  churches  at  Stoughton  &  Dedham  will  encrease. 
These  have  at  present  the  advantage  of  public  service  every  Sunday,  being 
attended  alternately  by  a  young  Gentleman,  Son  of  an  eminent  Dissenting 
Minister,  who  at  a  late  Convention  of  our  Clergy  at  Boston,  declared  his  con¬ 
formity  to  the  Church  and  offerd  himself  as  Candidate  for  Holy  Orders,  and 
has  been  accordingly  mentioned  in  a  Public  Letter  from  the  Clergy  to  my 
Lord  of  London.  This  Person  has  with  our  advice  consented  to  reside 
with  the  People  of  Stoughton  and  Dedham  as  a  reader,  until  he  can  know 
whether  the  infirmity  of  deafness  which  he  has  the  misfortune  to  labour  under 
will  prove  an  impediment  to  his  ordination,  and  until  he  can  meet  with  some 
prospect  of  a  Settlement.  Should  he  be  able  to  pursue  this  design  I  could  wish 
these  People  might  have  it  in  their  power  to  encourage  his  return  to  them 


[1 767. 


50  'y 
00 

as  their  Minister,  as  he  bears  an  amiable  character  both  in  respect  of  his 
piety  and  his  abilities,  and  would  be  very  useful  in  such  a  Station  notwith¬ 
standing  his  infirmity;  but  I  am  persuaded  their  circumstances  will  not  admit 
of  their  engaging  for  a  Title  until  the  Church  at  Dedham  comes  into  posses¬ 
sion  of  the  Estate  there. 

I  think  it  my  duty  to  mention,  that  the  Dissenting  Minister  at  Stoughton, 
from  an  unfriendly  temper  towards  the  church,  for  which  he  has  been  long 
remarkable,  has  lately  made  some  captious  and  frivolous  exceptions  to 
the  account  of  the  Numbers  of  our  Professors  there  as  transmitted  by  me  in 
the  year  1765.  To  these  I  have  answered  by  publishing,  in  conjunction  with 
the  Wardens  and  others,  an  attested  certificate  with  the  names  of  the  several 
Heads  of  Families  belonging  to  that  Church  and  exceeding  the  number  I 
mentioned  at  that  time.  This  is  I  believe  in  general  judged  sufficient  to  jus¬ 
tify  ourselves ;  nor  do  I  know  any  reason  (but  from  his  own  prejudices  and 
jealousy)  why  this  gentleman  should  seek  so  needless  an  occasion  to  molest 
us.  It  has  been  my  endeavour  to  lead  our  members  there — to  cultivate  a 
friendly  as  well  as  cautious  temper  towards  their  Dissenting  Neighbours ;  and 
I  think  they  have  not  been  backward  to  do  so.  I  believe  they  are  disposed 
still  to  persevere,  and  to  oppose  only  Christian  prudence,  moderation  and 
charity,  to  these  or  any  such  ungenerous  practices  to  hinder  the  Settlement 
or  Growth  of  their  church  which  I  trust  is  in  some  tendency  to  prosper. 

With  the  greatest  respect, 

I  am, 

Revd  Sir, 

The  Society’s  and 

Your  faithful  and 

Most  obedient  Servant, 

EDWD  WINSLOW. 

I  am  solicited  by  some  of  the  People  of  this  Mission  to  request  the  favour 
of  a  small  supply  of  Common  Prayer  Books. 


1767.'] 


534 


Mr.  GREATON  to  the  Secretary . 


Boston,  Aug.  28th,  1 767. 

Reverend  Sir, 

Touched  with  the  warmest  sense  of  gratitude  to  the  venerable  Society  for 
their  favorable  and  kind  notice  of  me  in  appointing  me  their  Missionary  at 
Christ  Church  in  this  town  with  a  salary  of  £<\o  per  annum,  which  appoint¬ 
ment  was  communicated  to  the  Church  and  to  me  by  the  Reverend  Dr.  Caner, 
permit  me  to  return  them  therefore,  Sir,  by  you,  the  real  and  sincere  acknowl¬ 
edgments  of  a  benevolent  mind. 

It  would  have  given  me  the  most  sensible  pleasure  to  have  been  able  to 
have  informed  them  that  the  unhappy  Schism  and  Division  which  hath  too 
long  subsisted  in  this  church  had  entirely  subsided,  but  in  this  I  am  not  so  for¬ 
tunate  as  I  could  have  wished  for.  The  same  spirit  that  at  first  occasioned 
the  dissension,  hath  still  rendered  ineffectual  every  attempt  to  bring  about  a 
General  coalition,  and  I  believe  ever  will. 

I  shall  not  trouble  you,  Sir,  at  present,  with  any  particular  part  of  the 
general  conduct  of  the  Gentlemen  who  thought  proper  to  oppose  my  final 
Settlement  in  Christ  Church,  with  their  numbers,  weight  and  influence,  inas¬ 
much  as  I  take  it  that  was  fully  and  very  faithfully  done  by  the  worthy  Gentle¬ 
men  who  were  some  time  ago  appointed  a  Committee  to  solicit  the  Society’s 
favors  in  order  for  my  establishment  here.  I  shall  only  just  remark  that  as 
to  numbers  there  is  but  a  small  addition,  two  or  three  at  the  most,  but  inas¬ 
much  as  a  determined  opposition  is  too  apparent  in  these  Gentlemen,  and 
that  I  cannot  promise  myself  any  real  and  solid  happiness  among  them, 
I  request  it  of  the  venerable  Society  as  a  favor  to  grant  me  a  removal  from 
this  mission  to  some  other  where  I  may  perhaps  receive  more  satisfaction  to 
myself  and  be  more  serviceable  in  the  cause  that  I  am  engaged  in. 

If  I  should  be  so  happy  as  to  obtain  the  Society’s  favors  for  another 
appointment,  I  would  (if  I  may  do  it  with  propriety)  desire  that  it  might  be 
somewhere  in  New  England,  upon  account  of  my  state  of  health,  which  hath 
not  been  very  firm  for,  some  time  past.  Newhaven  where  I  was  educated,  if 
not  absolutely  provided  for,  would  be  very  agreeable  to  me — if  that  is  filled, 
Brunswick  or  Trenton,  which  I  find  are  vacant.  I  beg  the  Society’s  pardon  for 


535  [i  7^8. 

presuming  to  be  a . Chuser  when  I  am  no  better  than  a  suitor  for 

their  favour. 

With  this  Letter,  Reverend  Sir,  I  presume  that  you  will  receive  one  from 
a  Committee  of  Christ  Church  designed  to  represent  to  the  Society  their 
present  state  and  to  solicit  their  future  favors  in  the  Establishment  of  a  Salary 
upon  some  judicious  Gentleman,  whom  they  may  think  proper  hereafter  to 
recommend  for  their  Minister. 

As  to  the  Gentlemen  appoined  for  the  Draughting  that  Letter :  as  I  would 
banish  from  my  mind  the  idea  of  their  ever  wilfully  making  unjust  represent¬ 
ations,  so  I  can  with  confidence  make  my  appeal  to  their  Letter  for  evidence 
that  there  hath  been  nothing  in  my  life  and  conversation  that  should  render 
me  unworthy  the  Patronage  and  protection  of  the  venerable  Society. 

As  to  the  Church  it  is  my  earnest  desire  and  wish  that  every  individual 
Member  of  it  may  seriously  consider  and  lay  to  heart  the  imminent  danger 
that  they  are  in  through  their  unhappy  division,  and  resolve  to  lay  aside  every¬ 
thing  among  them  that  tends  to  prevent  that  Godly  union  and  concord  which 
alone  I  imagine  can  further  recommend  them  to  the  Society’s  notice  and 
regards. 

I  am, 

Reverend  Sir, 

With  all  possible  respect, 

Your  most  obed1  humble  serv1, 

JAMES  GREATON. 


Revd  M .  IF I NSL  0 IF  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Braintree,  Ist  Jany,  1768. 

Revd  Sir, 

Altho’  it  be  by  slow  degrees,  yet  we  do  find  some  substantial  increase 
to  our  number.  Our  Church  at  Braintree  is  usually  decently  filled,  &  in  the 
Summer  Season  we  should,  not  seldom,  be  glad  of  more  Room. 

At  Stoughton  &  Dedham,  I  have  still  more  cause  to  think  the  Church 
would  soon  gather  strength  were  the  slender  ability  of  the  professors  there 


1 768.] 


536 


more  proportionate  to  their  value  for  the  Establishment,  &  their  honest  desires 
to  see  themselves  &  their  families  under  the  regular  and  constant  administra¬ 
tions  of  it.  They  have  been,  for  some  Months  past,  attended  by  a  valuable 
young  Man  as  a  Reader,  whom  I  mentioned  to  the  Society  in  my  last  Letter, 
and  whom  they  would  be  glad  to  retain  in  their  Service  (should  he  be  allowed 
to  present  himself  &  be  accepted  for  Ordination).  They  are  willing  to  think, 
if  they  could  agree  with  the  surviving  possessor  of  the  Estate  at  Dedham,  on 
moderate  Terms,  for  the  Lease  of  her  Life  therein,  &  could  engage  for  £ 20 
yearly  besides,  and  might  further  be  permitted  to  interceed  for  some  small 
assistance  only  for  a  number  of  years,  they  would  be  put  into  such  Motion  as 
may  eventually  answer  their  hopes;  but  tho’  I  must  commend  their  zeal,  &  do 
heartily  join  my  best  wishes,  yet  I  must  be  slow  in  advising  them  to  prosecute 
this  Design,  till  they  more  thoroughly  consult  their  Circumstances,  in  order  to 
make  effectual  provision  for  complying  with  their  own  Engagements. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

EDWD  WINSLOW. 


Mr.  GRA  VES  to  the  Secretary . 


Providence,  May  5th,  1768. 

Revd  Sir, 

The  Bearer  hereof  is  Mr.  Byles,  a  New  England  Gentleman,  was  bred 
a  Dissenter,  his  Father  the  Doctor  still  a  Pastor  in  Boston.  His  Ancestors 
were  remarkably  eminent  in  that  way.  He  has  been  an  ordained  Preacher 
for  several  Years,  &  placed  over  a  large  Congregation  at  New  London,  where 
I  have  been  acquainted  with  him  in  my  Spring  &  Fall  Visits  to  my  Relations 
there,  since  he  was  first  settled  in  that  Town.  He  is  now  going  to  England 
for  Episcopal  Ordination,  under  I  doubt  not  a  full  &  clear  Conviction  of  its 
superiority.  He  has  accepted  an  Invitation  from  the  North  Church  in  Boston 
where  the  late  Dr.  Cutler  was  their  long  &  faithful  Pastor.  He  will  be  very 
handsomely  provided  for  among  them  &  will,  it’s  presumed,  answer  their 
generous  &  pious  views,  by  a  tender  conscientious  Regard  to  their  immor¬ 
tal  Interest.  And  as  honoring  the  King  is  inseperably  connected  with  fear- 


537 


[1768. 


ing  God,  so  I  believe  he’ll  be  peculiarly  serviceable  to  the  state  of  our  civil 
affairs  in  Boston,  which  is  only  too  well  known;  as  he  has  given  to  my  certain 
knowledge  signal  proofs  of  his  Loyalty,  &  is  a  Man  of  Resolution  as  well  as 
sense.  All  this  I  cou’d  do  [no]  less  in  Justice  than  lay  before  the  Honorable 
Board,  for  tho’  he  has  no  special  favors  to  ask  of  the  Society,  yet  as  they  are 
the  great  Patrons  (under  God)  of  Episcopacy  in  America,  it  must  always  yield 
them  the  highest  Pleasure  to  hear  of  the  Loyalty  as  well  as  piety  of  our  Clergy. 

And  as  the  Writer  of  this  would  not  for  any  consideration  recommend  a 
Man  who  was  not  in  his  Judgment  possessed  of  both,  so  whatever  he  is,  as  to 
the  latter  (which  one  day  will  show),  His  Majesty  has  not  a  subject  more  invi¬ 
olably  attach’d  to  Revolution  principles,  and  therefore  to  the  person  of  our 
gracious  &  virtuous  King. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

J.  GRAVES. 

- - »  ■  ■■■■ 


The  Churchwardens  of  Christ  Churchy  Boston ,  to  the  Secretary . 


Boston,  10th  May,  1768. 

Revd  Sir, 

In  our  last  Letter  to  the  Venerable  Society  we  acquainted  them  of  the 
Revd  Mr.  Greaton’s  Resolution  to  withdraw  himself  from  this  Church  as  find¬ 
ing  it  impractable  to  unite  the  parties  in  his  favor,  which  was  once  so  near 
effected  as  caus’d  us  to  write  to  the  Society  in  the  manner  we  did.  Unhappily 
for  us  we  failed  in  our  expectations ;  where  the  fault  lay  we  presume  not  to 
determine,  but  make  this  general  observation  that  every  Man  is  not  endowed 
with  faculties  to  make  himself  serviceable  &  agreeable  in  all  places,  &  that 
when  prejudices  have  once  taken  place  it  is  with  difficulty  if  ever  they  are 
removed. 

When  we  first  addressed  the  Society  our  prospect  was  encouraging,  but 
before  we  received  their  Letter  informing  us  of  their  kindness  and  gener¬ 
osity  to  this  Church  the  View  was  greatly  alter’d,  &  we  found  the  Division 
was  so  enlarg’d  that  instead  of  promoting  the  cause  of  Religion  &  the  Interest 
of  this  Church,  if  we  continued  Mr.  Greaton,  that  both  would  suffer,  which  we 

thought  lay  us  under  indispensable  obligations  to  come  into  united  Measures 

68 


1768.] 


538 


for  the  general  good  of  the  whole,  which  was  conceded  to  by  the  Revd  Mr. 
Greaton ;  accordingly  we  wrote  our  Letter  to  the  Venerable  Society  of  the 
7th  August,  1 767. 

We  now  beg  leave  to  lay  before  them  our  present  proceedings  with  the 
agreeable  prospect  of  a  happy  Union  taking  place  amongst  us.  As  soon  as  the 
Congregation  was  convinced  of  the  impossibility  of  reuniting  the  Members  to 
Mr.  Greaton,  and  that  to  persist  would  very  much  reduce  the  Church,  they 
jointly  agreed  to  appoint  a  Committee  of  Enquiry,  to  find  a  Person  in  whom 
they  might  form  that  Union  which  all  parties  seem’d  desirous  to  join  in  ;  accord¬ 
ingly  the  Committee  proceeded  on  their  business,  &  after  a  constant  Enquiry 
were  providentially  directed  to  Mr.  Mather  Byles,  a  Gentleman  of  a  most  ami¬ 
able  Character,  whose  abilities  have  been  proved  &  found  sufficient  to  preside 
at  the  head  of  a  very  oppulent  Society  &  from  whom  he  has  now  parted  with 
much  reluctance  on  their  part  and  great  honor  to  himself,  not  only  by  giving 
full  satisfaction  to  us  that  his  joining  our  Communion  was  founded  upon  prin¬ 
ciple,  but  generously  making  restitution  to  those  people  among  whom  he  was 
settled  of  the  whole  sum  they  gave  him  when  he  first  came  to  them,  which  was 
^180  Sterling.  In  regard  to  the  Members  of  our  Church,  upon  this  occasion 
we  find  a  disposition  in  them  to  do  to  their  utmost  and  even  beyond  their 
abilities.  They  have  chearfully  raised  a  sum  which,  with  the  provision  that  is 
established  in  England  for  the  Encouragement  of  Persons  going  hence 
to  obtain  Ordination,  We  imagine  will  be  sufficient  to  defray  his  Expence,  & 
also  on  presumption  of  the  Society’s  good  will  towards  us,  founded  on  their 
former  kindnesses  &  benefactions  to  this  Church,  together  with  the  great 
assurances  they  have  of  its  flourishing  under  Mr.  Byles’s  Ministry,  have 
voted  and  agreed  to  give  him  ^100  sterling  per  Annum,  an  exertion  which 
we  hope  will  convince  the  Society  that  as  soon  as  we  find  ourselves  in  a  con¬ 
dition  able  to  do  without  their  assistance  we  shall  immediately  inform  them 
with  it,  &  gratefully  acknowledge  the  benefits  we  have  received  &  the  many 
obligations  we  are  under  to  them. 

As  matters  are  now  circumstanced  with  us,  we  think  that  if  ever  there  was 
a  time  when  this  Church  needed  the  Society’s  assistance  it  is  the  present, 
which  we  humbly  hope  they  will  take  into  their  Consideration,  and  afford  us 
such  aids  as  they  in  their  goodness  may  think  proper.  We  are,  &c., 

Thomas  I  vers,  \ 

Danl  MahoN)  f 


Ch.  Wardens. 


539 


[1768. 


May  10th,  1768.  At  a  Proprietors’  Meeting  at  Christ  Church  this  Day,  the 
foregoing  Letter  was  laid  before  them;  whereupon  they  unanimously  voted 
that  it  was  agreeable  to  their  minds,  &  desired  the  Wardens  to  forward  it. 


♦ 


M\  W INGATE  WEEKS  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Marblehead,  21st  June,  1768. 

Revd  Sir, 

In  this  Town  the  number  of  rateable  polls  from  16  years  old  &  upward  (as 
I  have  been  informed  by  one  of  the  Assessors)  is  1,300,  which  multiplied  by  5, 
tho’  we  commonly  allow  a  greater  proportion,  there  being  many  Widows 
&  a  great  abundance  of  children,  will  give  6,500  for  the  whole  number  of 
Inhabitants  in  the  Town.  Of  these  I  believe  at  least  i~5th  part  belong  to  the 
Church ;  the  rest  are  Independents  or  Congregationalists  as  they  choose  to 
be  called. 

I  keep  up  an  acquaintance  with  the  two  dissenting  Ministers  of  the  Town, 
who  are  Men  of  good  morals,  &  of  fair  open  minds;  they  seldom  fail  of  attending 
divine  service  whenever  the  Church  is  open  on  any  day  except  Sunday;  &  one 
of  them,  I  have  generally  observed,  joins  in  the  prayers,  reading  them  devoutly 
&  attentively.  I  consider  this  as  a  rare  instance  of  a  Charitable  &  unbiassed 
spirit  in  such  a  Country  as  this,  where  groundless  prejudice  and  unreasonable 
rancour  against  the  Church  of  England  have  been  sucked  in  with  the  Mother’s 
Milk  and  carefully  cherished  by  a  false  &  narrow  Education. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

JOSHUA  WINGATE  WEEKS. 


1768.] 


540 


Mr.  Mc GILCHRIST  to  the  Secretary. 

Salem,  June  28th,  1768. 

Revd  Sir, 

The  Church  of  Salem  is  in  the  same  state  as  when  I  wrote  to  you  last ; 
the  number  of  Baptisms  for  the  year  1767  is  15,  &  there  were  20  Communi¬ 
cants  last  Easter.  The  minds  of  the  people  in  this  Country  are  much  enflamed 
at  present  on  account  of  the  Parliament’s  taxes  on  Glass,  paper,  &c.,  to  raise 
a  revenue.  Last  week  their  chief  Demagogue  declaimed  vehemently  in  the 
general  Court  against  the  oppressive  impositions,  as  he  term’d  them,  of  the 
English ;  &  to  set  a  keener  edge  on  his  hearers’  passions  asserted  roundly 
that  their  Churches  were  in  danger,  inveigh’d  bitterly  against  his  Grace  of 
Canterbury  and  the  Bishop  of  London,  and  pursued  a  parallel  between  the 
former  and  Archbishop  Laud.  I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

WM  MCGILCHRIST. 

- 4 - 

Mr.  WINSLOW  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 


Braintree,  30th  June,  1768. 


Revd  Sir, 

*  *  *  Amidst  the  present  unhappy  commotions  in  the  public 

affairs  of  this  province,  which  are  still  more  unhappy  from  the  prevalence  of 
a  too  great  bitterness  of  Spirit  against  the  Church  on  account  of  the  recent 
addresses  on  the  subject  of  resident  Bishops  on  this  continent,  it  is  a  satis¬ 
faction  to  me  to  find  the  people  of  my  particular  Charge  steadily  influenced 
by  the  principles  of  their  profession,  in  maintaining  a  just  &  becoming  sense 
of  Loyalty  to  His  Majesty  &  duty  &  affection  to  the  Government  of  our 
Parent  Country  in  the  abhorrence  of  those  tumultuous  &  rash  proceedings 
which  subvert  all  public  order  &  are  destructive  of  private  peace  &  safety,  & 
in  being  desirous  to  avoid  all  unnecessary  occasions  of  controversy  with  their 
Neighbours  of  different  persuasions.  It  has  been  my  aim  &  shall  be  my 
Endeavour  to  lead  my  People  both  by  Example  and  Instruction  to  persevere 


54i 


[1768. 


in  this  regulation  of  their  Tempers  &  Conduct,  &  in  all  instances  of  Christian 
prudence,  Caution,  and  Candor,  as  well  as  firmness  which  the  difficulties  of  the 
present  times  seem  peculiarly  to  require  of  the  Members  of  the  Established 
Church  in  this  Country.  I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

EDWD  WINSLOW. 

- * - 


The  Clergy  in  Convention  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 


Boston  in  New  England,  Septr  2  2d,  1768. 

Revd  Sir, 

*  *  *  The  general  state  of  the  Churches  in  this  part  of 

America  are  indeed  in  as  good  a  condition  as  can  reasonably  be  expected 
under  the  present  troublesome  state  of  these  Colonies.  All  that  we  are  able 
to  do  in  these  times  is  only  to  cultivate  among  the  people  committed  to  our 
care  a  spirit  of  peace  &  patience  under  the  various  insults  to  which  they  are 
exposed  for  refusing  to  join  in  the  popular  clamours  that  now  prevail.  We 
are  neither  allowed  to  speak  nor  scarcely  to  be  silent  unless  we  join  with 
those  who  we  believe  to  be  labouring  the  destruction  of  our  constitution, 
civil  &  religious.  The  civil  Government  is  too  weak  to  afford  us  protection ; 
&  ecclesiastical  superior  we  have  none  on  this  side  the  Atlantic,  from  whom 
we  may  receive  timely  advice  or  direction  under  our  present  trials.  We 
can  only  look  up  to  God  and  cast  ourselves  upon  the  divine  providence  for 
protection  and  for  a  happy  issue  to  our  distress.  *  *  * 

We  are,  with  all  duty  &  respect, 

The  Society’s  obl  &  most  h’ble  Servants, 

H.  Caner,  W.  Serjeant, 

Arthur  Browne,  Jacob  Bailey, 

Ebenezer  Thompson,  Joshua  W.  Weeks, 

Will.  McGilchrist, 

John  Troutbeck, 

Edward  Bass, 

Marn.  Browne, 

Edwd  Winslow, 


W.  Walter, 

John  Lyon, 

Moses  Badger, 
Willard  Wheeler. 


* 


1768.] 


542 


/ 

M\  BASS  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Newbury  Port,  N.  England,  Septr  29th,  1768. 

Revd  Sir, 

*  *  *  The  Enemies  of  the  Church  of  England  are  doing  their 

utmost  to  prejudice  the  people  in  these  parts  against  Bishops  and  the  Church, 
for  this  purpose  they  are  not  only  daily  publishing  their  invectives  in  the 
Newspapers,  but  have  taken  the  pains  to  reprint  Delawne’s  plea  &  the  Dis¬ 
senting  Gentleman’s  answer  to  the  Revd  Mr.  White’s  Letters.  These  being 
popular  books,  I  beg  of  the  Society  to  send  me  some  of  the  answers  that 
have  been  written  to  them,  in  order  to  obviate  the  ill  influence  they  may 
otherwise  have  among  weak  unstable  people.  *  *  * 

I  am,  &c., 

EDWARD  BASS. 

-  ♦ 

M\  WINSLOW  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 


Revd  Sir, 


Braintree,  29th  Septr,  1768. 


*  *  *  As  I  have  this  Opportunity,  I  beg  leave  to  say  that  in  the 

present  distracted  &  most  melancholy  times  the  people  of  my  charge  con¬ 
tinue,  &  I  am  confident  will  remain,  stedfast  in  their  adherence  to  the  princi¬ 
ples  of  Established  Government  &  good  order,  &  firm  in  their  Detestation  of 
those  factious  &  disorderly  proceedings  which  have  too  justly  drawn  upon 
this  Colony  the  frowns  of  our  parent  country:  may  God’s  good  providence 
speedily  interpose,  to  reduce  the  inconsiderate  to  reason  and  to  restore  us  the 
Blessings  of  Peace  and  Union,  &  the  favor  of  our  Sovereign  and  the  govern¬ 
ment.  I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

EDWD  WINSLOW 


543 


[1769. 


Mr.  SERJEANT  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Cambridge,  17th  Octr,  1768. 

Revd  Sir, 

My  Congregation  consists  chiefly  of  families  of  property.  There  is  all  the 
decency  &  regularity  of  compliance  with  the  Ordinances  of  the  Church  as  the 
custom  of  the  times  will  admit  of.  I  would  fain  flatter  myself  that  the  Church 
of  Cambridge  may  in  a  few  years  more  become  as  respectable  for  numbers 
as  it  is  now  for  peace,  quietness,  &  propriety  of  conduct  &  behaviour  both  in 
religious  &  civil  life. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

W.  SERJEANT. 


M\  JV IN SLOW  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Braintree,  2nd  Jan7,  1769. 

Revd  Sir, 

I  have  found  the  people  of  my  charge  always  forward  to  attend  to  the 
frequent  occasions  which  the  troublesome  times  among  us,  in  this  province, 
have  made  it  requisite  to  improve,  by  putting  them  in  remembrance  of  the 
religious  Obligations  and  important  motives  of  dutiful  respect  and  submission 
to  the  Established  Authority,  together  with  proper  Confidence  in  the  great 
wisdom  of  the  Government  of  our  Parent  Country ;  our  relation  to  which 
ought  to  be,  and  I  trust  in  general  really  is,  esteemed  among  the  first  of 
Blessings.  The  influence  of  this  principle  has  been  confessedly  observable 
wherever  the  Church  of  England  is  planted  among  us  ;  And  I  doubt  not 
this  will  always  be  an  increasing  advantage.  The  Government  will  reap  from 
the  Society’s  care  and  support  of  the  Church  in  these  parts;  The  propagation 


1769.] 


544 


of  it  will  I  trust  be  ever  favored  by  Divine  providence,  and  I  hope  ever 
approved  &  recommended,  by  the  happy  effects  of  maintaining  &  promoting 
the  purity  &  power  of  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  in  all  the  extensive  branches 
of  Christian  knowledge,  faith  &  duty,  essential  to  the  happiness  of  the  present 
&  of  the  future  state.  In  conformity  hereto,  I  pray  God  to  dispose  &  direct 
me  always  to  consider  &  to  use  my  Office  in  the  Church,  &  in  the  Society’s 
Service,  &  in  such  manner  as  may  prove  my  sincere  affection  for  this  valu¬ 
able  Constitution. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

EDWD  WINSLOW. 


Mr.  BYLES  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Boston,  April  14th,  1769. 

Revd  Sir, 

As  I  am  now  commencing  a  correspondence  with  the  Venerable  Society,  I 
would  take  this  first  Opportunity  to  inform  them  of  the  cordial  reception  I 
have  met  with  from  the  Church  to  which  I  am  appointed.  I  arrived  at  Bos¬ 
ton  on  the  28th  of  September  last,  and  since  that  time  have  constantly  offici¬ 
ated,  as  I  have  good  reason  to  believe,  to  the  general  Acceptance  of  my 
Parishioners.  The  late  unhappy  divisions  have  indeed  considerably  decreased 
and  impoverished  the  Assembly;  but  I  am  not  without  the  pleasing  prospect 
of  seeing  it,  by  a  steady  &  prudent  conduct,  becoming  once  more  united  and 
respectable.  The  majority  of  the  principal  proprietors  seem  determined  to 
adhere  to  their  pecuniary  Engagements  with  the  strictest  honor ;  &  to  exert 
themselves  in  raising  the  One  hundred  pounds  sterling  which  was  stipulated 
on  their  part ;  &  as  they  esteem  this  to  be  the  utmost  they  are  capable 
of  performing  at  present,  and  are  at  the  same  time  fully  sensible  that  it 
is  a  very  inadequate  provision  for  the  support  of  a  Clergyman  in  so  expen¬ 
sive  place  as  Boston,  I  am  desired  by  an  unanimous  vote  of  the  Vestry  to 
express  their  most  grateful  acknowledgements  for  the  generous  addition 
which  has  been  made  by  the  Society,  in  order  to  render  the  Circumstances  of 
their  Minister  more  easy  and  independent. 


545 


[1769. 


It  is  difficult,  if  not  impossible,  to  keep  a  regular  “Notitia  Parochialis”  in 
such  a  Town  as  this,  which  is  not  properly  divided  into  parishes,  and  where 
the  Members  of  the  Established  Church  bear  so  small  a  proportion  to  the 
other  Religious  Denominations.  The  Dissenters  here  have  frequently  re¬ 
flected,  with  great  severity,  upon  the  Conduct  of  some  of  the  Missionaries, 
in  sending  over  exaggerated  accounts  of  this  Nature;  and  as  is  usual  in  such 
cases  have  taken  occasion,  from  the  Errors  of  a  few  Individuals,  to  raise  a 
violent  Clamor  against  the  whole  body  of  the  Church.  I  shall  therefore  always 
endeavour  to  be  peculiarly  careful  upon  this  point,  nor  will  I  ever  presume  to 
send  any  representations  to  the  Venerable  Society,  which  I  should  blush  to 
see  published  to  the  World  in  an  abstract.  My  Baptisms,  from  Michaelmas 
to  Lady-Day  amounted  to  Twenty-four,  all  of  which  were  infants.  I  suppose 
we  have  about  One  hundred  families  who  constantly  attend  Divine  Service 
among  us,  of  which  about  fifty  Individuals  are  actual  Communicants  of  the 
Church  of  England.  I  know  not  how  to  estimate  the  number  of  Inhabitants, 
nor  consequently  of  the  Dissenters,  as  the  Parochial  limits  cannot  be  ascer¬ 
tained.  Papists,  Heathen,  and  Infidels,  in  such  a  Town  as  Boston,  are  out  of 
the  Question,  and  where  the  Gospel  has  been  so  long  published  and  therefore 
operates  gradually,  converts  from  a  profane  and  disorderly  life  will  not,  natur¬ 
ally,  be  so  conspicuous  as  in  those  Missions  which  are  differently  circumstanced. 
Upon  the  whole  I  cannot  but  flatter  myself  that  I  have  a  large  Field  of  useful¬ 
ness  opening  before  me,  and  am  determined,  whatever  Talents  it  has  pleased 
God  to  intrust  me  with,  to  employ  them  in  promoting  the  genuine  spirit  of 
Religion  and  Loyalty  upon  the  Catholic  principles  of  the  best  constituted 
Church  upon  Earth.  I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

MATHER  BALES. 


Mr.  THOMPSON  to  the  Secretary . 

(EXTRACT.) 

Scituate,  New  England,  Ap1  25th,  1769. 

Revd  Sir, 

My  Congregations  at  Scituate  and  Marshfield  behave  well,  &  are  regular 
in  their  attendance  on  the  public  Worship  of  God,  &  the  Sacrament  of  the 

69 


1769.] 


546 


Lord’s  Supper ;  &  by  diligently  instructing  my  people  in  their  duty  to  God, 
the  King,  themselves,  and  all  mankind,  I  have  preserved  them  from  that  Spirit 
of  political  enthusiasm  that  has  lately  prevailed  in  many  parts  of  this  Province. 

At  the  request  of  a  few  good  families,  professors  of  the  Church  of  Eng¬ 
land,  living  in  Plymouth,  I  went  to  them  on  the  Wednesday  after  Christmas 
and  performed  Divine  Service,  and  Preached  in  the  Court  House  to  a  large 
Congregation,  and  Baptized  two  Children. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c. 


Mr,  WEEKS  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Marblehead,  June  20th,  1769. 

Revd  Sir, 

Peace  and  Harmony  still  prevail  in  the  Town  among  the  various  denomi¬ 
nations  of  Christians.  How  long  this  harmony  will  continue  I  know  not,  as 
differences  in  opinion  with  regard  to  political  matters  begin  already  to  poison 
&  embitter  the  minds  of  people.  The  Church  however  is  in  a  growing 
state,  &  is  on  a  much  better  &  more  respectable  footing  than  it  ever  was 
before. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

JOSHUA  WINGATE  WEEKS. 

- »  . 


M\  MCGILCHRIST  to  the  Secretary. 

Salem,  June  27th,  1769. 

Revd  Sir, 

The  Church  gains  ground  in  this  province  by  little  &  little,  and  there  is  at 
present  no  open  aversion  or  opposition  to  it  except  in  abusive  Newspapers, 
which  many  of  the  dissenters  themselves  are  tired  of.  Mr.  Weeks,  my  Neighbor 


547 


L1 769- 


in  Marblehead,  conducts  himself  prudently  and  is  popular;  some  of  the  young 
people  of  the  best  families  in  the  Town  are  his  hearers,  and  their  Parents  find 
no  fault.  The  number  of  Baptisms  in  the  Town  of  Salem,  for  the  year  1768,  is 
120,  of  which  31  are  of  the  Church.  The  number  of  Communicants  last  Easter 
is  21.  They  that  are  of  the  Church  of  England  in  this  Country,  are  of  a  more 
moderate  Spirit  in  political  matters  than  the  Dissenters ;  whose  Ministers  in 
all  Cases  take  the  popular  side,  and  are  carried  down  with  the  torrent.  And 
the  chief  of  the  sons  of  liberty,  as  they  that  oppose  the  English  duties  are 
pleased  to  style  themselves,  have  confess’d  that  they  could  not  have  succeeded 
in  inflaming  the  minds  of  the  People,  as  they  have  done,  if  they  had  not  had 
a  Regiment  of  Black  Coats  to  back  them. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

WILL.  MCGILCHRIST. 


Mr.  WINSLOW  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Braintree,  4th  July,  1 769. 

Revd  Sir, 

The  Congregation  here  continues  steadfast  to  their  profession,  happily  in 
Union  among  themselves,  &  at  peace  with  their  Neighbors,  &  affectionate  to 
me.  I  trust  they  are  in  general  sincerely  desirous  to  evidence  their  value  for 
the  means  they  enjoy,  by  the  visible  influence  of  Religion  upon  themselves  & 
their  Families.  This  does  particularly  continue  to  appear,  to  my  satisfaction, 
with  respect  to  their  Temper  and  Deportment,  in  the  course  of  the  public 
confusions,  still  too  unhappily  prevalent  among  us  on  this  Continent.  I  shall 
from  Inclination,  as  well  as  duty,  be  attentive  to  improve  every  occasion  to 
preserve  and  Strengthen  this  influence  of  their  religious  principles  upon  the 
people  of  my  charge.  I  doubt  not  it  has  been,  and  in  the  event  will  be,  more 
fully  manifest  to  our  superiors,  that  the  Encouragement  and  support  of  the 
Church  of  England  in  this  Country  by  means  of  the  Venerable  Society’s 
favour  and  bounty  have  been  &  will  prove  of  great  &  singular  importance  to 
the  Government,  as  well  as  instrumental  to  the  Maintenance  of  true  Religion 
and  Virtue.  I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

EDWD  WINSLOW. 


M\  CLARK  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Dedham,  Septr  25th,  1769. 

Revd  Sir, 

The  best  of  them  are  willing  to  improve  so  great  a  blessing  as  the  Minis¬ 
tration  of  the  Gospel,  according  to  the  Establish’d  Doctrine  and  Discipline  of 
the  Church  of  England  (to  which  they  are  conscientious  &  firm  adherents)  & 
they  are  accordingly  constant  in  their  attendance  on  Public  Worship.  But 
there  is  on  the  other  hand  a  number  in  the  Mission  that  have  got  such  an 
habit  of  neglecting  public  worship  while  they  have  had  service  in  the  Church 
but  once  a  month  by  the  Re vd  Mr.  Winslow ,  that  they  are  very  hardly  to  be 
wrought  upon  to  give  constant  attendance. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

WM  CLARK. 

♦ - 


Mr.  THOMPSON  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Scituate,  N.  England,  March  26th,  1770. 

Revd  Sir, 

My  Congregations  at  Scituate  and  Marshfield  continue  to  behave  well,  and 
are  regular  in  their  attendance  on  the  Worship  of  God  and  we  live  in  love, 
peace,  and  Unity  among  ourselves,  and  with  our  Neighbors  the  Dissenters 
among  whom  we  dwell,  and  in  general  are  firmly  united  to  the  present  Estab¬ 
lishment  in  Church  and  State ;  yet  I  must  confess  hardly  dare  speak  our  minds 
freely  in  the  present  confused  state  of  the  Province  in  which  we  live.  *  * 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

EBENEZER  THOMPSON. 


549 


[1770. 


Mr.  WEEKS  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Marblehead,  April  2nd,  1770. 

Revd  Sir, 

*  The  Political  disputes,  which  are  agitated  here  with  much 
vehemence,  have  been  an  hindrance  to  the  growth  of  the  Church;  some  of  its 
members  are  strong  advocates  for  the  jurisdiction  of  Parliament,  many  are 
violent  opposers  of  mobs,  friends  to  truth,  &  speak  freely  of  the  dissimulation 
&  hypocrisy  of  the  present  public  proceedings  of  the  province.  Whence 
malice  &  prejudice  have  gone  so  far  as  to  condemn  the  Church  of  England  as 
nursing  her  children  with  milk  unfriendly  to  the  sons  of  liberty. 

My  Church  however  increases,  &  bids  fair  to  make  the  richest  &  most 
respectable  congregation  in  the  Town. 

This  Town  suffered  a  heavy  loss  the  Spring  before  last — 24  Sail  of  Fishing 
&  Merchant  Vessels  were  lost,  in  which  170  men  &  boys  perished.  This 
severe  stroke  left  70  widows  with  1 50  fatherless  children.  These,  surrounded 
with  extreme  poverty,  have  been  a  heavy  burden  upon  us  thro’  the  course  of 
the  last  Winter,  &  have  frequently  given  the  most  affecting  trials  of  our  com¬ 
passion. 

The  Governor  however  has  favoured  us  with  a  brief  thro’  the  province, 
from  which  we  expect  some  relief  of  our  difficulties. 

Suffer  me  to  add  a  few  words  on  the  unhappy  disputes  which  now  rend 
America  from  her  Parent  state.  You  may  depend  on  it  as  a  certain  fact,  that 
all  our  confusions  have  arisen  from  the  sudden  repeal  of  the  Stamp  act.  Half 
the  Country  were  then  for  submitting  to  it.  The  utmost  the  wisest  &  best 
men  among  us  expected  was  a  repeal  of  the  obnoxious  parts  only.  But  when 
they  were  disappointed  with  the  repeal  of  the  whole  act,  the  Enemies  of 
Great  Britain  triumphed  ;  they  were  encouraged  in  their  opposition,  which  now 
hath  trespassed  beyond  all  the  bounds  of  decency,  gratitude,  &  even  of  Justice. 
The  friends  to  the  common  good  of  the  empire  were  depressed.  They  were 
insulted  for  their  opinions  &  confounded  at  the  timidity  of  Parliament.  What 
could  they  say  ?  what  could  they  do  ?  Their  language  was  this  :  If  Parliament 
will  not  maintain  its  own  rights  &  authority,  why  should  we  expose  ourselves 


i77o.] 


550 


to  every  kind  of  infamity  &  violence  for  them  ?  we  know  they  were  in  the 
right;  we  little  thought  they  themselves  would  have  acknowledged  them¬ 
selves  in  the  wrong  by  their  actions. 

This  has  lost  Great  Britain  most  of  her  friends  in  this  Country. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

JOs  W.  WEEKS. 


M\  CLARK  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Dedham,  New  England,  April  23rd,  1770. 

Revd  Sir, 

*  *  *  But  the  difficulties  of  one  kind  or  another  I  have  met 

with,  have  been  very  discouraging  &  Disheartening,  &  nothing  but  the  advan¬ 
tage  of  a  good  cause,  a  Firm  trust  in  Almighty  God,  &  that  grace  of  His  which 
is  sufficient  for  every  good  work,  could  have  supported  my  spirits  in  the  ex¬ 
ecution  of  my  Duty.  Some  of  the  difficulties  are  private  &  personal,  others 
affect  the  Gospel  &  religion  in  general,  or  the  Church  of  England  in  particu¬ 
lar.  Of  the  latter  kind  is  the  opposition  in  various  forms  that  has  been  made 
against  me  as  a  Missionary ,  by  the  Dissenters  in  this  Town.  Every  Engine  has 
been  Employed  to  obstruct  my  usefulness,  &  hinder  people  from  going  to 
Church,  to  raise  prejudices  among  my  own  people  against  me,  to  defame  my 
Character,  to  ridicule  Episcopacy  &  the  Established  Religion,  & c.,  &c„  &c.,  and 
under  the  Patronage  &  Protection  of  a  Great  Man  (who  has  had  a  leading 
hand  in  the  Civil  factions  that  have  arisen  in  the  general  assembly  of  this 
province),  they  have  deny’d  me  the  rates  of  the  Churchpeople,  which  I  am 
entitled  to  by  the  Laws  of  the  province,  and  which,  I  suppose,  I  might  obtain 
by  going  into  the  Law ;  but  I  choose  to  avoid  all  appearance  of  contention,  & 
make  myself  easy,  tho’  deprived  of  a  considerable  part  of  my  slender  support, 
for  my  people  have  hitherto  (thro’  delinquency)  made  no  other  provision  for 
my  support  besides  what  they  are  rated  by  the  Parish  Officers,  which  further 
provision  is  necessary  to  Compleat  their  contract  with  me. 

In  these  times  of  Public  disquiet  &  Tumult  of  Civil  discord  &  distraction, 


55i 


[i77o. 


The  people  of  my  Charge  are  in  all  respects  inoffensive,  and  both  in  judgment 
&  practice,  steady  on  the  side  of  lawful  Government  &  authority,  &  which  in¬ 
deed  the  Members  of  the  Church  of  England  in  this  Country  are  remarkable 
for  ;  &  tho’  much  calumny  and  reproach  is  therefore  frequently  thrown  out 
against  them  in  public  papers  &  discourses,  it  is  I  think  seldom  returned  but 
by  silence  and  forbearance. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir, 

with  respect,  &c., 

WM  CLARK. 


Mr.  WEEKS  to  the  Secretary . 


Marblehead,  Septr  4th,  1770. 

Revd  Sir, 

By  invitation  I  was  lately  in  Company  with  Mr.  Whitfield,  the  Methodist 
preacher ;  and  whether  he  was  angry  because  not  many  in  the  Town  went  to 
hear  him,  or  because  he  knew  I  did  not  favor  his  coming  into  the  Town,  I  don’t 
know,  but  all  except  myself  being  dissenters  and  their  Teachers,  he  took  it 
into  his  head  to  rail  against  the  Bishops  &  the  Clergy  of  our  Church  without 
any  regard  to  truth  or  good  manners.  I  reproved  him  very  sharply.  The 
particulars  of  our  conversation  are  not  worth  mentioning,  because  the  man  is 
dead  ;  otherwise  I  had  determined  to  take  the  oaths  of  some  that  were  present, 
&  to  have  sent  them  home,  that  a  proper  use  might  have  been  made  of  them, 
for  he  asserted  many  things  of  Bishops  in  general,  &  of  some  of  excellent 
characters  in  particular,  which  I  knew  to  be  absolute  lies,  &  he  must  have 
known  them  to  be  so  too.  My  conduct  was  extolled  by  my  own  people  & 
approved  of  by  all  except  his  mad  followers,  who  were  much  galled  at  his 
disgrace  &  my  severe  reflections  on  him  for  entertaining  the  Company  with 
such  gross  scandal  &  palpable  falsehoods. 

I  took  down  when  I  came  home  the  minutes  ot  our  conversation ;  but 
being  dead  he  can  do  no  more  mischief,  &  I  forbear  to  give  you  any  further 
trouble  respecting  the  conduct  of  this  wild  Enthusiast. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

J.  W.  WEEKS. 


i77o.] 


552 


Mr.  CLARK  to  the  Secretary . 


Dedham,  N.  England,  Octr  ist,  1770. 

Rev®  Sir, 

This  will  accompany  a  Letter  of  last  April,  which  by  one  means  or  other 
has  hitherto  been  neglected  to  be  sent ;  but  as  I  have  no  great  alterations  to 
make  in  it  is  needless  to  transcribe  it.  The  Church  in  the  two  Towns  under 
my  care  remains  very  much  the  same ;  what  I  mentioned  concerning  their 
denying  me  the  Rates  of  the  Churchpeople,  was  grounded  on  such  words 
being  given  out  by  those  that  have  the  care  of  that  matter,  tho’  I  had  not, 
nor  have  I  as  yet,  made  the  proper  demand ;  how  it  will  be  when  I  do  so  is 
uncertain,  tho’  if  I  may  judge  from  the  temper  of  the  people,  there  is  but  little 
favor  to  be  expected. 

Our  Church  in  this  Country  is  but  in  a  Melancholly  Situation,  &  the  more 
so  on  account  of  the  Civil  discords  of  the  present  time,  when  the  minds  of  the 
people  are  agitated  with  notions  of  liberty,  or  rather  licentiousness,  to  a  degree 
of  Infatuation ;  so  that  every  law  or  Constitution,  whether  Civil  or  religious, 
that  originates  in  Old  England,  so  far  as  repugnant  to  Anarchy,  is  treated 
with  the  greatest  contempt,  &  the  people  of  this  Town  are  especially  remark¬ 
able  for  such  Republican  principles.  In  consequence  whereof  those  of  my 
Mission  are  much  oppressed,  Calumniated,  &  abused  in  every  possible  way  in 
which  they  can  take  the  advantage,  &  I  have  reason  to  think,  from  the  obser¬ 
vations  I  have  made,  that  there  are  many  sober  people  here  who  would  prefer 
our  Worship  &  Communion,  but  have  been  detered  thro’  false  and  foolish 
notions  infus’d  into  them,  that  they  would  thereby  give  up  their  rights  and 
liberties,  or  otherways  be  sufferers  in  their  worldly  Circumstances,  &c.,  &c. 

I  have  lately  received  a  Letter  from  the  Revd  Mr.  Wood,  Missionary  at 
Annapolis  Royall,  informing  me  that  he  was  about  to  remove  to  Hallifax,  for 
this  Winter,  by  leave  of  the  Corresponding  Members  of  that  Province  (Mr. 
Breynton  being  gone  or  going  to  England,  &  desiring  me  to  take  the  Charge 
of  his  Mission  at  Annapolis,  by  permission  of  the  said  Committee  of  the 
Society;  but  I  decline  the  same  for  two  reasons:  Ist,  because  I  know  not  what 
power  said  Committee  of  the  Society  have  to  transpose  a  Missionary  from  this 
Province,  and  dare  not  quit  my  present  station,  till  better  informed,  without 


553 


[1770. 


express  leave  from  the  Society  at  home;  and  2nd,  Because  I  can’t  gather  from 
what  Mr.  Wood  has  wrote  to  me,  that  it  is  for  any  longer  time  than  this 
Winter. 

But  as  I  am  inform’d  the  people  of  Annapolis  are  very  desirous  of  my 
coming  to  them,  I  beg  leave  just  to  mention  that  if  Mr.  Wood  should  be  finally 
stationed  at  Hallifax,  and  thereby  a  vacancy  should  happen  at  Annapolis,  I 
should  be  very  willing,  with  leave  of  the  Society,  to  remove,  there. 

I  am  also  informed  by  Letters  from  Gentlemen  of  Granville  in  that  Prov¬ 
ince,  with  whom  I  have  an  acquaintance,  that  their  case  for  want  of  a  Minister 
is  very  Deplorable ;  a  great  number  of  Souls  being  at  such  a  distance  from 
Mr.  Wood ,  that  they  cannot  attend  upon  him,  and  have  laid  their  case  before 
the  Committee  of  the  Society,  in  that  province,  who  have  given  them  some 
Encouragement,  &c.,  and  having  some  knowledge  of  me,  they  wish  for  my 
removal  there. 

I  can  only  say,  that  from  the  knowledge  I  have  of  the  place,  having  been 
there  some  years  since,  I  cannot  but  think  their  case  worthy  of  the  Society’s 
notice ;  tho’  if  there  was  a  young  Man  fixed  at  Annapolis,  who  was  able  to 
Travell  about,  it  might  be  better  for  them  than  it  is  now. 

These  things  I  write  from  my  regard  to  and  concern  for  the  Interest  of 
Religion,  and  the  prosperity  of  th o.  poor  afflicted  Church  in  America.  I  have 
nothing  further  at  this  time  but  that  I  beg  leave  to  assure  the  Venerable 
Society  that  it  is,  and  I  hope  ever  will  be,  my  Endeavour  to  be  faithful  to  the 
Trust  Committed  to  me,  both  as  a  Clergyman  and  a  Missionary. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

WM  CLARK. 


Mr.  WEEKS  to  the  Secretary. 


Marblehead,  Novr  ioth,  1770. 

Revd  Sir, 

In  a  Letter  dated  Septr  4th  I  gave  you  some  account  of  Mr.  Whitfield’s 
being  in  this  Town.  He  was  followed  by  a  swarm  of  the  same  Stamp.  Since 
that  one  Jayne,  who  was  always  a  great  stickler  for  enthusiastic  teachers  and 

70 


1770.] 


554 


vagrant  exhorters,  has  run  into  all  the  wild  freaks  and  extravagant  irregularitys 
of  raving  enthusiasm.  He,  because  the  Clerk  having  some  difference  with  him, 
did  not  partake  the  Sacrament  and  yet  performed  his  part  of  the  communion 
service,  took  it  into  his  head  to  disturb  him  in  the  execution  of  his  office  by 
behaving  so  as  to  offend  many  of  the  Congregation. 

He  says  likewise  that  I  do  not  preach  the  Gospel,  that  there  is  no  preach¬ 
ing  at  Church,  &  the  like,  tho’  it  is  well  known  my  sentiments  in  divinity  agree 
with  those  of  Tillotson,  Butler,  and  other  eminent  divines  of  our  Church ; 
These  likewise  are  the  sentiments  of  my  parish. 

Vext  likewise  that  Whitfield,  the  great  Champion  of  their  cause,  met  with 
some  disgrace  in  a  late  conversation  with  me  before  many  dissenting  teachers, 
he  endeavours  to  revenge  his  disgrace  on  me,  &  like  this  wild  &  raving 
Methodist  says  everything  but  truth  of  our  excellent  Church,  tho’  at  the  same 
time  he  can  have  the  wickedness  to  come  &  receive  the  sacrament  at  my 
hands. 

I  wrote  to  him,  shewing  him  the  wickedness  and  maliciousness  of  such  a 
temper;  &  in  order  to  suppress  this  spirit  of  fanaticism,  &  that  I  might  re¬ 
move  the  discontents  of  many  who  come  to  the  same  table,  &  that  he  might 
be  prevented  doing  mischief,  I  signified  to  him  that  unless  he  reformed  and 
gave  evidence  of  a  better  Spirit  and  behaviour,  I  must  according  to  my  duty 
forbid  his  appearance  at  the  Altar. 

My  parish  approve  much  of  this ;  but  he  is  like  a  madman,  railing  against 
me  &  giving  out  that  there  are  but  two  good  men  in  the  Society’s  service, 
meaning  the  Greaveses  of  Rhode  Island. 

Twelve  Articles  of  complaint  against  his  falsehoods,  temper,  &  behaviour 
were  exhibited  against  him.  His  Character  stands  so  unfairly  with  people  that 
my  proceeding  against  him  in  this  manner  will,  I  imagine,  be  an  effectual  bar 
against  the  spreading  of  his  enthusiastic  notions  &  fanatic  practices  among  my 
people,  from  which  the  rest  of  them  are  at  present  free.  I  have  nothing  more 
to  add  but  that  the  intense  heats  of  our  Summers  have  very  much  debilitated 
my  Nerves  and  weakened  my  frame.  In  winter  &  the  Cooler  Months  I  am 
braced  &  generally  well. 

I  am,  &c., 

J.  W.  WEEKS. 


555 


[1770. 


Mr.  Mc GILCHRIST  to  the  Secretary . 


Salem,  Decr  7th,  1770. 

Revd  Sir, 

The  ferment  by  which  the  minds  of  the  people  here  have  been  wrought 
up  into  as  high  a  degree  of  Enthusiasm  by  the  word  liberty,  as  could  have 
been  expected  had  Religion  been  the  cause,  begins  now  to  subside.  It  was 
raised  &  has  been  kept  up  for  some  years  by  six  inflammatory  Newspapers 
weekly  printed  in  this  Province,  which  (liberty  being  only  allowed  on  one  side) 
it  is  perilous  to  contradict  by  word  or  writing,  as  I  have  found  by  experience. 
The  City  of  Boston  is  not  a  little  mortified  at  the  acquital  of  the  Soldiers  on 
trial  for  the  affair  that  happened  last  March,  &  at  the  Evidence  turning  out 
very  different  from  what  they  gave  out,  &  caused  to  be  published  in  London, 
supported  by  many  subjoined  Affidavits.  And  moreover,  as  they  subsist  wholly 
by  trade,  the  Chief  branch  of  which  is  the  importation  and  vending  of  English 
goods,  they  have  been  forced  by  poverty  to  break  their  nonimportation  agree¬ 
ment  ;  &  the  other  trading  towns  follow  as  they  lead  the  way. 

Religious  disputes  &  invectives  against  the  Church  have  in  the  meantime 
been  deferr’d ;  &  the  Churches  of  Salem  &  Marblehead  keep  silently  increas¬ 
ing.  Mr.  Weeks  is  popular  &  has  the  esteem  of  all  parties,  &  his  diligence  & 
prudent  behaviour  deserve  it.  The  Church  here  has  lately  got  a  much  better 
Organ  in  Exchange  for  their  old  one,  by  giving  fifty  pounds  SterB  to  boot.  I 
baptized  in  the  year  1769  one  adult  &  24  Infants;  &  in  the  present  year  have 
already  baptized  2  adult  persons  &  41  Infants.  21  Communicated  last  Whit- 
Sunday. 

I  am,  &c., 

WILL.  MCGILCHRIST. 


1 7  7 1  •] 


556 


Mr.  WINSLOW  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Braintree,  Ist  Jany,  1771. 

Revd  Sir, 

The  attendance  on  the  publick  worship,  &  at  the  Altar,  is  decent  &  reput¬ 
able;  That  our  People  in  general  appear  to  be  attached  to  their  profession,  & 
desirous  to  evidence  this  by  the  improvement  of  themselves  and  their  families 
in  Christian  knowledge  &  practice,  &  that  they  are  gratefully  sensible  of  the 
obligations  they  are  under  for  that  charitable  bounty  which  in  a  manner  wholly 
supports  to  them  the  Enjoyment  of  those  means  of  religion,  which  they  value. 
Were  it  not  for  this  the  narrowness  of  the  condition  &  circumsts  of  most  of 
them  would  afford  but  little  if  any  hopes  of  the  stated  and  regular  Enjoyment 
of  those  means.  I  cannot  but  believe  That  the  support  of  the  Church  of  Eng¬ 
land  in  this  place  has  been  of  advantage  towards  the  maintaining  and  pro¬ 
moting  the  purity  &  influence  of  the  principles  of  the  religion  of  the  Divine 
Author  &  Finisher  of  the  Christian  faith,  &  of  a  correspondent  dutiful  &  affec¬ 
tionate  respect  to  Government. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

EDWD  WINSLOW. 

- - -» - 


Mr.  BTLES  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Boston,  May  14th,  1771. 

Revd  Sir, 

Your  favor  of  Aug1  17th  I  recd  on  the  31st  of  Octr,  in  which  you  inform  me 
that  the  Society  insist  that  no  deduction  be  made  from  the  ^jioo  Sterling 
promised  me  by  my  people  on  acc1  of  the  I4.0  which  I  am  entitled  to  as  their 
Missionary,  and  that  they  shd  take  it  very  ill  if  any  such  deduct11  was  made.  I 
am  under  the  greatest  obligations  to  you  for  interesting  yourself  so  far  on  my 
behalf,  and  was  at  first  very  sanguine  in  my  expectations  that  so  plain  & 
explicit  a  declaration  on  the  part  of  our  venerable  Benefactors  would  have 


557 


[i 771- 


finally  decided  in  my  favor  the  unhappy  controversy  which  has  so  long  sub¬ 
sisted  between  me  &  my  church,  with  reluctance  I  am  obliged  to  add  that  I  am 
totally  disappointed,  and  that  your  kind  Letter  rather  exasperated  than  en¬ 
lightened.  A  majority  of  my  Parishioners  insist  upon  it  that  the  Mission  is 
originally  &  solely  designed  for  the  benefit  of  the  Church  ;  &  that  it  is  not  in  the 
power  of  the  Society  to  give  it  otherwise  ;  that  of  consequence  the  Church  are 
not  now  obliged  to  exert  themselves,  as  they  would  have  done  if  it  had  not  been 
given,  &  tho’  they  acknowledge  they  shod  have  been  obligated  to  give  ^ioo, 
in  case  the  Society  had  given  nothing,  yet  as  they  determined  among  them¬ 
selves,  before  I  went  to  England,  that  if  the  Mission  was  continued  the  church 
should  be  benefited  one  half,  they  will  now,  at  all  events,  strictly  adhere  to  that 
resolution.  In  this  manner  they  argue,  &  I  find  by  experiment  that  it  is  im¬ 
possible  to  convince  them  of  their  mistake.  Dr.  Caner  &  the  neighb’ring 
clergy  have  exerted  themselves  to  the  utmost  in  my  support  during  this  dis¬ 
agreeable  contest ;  and  a  regard  not  only  to  my  own  Interest,  but  also  to  that 
of  my  brother  missionaries,  togr  with  the  repeated  Instructions  which  I  have 
recd  upon  this  point  from  the  Venerable  Society,  have  induced  me  to  behave 
with  all  the  firmness  I  was  Master  of,  &  to  carry  the  matter  as  far  as  was 
practicable.  When  the  Church  voted  me  but  ^80,  with  the  advice  of  my  most 
judicious  friends,  as  a  testimony  of  my  displeasure,  I  even  declined  officiating  for 
2  succeeding  Sundays.  The  consequence  of  this  was  that  18  of  the  Proprietors 
who  were  particularly  attached  to  me  (many  of  them  principal  men)  surrendd 
their  seats,  &  yet  the  remainder  continued  unmollified.  I  found  therefore  that 
not  only  the  peace,  but  the  very  existence  of  the  church,  depended  upon  my 
acquiescing  with  their  proposals,  &  returning  to  my  charge.  I  have  accord¬ 
ingly  done  it,  &  my  friends  have  returned  with  me, — the  auditors  of  the  ac¬ 
counts  having  reported  that  gj8o  Sterling  is  the  utmost  the  church,  as  a  church 
in  its  present  circumstances  (that  is,  without  raising  the  taxes,  to  which  they 
will  by  no  means  consent),  is  able  to  allow  me.  That  sum  they  have  fixed  upon 
me,  but  with  the  addition  of  the  Society’s  present  grant  I  am  well  convinced  it 
is  quite  insufficient  for  the  maintenance  of  my  expensive  family  in  Boston. 
Under  this  disappointment  I  therefore  fling  myself  upon  the  protection  of  the 
Venerable  Society,  &  ask  their  advice  &  assistance.  Upon  many  accounts  I 
am  pleased  with  my  situation,  &  not  desirous  of  removing  had  I  any  prospect 
of  a  decent  support.  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

MATHER  BYLES. 


I771-] 


558 


Mr.  IVIN  SLOW  to  the  Secretary . 


Braintree,  July  Ist,  1771. 


Revd  Sir, 

*  *  *  I  cannot  but  hope  that  the  support  of  the  church  in  this 

place  has  been  &  is  of  real  usefulness  towards  promoting  that  influence  of 
religion,  &  that  correspondent  respect  &  affection  to  Government,  which  are 
the  happy  &  important  advantages  peculiarly  resulting  from  a  sincere  attach¬ 
ment  to  the  excellent  Constitution  of  the  Church  of  England,  &  which  there 
appears  to  be  more  &  more  reason  to  believe  will  increase  the  reputation  & 
enlarge  the  propagation  of  the  Church  in  this  province.  As  to  my  own  par¬ 
ticular  charge,  I  can  continue  my  testimony  to  the  Venerable  Society  that  our 
congregation  in  general  appear  to  understand  &  value  the  benefit  they  enjoy 
from  their  favor,  by  a  decent  and  constant  attendance  on  the  publick  worship, 
by  adhering  to  the  principles  of  their  profession,  and  by  laudable  endeavors  to 
adorn  it  by  the  efficacy  of  those  principles  in  the  government  of  their  lives, 
and  we  have  some  very  amiable  religious  characters  in  our  little  Society. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 


EDWD  WINSLOW. 


♦ 


M\  CLARKE  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Dedham,  Septr  10th,  1771. 

Revd  Sir, 

I  have  recd  2  letters  from  you  since  my  last,  in  both  of  which  I  am  obliged 
— the  one  dated  Jany  9th,  the  other  May  16th,  1771.  To  the  former,  wch  I  recd 
some  time  in  May,  I  had  prepared  a  return,  which  is  superseded  by  the  latter 
lately  recd,  &  I  shall  now  return  an  answer  to  them  both  in  one. 

With  regard  to  the  former,  it  gives  me  pleasure  that  my  conduct  has  been 
in  any  instance  agreeable  to  the  minds  of  the  Socy,  &  with  respect  to  what  you 
are  pleased  to  add,  “  that  I  must  not  entertain  any  thoughts  of  removing  from 


559 


[l77l- 


my  present  mission,”  I  can  only  say  that  whatever  the  Society  order  in  this 
respect  it  is  my  duty  to  submit  to,  and  I  shall  forbear  to  mention  any  other 
motive  for  this  request,  lest  I  be  thought  too  refractory  &  of  an  uneasy  dis¬ 
position. 

With  respect  to  the  Contents  of  your  last,  I  return  my  thanks  to  the  Hond 
Board  for  the  liberty  granted  in  matter  of  residence,  and  may  inform  them  that 
the  chief  obstacles  to  my  residence  in  Dedham  being  removed  (which  was  the 
want  of  a  convenient  house),  I  have  for  about  3  months  past  taken  my  resi¬ 
dence  in  the  House  in  reversion  to  the  church  in  Dedham,  for  the  rent  of 
which  I  am  indebted  to  one  family,  who  after  much  difficulty  to  obtain  it,  have 
hired  one  half  said  house  for  my  present  use,  &  are  in  hopes  to  obtain  the 
whole,  &  part  of  the  Glebe,  another  year.  This  being  the  main  condition,  I 
made  no  objection  to  returning,  being  willing  to  sacrifice  any  small  advantage 
that  might  accrue  by  my  living  in  Stoughton  to  what  I  thought  might  tend  to 
the  peace  &  good  order  of  the  mission. 

The  House  is  much  gone  to  decay,  and  wants  considerable  repair ;  but  as 
it  is  a  day  of  small  things,  &  the  people  under  peculiar  disadvantages  in  doing 
anything  to  it,  till  it  falls  into  possession,  I  submit  to  the  present  times. 

The  Church  in  Dedham  has  hitherto  been  in  a  poor  situation,  nothing 
having  been  done  to  it  more  than  the  outside  work ;  but  we  have  now  an 
hopefull  prospect  of  compleating  that  little  building,  &  I  beg  leave  to  men¬ 
tion  with  great  respect  &  veneration  the  name  of  Archimedes  George,  Esqr,  of 
Newport,  Rhode  Island,  a  Gentleman  of  a  noble  disposition  &  ready  to  every 
good  work,  who  being  accidentally  at  our  church  some  months  since,  &  seeing 
the  condition  it  was  in,  was  pleased  to  offer  50  Dollars  towards  compleating 
it,  &  upon  our  application  to  him  soon  after,  he  generously  paid  down  the  said 
sum,  &  another  Gentleman  of  said  Town,  excited  by  his  example,  made  a  small 
addition  to  it,  &  the  people  are  carrying  forward  the  work  with  all  possible  dis¬ 
patch. 

These  words  kindly  mend  in  your  last,  viz1,  “  your  parishioners  certainly 
do  not  use  you  well,  in  refusing  to  pay  their  rates,”  give  me  a  little  concern, 
lest  what  I  have  said  on  that  head  may  be  misunderstood.  The  Parishes  in 
this  Colony  are  all  on  the  dissenting  mode  of  religion.  To  every  Parish  there 
is  a  Dissenting  minister,  or  at  least  a  meeting ;  whatever  number  of  Church 
people  live  in  any  Parish  are  rated  by  their  assessors  in  the  same  proportion 
as  the  Dissenters — these  rates  they  are  obliged  to  pay.  The  money  is  carried 


1 7  7 1  *J 


560 


into  their  treasury ;  but  then,  according  to  a  Law  passed  some  years  since,  the 
Episcopal  minister  and  his  wardens  give  a  certificate  that  such  persons  are 
“  Members  of  the  Church  of  England,  &  do  usually  &  frequently  attend  pub- 
lick  worship  with  them  on  the  Lord’s  Days.”  This  certificate  so  given,  the 
Treasurer  is  obliged  to  pay  the  Episcopal  minister  the  rates  of  the  persons 
thus  certified,  &  therefore  you  will  please  to  observe,  Sir,  that  it  is  the  Parish 
Treasurer,  a  Dissenter  (and  not  my  parishioners),  who,  I  suppose,  under  the 
direction  of  the  chief  men  of  the  meeting,  refuses  to  repay  the  rates.  But  I 
may  now  inform  you,  Revd  Sir,  that  by  moderation  &  patient  waiting  I  have 
obtained  the  best  part  of  what  is  due. 

The  Law  of  the  Province  is  so  plain,  &  the  case  so  very  clear,  that  I  have 
reason  to  think  that  their  withholding  my  due  so  long  was  to  testify  their  illiberal 
Sentiments  of  mine  office,  &  as  matter  of  provocation  to  some  disagreeable 
steps  of  which  they  might  take  the  advantage.  I  mention  this  however  as  my 
private  sentiment,  not  knowing  to  what  else  I  may  impute  such  treatment  as  I 
have  recd.  I  may  add  that  the  rates  of  all  in  my  mission  amount  to  but  a 
very  small  sum,  scarcely  £10  Sterling,  &  tho’  many  of  them  contribute  to 
my  support  what  they  are  able  above  the  rates,  yet  that  the  whole  amount  of 
what  I  receive  from  my  People  does  not  exceed  ^15  Stg.  pr  annum,  which 
falls  considerably  short  of  what  they  were  at  first  in  hopes  to  be  able  to  pay 
me ;  &  when  I  look  forward  to  the  time  when  my  family  may  be  larger,  I  have 
only  to  quiet  my  mind  by  commending  myself  to  the  regards  of  the  Society 
&  the  care  of  Divine  Providence.  I  trust  my  conduct  corresponds  in  all 
respects  to  your  very  kind  hopes  of  my  inoffensive  demeanour ;  at  least  I  am 
willing  that  others  should  judge  for  me. 

I  maintain  a  good  harmony  &  friendly  correspondence  with  many  of  my 
Dissenting  neighbours  of  a  more  sociable  &  virtuous  disposition ;  to  others 
who  are  inimical  to  me,  because  of  my  religious  principles,  I  wish  no  harm,  & 
meddle  not  with  their  affairs. 

I  have  had  no  addition  to  my  congregation  or  communion  since  I  last 
wrote  (the  baptism  of  infants  excepted),  but  I  hope  the  small  number  already 
committed  to  my  charge  continually  improve  in  the  knowledge  &  practice  of 
true  religion.  There  is  a  number  indeed  who  are  very  negligent  of  Divine 
Worship,  &  altho’  I  have  taken  much  pains  to  reform  them,  it  has  been  hitherto 
without  effect.  There  are  others,  on  the  contrary,  who  are  constant  &  devout 
attenders  on  all  the  Divine  ordinances,  &  I  know  they  are  deeply  sensible  of 


56i 


[1771. 


the  kind  regards  of  the  Society  to  them,  without  whose  assistance  they  must 
either  join  with  the  Dissenters,  a  Communion  opposite  to  their  religious  sen¬ 
timents  &  inclinations,  or  be  altogether  destitute  of  the  publick  worship  of 
God.  I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

WM  CLARKE. 

- + - 


Mr .  THOMPSON  to  the  Secretary , 


(EXTRACT.) 

Scituate,  New  England,  Septr  25th,  1771. 

Revd  Sir, 

I  beg  leave  to  acquaint  the  Honble  Society  that  my  congregations  both  at 
Scituate  &  Marshfield  continue  to  increase  &  behave  well ;  since  my  letter  of 
the  25th  of  last  March  there  has  been  added  to  the  Church  4  families  of  good 
reputation  from  among  the  Dissenters,  &  10  persons,  most  of  them  with  young 
growing  families,  have  at  their  own  expense  made  a  handsome  addition  to  the 
East  end  of  S\  Andrew’s  Church  in  Scituate,  to  accommodate  themselves  with 
Pews ;  and  I  doubt  not,  if  it  pleases  God  to  spare  my  life  a  few  years,  I  shall 
leave  a  flourishing  church  in  this  mission.  My  people  have  a  very  grateful 
sense  of  the  great  goodness  of  the  Society  in  supporting  a  missionary  among 
them,  &  that  I  may  answer  the  Honorable  Society’s  pious  design  in  appointing 
me  here,  shall  always  be  my  greatest  care  and  concern.  I  am,  &c., 

EBENEZER  THOMPSON. 

- »  - 


Mr.  BAILEY  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

POWNALBORO,  Octr  27th,  I  77 1 . 

Revd  Sir, 

I  would  beg  leave  to  inform  the  Venerable  Society  that  I  have  baptized  26 
persons  in  the  preceding  year,  &  that  my  congregation,  since  Divine  Service 


1 77T  •] 


562 


has  been  performed  in  our  new  church,  is  larger  than  heretofore.  I  have  suc¬ 
ceeded  so  well  in  making  collections  as  to  set  up  &  enclose  the  frame  of  a 
Parsonage  House.  One  or  two  rooms  are  already  finished,  and  I  have  re¬ 
moved  my  family  into  it ;  but  before  I  could  make  it  tenantable  I  found  myself 
obliged  to  contract  a  considerable  debt;  £200  Stg.  has  been  laid  out  upon 
these  buildings,  near  ^50  of  which  has  been  furnished  by  Dr.  Gardiner,  and, 
besides,  this  Gentn  has  built  a  decent  church  at  Gardinerstown  or  Cobisceconte, 
about  9  miles  from  Pownalboro,  &  it  is  almost  fit  for  Divine  Service.  This,  if 
provided  with  a  minister,  must  be  of  great  advantage  to  religion  among  the  new 
Settlements  up  the  River,  which  have  increased  to  near  300  families,  &  are 
destitute  of  any  kind  of  worship. 

From  a  Paragraph  in  a  letter  to  Mr.  Weeks,  of  Marblehead,  I  apprehend 
that  the  Society  conceive  I  have  been  at  variance  with  my  Parishioners.  The 
affair  is  briefly  this :  I  have  never  had  the  least  contest  or  difference  with  any 
person  who  petitioned  the  Society  for  a  minister,  &  several  Dissenters  who 
have  since  come  among  us  are  very  friendly  &  constant  in  their  attendance  at 
church ;  but  2  young  Gentlemen  who  were  appointed  Magistrates  in  this  new 
County,  possessed  with  that  spirit  of  licentious  liberty  which  has  lately  been 
so  rampant  in  New  England,  have  made  it  their  perpetual  study  &  endeavor 
to  oppose  the  Church  of  England  ;  they  have  strove  to  impose  upon  and 
render  uneasy  our  foreigners,  a  very  honest  set  of  people  ;  they  have  raised 
numberlesss  false  stories  to  blacken  my  character;  have  contrived  every 
method  in  their  power  to  prevent  my  receiving  any  support;  have  laboured 
to  hinder  us  from  building  a  church  &  obtaining  subscriptions  ;  and  now,  when 
they  perceive  our  success,  their  malice  &  persecuting  rage  is  greater  than 
ever.  And  I  may  add  further  that  as  Pownalboro  is  the  only  place  in  this 
Province  where  the  Church  of  England  was  settled  before  any  other  worship 
was  established,  the  Dissenters  in  general  make  it  their  business  to  oppose  & 
distress  us.  These  Gentlemen,  about  3  years  ago,  endeavored  to  set  up  a 
Meeting,  but  after  trying  every  Scheme  their  ill  nature  could  suggest,  the 
design  failed  &  ended  in  their  own  disgrace,  &  that  conscience  had  no  concern 
in  this  affair  is  pretty  evident,  since  they  never  attend  service  among  the  Dis¬ 
senters  in  the  neighboring  parishes. 


JACOB  BAILEY. 


563 


[i772. 


Mr.  MCGILCHRIST  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Salem,  Decr  24th,  1771. 

Revd  Sir, 

The  Church  in  Salem  has  been  lately  widened  20  feet,  and  is  now  67  feet 
in  length  &  57  in  breadth,  and  the  Congregation  have  agreed  with  a  Clergy¬ 
man  named  Mr.  Rob£  Nicholls  to  be  an  Assistant  to  me,  at  the  Salary  of  a 
hundred  Pounds  Stg.  a  year,  and  their  minister  if  he  survives  me.  He  is  an 
ingenious  Gentleman  of  a  good  address ;  a  native  of  Barbadoes  ;  was  edu¬ 
cated  at  Queen’s  College  at  Oxford  ;  and  is  a  popular  Preacher.  At  present 
he  assists  Dr.  Caner  at  the  chapel  in  Boston,  but  is  expected  here  accordg  to 
Agreement  in  April.  As  the  People  are  poor,  &  must,  in  order  to  raise  his 
Salary,  exert  themselves  more  in  proportion  to  their  abilities  than  any  congre¬ 
gation  in  the  Province,  they  hope  therefore  that  the  mission  will  not  be  dis¬ 
continued  on  my  decease,  &  will  account  it  a  singular  favor  to  be  assured 
thereof  by  the  Society,  that  their  minds  may  be  easy  under  their  present 
heavy  Church  rates,  and  that  they  may  determine  how  it  is  to  be  applied. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

WILL.  MCGILCHRIST. 


♦ 


M’ .  IVINSLOW  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Braintree,  ist  Jany,  1 772. 

Revd  Sir, 

The  members  of  this  indigent  little  Flock  are  sensible  that  they  are  so 
much  indebted  to  the  Society’s  bounty,  that  without  it  they  must  be  destitute 
of  the  Enjoyment  of  those  stated  &  regular  administrations  to  which  they  are 
from  principle,  &  most  of  them  from  education,  attached ;  &  I  have  reason  to 
believe  they  are  in  general  concerned  to  support  the  reputation  of  their  pro- 


1772.]  5^4 

fession  by  their  stedfastness  in  its  pure  and  sound  principles,  especially  the 
Grand  fundamentals  of  the  Christian  faith;  also  by  a  solicitude  for  themselves 
&  their  families  in  regard  to  Christian  practice,  by  a  dutiful  respect  to  Gov¬ 
ernment,  by  living  in  peace  &  union  among  themselves,  &  by  exercising  a 
prudent  &  charitable  disposition  and  conduct  towards  their  neighbours.  Our 
number  is  but  small  and  scattered,  &  it  is  a  disadvantage  to  the  growth  of  our 
congregation  that  our  Young  People,  as  they  grow  up,  are  many  of  them 
under  a  necessity  of  seeking  elsewhere  for  more  room  &  easier  means  to  ob¬ 
tain  a  livelihood,  but  I  cannot  but  hope  that  the  settlement  of  the  Church  in  this 
place  has  been  of  real  usefulness,  &  I  heartily  pray  that  Almighty  God  may, 
by  his  Grace  &  Blessing,  enable  me  to  such  an  attention  to  the  duties  of  my 
office  as  may  be  instrumental  to  continue  and  extend  this  benefit. 

Revd  Sir,  &c., 

EDWD  WINSLOW. 


Mr.  IFINSLOIF  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Braintree,  ist  July,  1772. 

Revd  Sir, 

In  the  course  of  the  last,  &  of  the  passing  Summer,  I  have  sev1  times,  at 
the  request  of  the  Professors  of  the  Church  at  Bridgewater  (20  miles  from 
hence),  officiated  there ;  they  make  up  about  12  or  15  families  of  good  repute, 
&  in  comfortable  circumstances.  They  have  for  years  past  had  a  small  church 
there,  with  a  few  acres  of  land  contiguous,  which  they  seem  of  late  disposed 
to  take  better  care  of  than  has  hitherto  been  done,  in  order  to  keep  themselves 
together,  &  to  enjoy  such  occasional  attendance  as  may  be  obtained.  It  has 
been  recommended  to  them  to  endeavour  to  unite  with  their  brethren  in  the 
neighb’ring  Towns  of  Taunton  &  Dighton ;  collectively  the  church  people  in 
these  3  places  might  make  no  inconsiderable  congregation,  &  I  imagine  might 
soon  be  able  from  among  themselves  to  procure  the  means  of  being  regularly 
served.  At  present  the  People  of  Bridgewater  chiefly  depend  on  Mr.  Thomp¬ 
son  &  myself,  &  I  hope  what  attendance  we  are  able  to  spare  them  may  be 


5^5 


[>774. 


the  means  of  promoting  some  such  design  of  their  future  settlement.  I  wish 
the  Society  would  suffer  me  to  request  in  their  behalf  a  Bible  &  Common 
Prayer  Book  for  their  public  Service.  I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

EDWD  WINSLOW. 


♦ 


Mr.  CANER  M\  BTLES  to  the  Secretary . 


Boston,  Septr  23d,  1772. 

Revd  Sir, 

The  Clergy  of  this  Province  in  Convent11  assembled  have  directed  us  to 
acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  Letter  of  January  last,  transmitted  to  them 
thro’  the  hands  of  Dr.  Byles.  The  clergy  are  extremely  mortified,  not  only 
on  account  of  the  disappointment  of  the  good  People  of  Almsbury,  who  must 
now  remain  without  even  the  prospect  of  a  settled  ministry,  but  chiefly  on 
acco1  of  the  melancholy  representation  you  give  of  the  Society’s  inability  to 
provide  for  any  further  missions. 

Cut  short  in  our  hopes  of  a  Bishop  to  reside  among  us,  should  we  also 
lose  the  Society’s  support,  the  affairs  of  the  Church  in  New  England  must 
soon  wear  a  very  gloomy  aspect.  But  God  is  all  sufficient ;  to  His  good 
providence  we  must  confide  to  clear  up  the  darkness  of  this  prospect. 

We  are,  with  much  respect,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

H.  CANER, 

MATHER  BYLES. 

- - ♦  . .  - 

Mr.  WINSLOIE  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Braintree,  Ist  Jany,  1774. 

Revd  Sir, 

Our  congregation  consists  of  betn  40  &  50  Proprietors  of  Pews  &  Heads 
of  Families  (tho’  most  of  them  but  in  slender  circumstances).  Our  Com¬ 
municants  are  upwards  of  50  in  number.  Our  members  are  generally  strongly 


v 


i77 4-] 


566 


attached  to  their  profession,  and  many  of  them  do  adorn  it.  At  this  time  I 
have  particular  satisfaction  in  finding  them  so  uniformly  influenced  by  the 
principles  of  their  Profession,  as  not  only  to  avoid  having  any  concern  with, 
but  also  to  discover  an  aversion  to  those  unhappy  commotions  which  have  for 
some  time  past  disturbed  the  public  peace  &  interrupted  the  regular  course 
of  Government.  This  evil  Spirit  has  of  late  prevailed  to  a  degree  which 
seemed  to  threaten  the  worst  of  consequences,  yet  I  do  not  know  of  any 
person  belonging  to  this  congregation  to  whom  our  popular  disorders,  &  the 
anarchy  to  which  they  tend,  are  not  abhorrent.  Among  the  manifold  reasons 
for  wishing  for  the  growth  of  the  Church  of  England  in  this  Province,  we 
certainly  at  this  day  may  discern  sufficient  cause  to  value  such  an  Establish¬ 
ment  as  affords  the  best  means  for  leading  quiet  &  peacable  lives,  in  the  fear 
of  God  &  in  due  submission  &  respect  to  good  Government,  as  the  Institution 
of  God  and  the  command  of  the  Gospel. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

E.  WINSLOW. 


Mr.  CLARK  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Dedham,  Feby  3d,  1774. 

Revd  Sir, 

It  gives  me  sensible  uneasiness  &  concern  that  any  part  of  my  conduct 
should  not  be  satisfactory  to  the  Venerable  Society,  particularly  with  respect 
to  the  People  of  Stoughton,  by  whom  it  is  certain  I  have  been  a  great  sufferer 
in  sev1  respects,  &  yet  have  endeavoured,  thro’  a  variety  of  hardships  &  trials, 
to  discharge  my  duty  to  them  with  the  exactest  fidelity.  I  continued  to  offici¬ 
ate  in  that  Church  till  the  congregation  usually  meeting  there  had  in  a  manner 
wholly  withdrawn ;  that  is  to  say,  twice  I  have  gone  there  &  come  home  again 
without  finding  one  single  person  to  join  with  me ;  once  or  more  I  have  read 
the  Service  with  one,  sometimes  two,  three,  or  four  persons ;  seldom  more 
than  5  or  6.  Many  a  bitter  cold  morning  have  I  waited  great  part  of  an 
Hour  alone  in  the  Church  before  any  one  came  that  wrould  join  with  me,  tho’ 
my  distance  from  that  Church  is  further  than  any  of  them. 


567 


[i  774* 


That  I  made  use  of  every  method  I  could  think  of  for  restoring  peace  & 
harmony  among  the  Stoughton  members,  by  frequent  visits,  meetings,  con¬ 
ferences,  &  discourses,  &  once  obtained  the  presence  of  a  neighboring  magis¬ 
trate  of  a  reputable  character  &  well  respected  by  them,  to  hear,  &,  if  possible, 
to  adjust  their  complaints,  but  the  Issue  was  fruitless. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

WM  CLARK. 

- ♦ - 

Petition  of  the  Members  of  the  Church  at  Dedham. 


Dedham,  March  8th,  1774. 

To  the  Hon’ble  Foster  Hutchinson,  Esqr.,  Judge  of  Probate  for  the  County 
of  Suffolk. 

The  Petition  of  the  Members  of  the  Church  of  England  in  Dedham 
Humbly  Sheweth, 

That  we  your  Petitioners  are  all  of  us  Heads  of  Families  and  Members  of 
the  Episcopal  Church  in  Dedham,  tho’  some  of  us  reside  without  the  Bounds 
of  said  Town,  and  esteem  it  both  as  our  privilege  and  bounden  duty  to  make 
known  to  your  Honor  any  grievances  we  sustain  by  the  maladministration  of 
such  as  are  by  will  appointed  Trustees  of  any  benefit  in  our  behalf,  and  there¬ 
upon  beg  leave  to  represent  to  your  Honor  That  in  the  year  1756  Mr.  Sam¬ 
uel  Colburn,  late  of  Dedham  aforesaid,  Did,  for  worthy  reasons  him  thereunto 
moving,  make  over  and  confirm  by  Will  his  whole  Estate  (some  Legacies 
excepted)  To  us  the  Members  of  the  Church  of  England  in  Dedham,  for 
publick  use  &  benefit  forever  after  the  death  of  his  mother,  who  by  said  will 
ought  to  have  during  her  natural  life,  and  now  has,  the  whole  improvement  of 
said  Estate. 

But  whereas  the  said  Mrs.  Colburn,  being  far  advanced  in  years,  is  become 
almost  incapable  to  manage  her  worldly  affairs.  She  is  we  imagine  imposed 
upon  by  evil  persons  who,  by  reason  of  her  want  of  insight  into  her  worldly 
affairs,  take  advantage  to  rob  her  of  the  Profits  of  her  ffarm,  and  she  is  thereby 
pressed  to  make  great  ravage  &  devastation  on  the  Estate  in  reversion  to  the 
Church,  particularly  by  cutting  &  selling  the  wood  of  said  farm  in  vast 


i77  4-] 


568 


quantities  besides  what  she  has  occasion  to  consume,  which  we  think  by  the 
tenor  of  the  Will  is  all  the  right  she  has,  and  we  are  of  opinion  that  such  a 
procedure  is  unjust  &  unrighteous,  but  with  all  diffidence  would  submit  our¬ 
selves  to  your  Honor’s  Judgment. 

And  furthermore  we  beg  leave  to  represent  That  the  only  surviving 
Executor  of  the  aforesaid  Will  is  Mr.  Ezekiel  Kingsberry,  whom  we  have 
reason  to  complain  of  to  yr  Honor — In  that  not  only  being  an  Attorney  to  said 
Mrs.  Colburn  (or  at  least  a  person  in  whom  she  places  much  confidence),  he 
neglects  to  advise  her  for  her  real  benefit,  or  to  forbid  her  encroaching  on  the 
Church’s  lands  beyond  her  lawful  right,  but  also  he  neglects  that  which  by 
the  letter  of  the  Will  we  have  a  right  to  expect  of  him,  &  which  we  imagine 
he  is  obliged  to  perform,  viz :  by  the  aforesaid  Will  we  have  an  immediate 
right  to  the  use  &  improvement  of  one  acre  of  Land  round  the  Church  from 
the  time  the  Building  was  erected  (which  is  now  about  1 6  years  since)  &  from 
thenceforward  forever ;  &  tho’  the  said  Executor  or  Trustee  has  been  called 
upon  from  time  to  time  to  lay  out  said  Acre,  he  refuses  to  do  it. 

We  therefore  think  ourselves  obliged  to  remonstrate  against  the  conduct 
of  the  said  Ezekiel  Kingsberry  in  the  aforesaid  capacity  of  Trustee  or  Execu¬ 
tor,  and  we  know  of  no  other  power  to  which  we  can  have  an  immediate 
recourse  or  more  properly  apply  than  to  your  Honor. 

We  think  ourselves  much  wronged  by  so  open  and  palpable  a  violation 
of  the  pious  and  charitable  donation  of  the  Testator,  That  now,  and  for  so 
many  years  past,  we  should  be  kept  from  our  right  to  the  improvement  of 
said  acre  of  Land.  We  also  think  ourselves  justly  aggrieved  at  the  destructive 
mismanagement  of  the  Estate  in  reversion  to  us  aforementioned,  thro’  the 
default  of  the  Exor  or  Trustee  aforesaid.  We  may  with  the  strictest  truth 
assure  your  Honor  that  by  a  proper  managem1  of  said  Estate  (together  with 
one  half  right  of  improvement  of  another  large  estate,  Mrs.  Colburn  might  not 
only  be  handsomely  supported,  but  might  lay  up  money  without  cutting  one 
stick  of  wood  to  sell,  and  several  persons  have  offered  so  to  support  her  with 
the  aforesaid  restriction,  provided  they  might  have  the  use  of  her  farms,  which 
we  esteem  as  a  good  plea  in  our  favor. 

We  therefore  pray  your  Honor,  as  far  forth  as  authorized  by  the  Laws  of 
this  Province,  to  interpose  for  our  relief,  by  calling  said  Executor  to  account,  or 
otherwise  as  your  Honor  shall  see  meet,  and  we  as  in  duty  bound  shall  ever 
pray,  &c. 


569 


[i  774- 


M\  SERJEANT  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Cambridge,  12th  March,  1774. 

Revd  Sir, 

Nothing  is  raised  with  more  reluctance  &  difficulty  than  Church  Subscrip¬ 
tions,  a  circumstance  that  often  renders  the  situation  of  the  clergy  very 
precarious  &  uncertain.  Were  it  not  for  the  liberal  assistance  &  protection 
of  the  Society  to  its  Missionaries  (for  which  we  cannot  be  too  thankful)  we 
should  soon  be  reduced  to  the  most  abject  state  of  penury  &  oppressive 
dependance. 

Political  commotions  run  extremely  high  in  Boston,  &  if  not  suppressed 
soon,  the  whole  province  is  in  danger  of  being  thrown  into  anarchy  &  con¬ 
fusion. 

The  populace  are  almost  daily  engaged  in  riots  &  tumults.  On  the  2nd 
Instant  they  made  a  second  destruction  of  30  chests  of  Tea,  the  property  of  3 
or  4  merchants. 

The  House  of  Representatives  have  deposed  the  Chief  Justice  of  the 
Superior  Court  of  Judicature  from  the  Bench  for  accepting  a  salary  from 
home  lately  granted  by  His  Majesty.  This  act  of  favor  is  most  indecently 
treated  as  a  direct  infraction  of  the  constitution  of  the  province,  &  violatn  of 
the  people’s  rights  in  appointing  &  supporting  their  own  officers.  Such  is  the 
language  &  violence  of  republican  principles.  The  grand  object  is  an  entire 
freedom  from  all  taxes,  duties,  &  restraints  from  the  British  parliament  respectg 
both  their  Commerce  &  civil  Government.  What  may  be  the  consequence  of 
these  growing  disturbances  is  uncertain.  They  seem  resolved  to  oppose  any 
coercive  measures  that  may  be  applied. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

W.  SERJEANT. 


1 774-] 


570 


Mr.  CLARK  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Dedham,  Ap1  15th,  1774. 

Revd  Sir, 

In  my  Letter  of  Feby  3d  last  (which  was  wrote  particularly  in  ansr  to  yours 
of  July  17th  preceding)  I  mentd  my  design  of  writing  again  soon ;  &  now  am 
able  to  acquaint  the  Society  that  I  have  used  my  utmost  endeavour  to  bring 
the  Stoughton  People  to  their  usual  attendance  on  my  ministry  in  the  Church 
there,  according  to  command  laid  on  me  to  attend  my  duty  there.  I  have  vis¬ 
ited  sev1  &  wrote  to  them  all  in  the  most  condescending  and  constraining 
terms,  offering  my  Services  there  as  usual  if  they  would  but  attend  their  duty 
&  drop  all  matters  of  contention ;  tho’  as  I  have  not  recd  a  farthing  of  their 
ministerial  taxes  for  more  than  2  years  past,  I  think  I  might  in  justice  have  in¬ 
sisted  on  their  making  payment ;  but  as  I  have  never  made  any  difference 
about  that  in  all  my  converse  with  that  people,  I  have  not  thought  it  proper  to 
begin  now. 

My  offers  above  mentd  they  have  treated  with  neglect  &  contempt. 
Those  few  whom  I  have  represented  as  better  disposed  to  peace  &  good 
order  yet  refuse  to  attend  in  that  church,  as  they  say  it  gives  greater  occasion 
of  obloquy  to  those  without,  because  the  schismatical  &  refractory  behaviour 
of  their  brethren  in  withdrawing  becomes  more  open  &  notorious.  But  they 
promise  they  will  attend  on  my  ministry  at  Dedham  as  often  as  they  possibly 
can,  nor  upon  the  whole  is  it  practicable  in  the  present  situation  of  things  for 
me  to  resume  my  duty  at  Stoughton,  as  the  Church  doors  are  shut  against  me 
&  the  Keys  in  the  hands  of  the  disaffected  members,  who  meet  together  at  a 
Private  house  &  have  set  up  a  Reader  of  their  own,  being  equally  disaffected 
to  the  Revd  Mr.  Winslow  (whose  Church  is  next  nearest)  as  me. 

I  have  been  desirous  of  comprehending  matters  of  which  I  write  in  as  few 
words  as  possible ;  the  Society  are  so  remote  &  unacquainted  with  persons  & 
things,  the  tempers  &  manners  of  our  people,  &c.,  that  it  is  extremely  difficult, 
without  a  long  circumlocution,  to  give  them  a  just  notion  of  those  causes  that 
conspire  to  beget  any  such  altercation  among  those  with  whom  we  have  to  do. 

In  few  words  then,  this  difference  began  in  a  dispute  between  two  of  my 


571 


[^774- 


Parishioners  there,  about  the  misapplication  of  a  trifling  sum  of  money  com¬ 
mitted  from  one  to  the  other  for  a  publick  use.  As  I  certainly  knew  which  was 
in  the  wrong,  I  spoke  of  it  with  the  most  honest  &  upright  design,  in  hopes 
my  word  would  have  put  an  end  to  the  dispute  (as  it  certainly  ought  to  have 
done),  instead  of  that  I  undesignedly  &  quite  unexpectedly  offended  the  person 
against  whom  my  evidence  went,  who  from  that  time  forward  has  treated  me 
with  great  abuse  &  malignity,  &  the  first  time  I  had  opportunity  to  discourse 
with  him  I  endeavored  with  meekness  to  convince  him  that  he  had  been  mis¬ 
taken  (as  he  is  generally  known  to  be  a  very  forgetful  man)  ;  but  he  flatly 
gave  me  the  Lie,  and  treated  me  with  much  reviling  language,  which  I  pass 
over. 

This  man  soon  got  a  number  to  join  him,  and  the  enemies  of  our  Church 
around  us,  who  are  very  numerous,  were  busy  to  foment  the  difference,  &  so 
the  Contest  began  &  proceeded  from  one  thing  to  another,  which  would  be 
very  mortifying  to  mention. 

In  all  which  I  have,  so  far  as  I  can  judge  of  mine  own  heart,  endeavor’d, 
according  to  my  ordination  vow,  “to  maintain  and  set  forward,  as  much  as  in  me 
lyeth,  quietness,  peace,  and  love,  particularly  among  these  people  committed  to 
my  charge,”  and  beg  the  Society’s  forbearance  while  I  add  further,  as  I  wish 
never  to  have  anything  more  to  say  upon  so  disagreeable  a  Subject,  as  a 
specimen  of  the  General  tenor  of  my  conduct  and  care  for  this  people,  that  in 
the  year  1 767  I  was  called  to  officiate  among  them  as  a  reader  &  a  candidate 
for  holy  orders,  where  I  continued  to  the  middle  of  October,  1768,  when  I 
sailed  for  England,  in  which  time  I  saw  the  great  need  they  had  of  a  resident 
minister ;  their  unanimous  importunity  prevailed  with  me  to  pass  by  better 
offers.  I  collected  money  for  my  expenses  to  England  from  my  own  little 
patrimonial  estate,  with  which  I  paid  the  whole  expense  of  my  voyage  & 
residence  in  London  without  a  farthing’s  assistance,  except  the  Royal  Bounty 
81  one  moidure  from  a  person  unknown.  In  London,  being  the  Winter  Season, 
I  was  obliged  to  stay  just  5  months,  where  soon  after  my  ordination  I  was 
seized  with  that  sore  distemper  the  small-pox  &  brought  to  death’s  door 
(which  was  very  distressing  as  well  as  expensive  to  me).  But  thro’  the  good 
providence  of  God  I  recovered  and  returned  home  in  June,  1769,  the 
whole  expense  of  my  voyage  besides  the  fatigue  &  trouble  being  about  £80 
Stg.  of  my  own  personal  property,  &  tho’  my  people  recd  me  kindly  I  soon 
found  I  had  all  the  malevolence  of  fanatical  bigotry  to  encounter  (&  indeed  a 


i77  4-] 


572 


young  man  must  have  much  courage  &  resolution  who  enters  on  a  new 
Mission  in  this  country).  But  I  carefully  avoided  the  Shafts  of  mine  Enemies, 
having  an  upright  heart  &  honest  intention,  &  went  on  in  the  discharge  of  my 
duty  with  cheerfulness.  But  they  soon  found  means  to  warp  the  affections  of 
some  of  my  people,  which  laid  the  foundation  for  some  private  grievances  in 
which  few  know  how  great  &  unjust  a  sufferer  I  have  been,  and  all  to 
avoid  anything  that  might  interrupt  the  good  harmony  of  this  Society.  In 
short,  I  met  with  some  striking  instances  of  ingratitude  &  unkindness  from 
those  whom  I  had  most  obliged.  I  have  continued  here  now  almost  5  years, 
and  my  conscience  beareth  me  Witness  that  I  have  been  laborious  &  faithful 
in  the  work  of  a  missionary,  not  omitting  any  opportunity  of  doing  good  to 
the  bodies  or  Souls  of  my  people,  tho’  my  income  is  so  small  that  I  have  at 
times  been  greatly  harassed,  perplexed,  &  distressed,  and  scarcely  able  to 
procure  the  necessaries  of  life. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

WM  CLARK. 


Mr.  WINSLOW  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Braintree,  ist  July,  1774. 

Revd  Sir, 

The  public  Situation  of  the  Church  in  Braintree,  &  the  increase  of  our 
Congregation  during  the  Summer  Season,  by  the  residence  of  some  respect¬ 
able  persons  from  Boston  &  the  usual  resort  of  others  in  the  neighborhood 
while  travelling  continues  more  convenient,  oblige  me  to  be  as  seldom  absent 
as  may  be,  for  which  reason  I  am  not  able  to  give  that  attention  to  the  Church 
at  Bridgewater  which  probably  might  more  help  the  design  forward  which  the 
members  of  that  church  still  keep  in  view,  of  uniting  with  their  Brethren  of 
Taunton  in  endeavoring  to  effect  the  means  of  providing  for  the  support  of  a 
resident  Minister  between  those  Societies.  Only  one  Sunday  in  2  months, 
from  Easter  to  Christmas,  can  I  with  any  convenience  officiate  there;  but  in 
order  to  gratify  their  inclination  &  request,  I  have  lately  proposed  to  my 


573 


[1774- 


brother  &  neighbour,  the  Revd  Mr.  Clark  of  Dedham,  to  divide  this  duty  with 
me,  to  which  he  has  consented,  and  by  this  means  that  church  will  now  be 
served  monthly.  As  I  have  mentd  Mr.  Clark  on  this  occasion,  with  your  leave 
I  will  also  mention  that  he  has  communicated  to  me  the  concern  he  is  under 
from  the  Society’s  disapprobation  of  his  having  suspended  his  usual  attendance 
at  the  Church  of  Stoughton,  within  his  mission.  May  I  be  allowed  to  say 
that  I  am  well  knowing  to  his  readiness  of  disposition  and  to  his  exertions  to 
preserve  that  church  in  unity  and  order,  as  also  to  much  unworthy  treatment 
he  has  recd  from  some  of  the  members  of  it.  And  altho’  he  has,  in  compliance 
with  the  venerable  Society’s  Commands,  made  known  to  those  people  his 
desire  to  be  united  with  them  &  to  serve  them  as  formerly,  &  has  taken  pains 
to  convince  them  of  his  sincerity,  herein  he  has  hitherto  to  his  regret  found 
his  labour  but  in  vain.  I  am  not  able  to  account  for  this  difficulty  otherwise 
than  from  their  reluctance  to  any  expence  towards  the  support  of  a  minister, 
inconsiderable  as  is  any  burthen  of  this  kind  which  is  lain  upon  them.  I 
believe  also  that  there  are  some  untoward  tempers  among  them  willing  to 
take  trifling  and  groundless  occasions  of  stirring  up  animosities  under  Mr. 
Clark’s  misfortune  of  deafness. 

I  am  sensible,  Sir,  that  the  present  miserably  distracted  state  of  this  prov¬ 
ince,  now  suffering  &  likely  to  suffer  still  more  severely  under  the  too  just 
displeasure  of  His  Majesty  &  the  Parliament,  by  reason  of  the  prevalence  of 
an  unhappy  spirit  of  faction  &  division — that  this  does  and  will  require  the 
steadiness  and  circumspection  of  the  Clergy  of  the  Church  of  England  &  of 
the  Society’s  Missionaries  in  the  province  to  take  heed  to  themselves,  &  to 
the  flocks  over  which  they  are  placed.  I  trust  they  will  not  at  such  a  time  be 
slothful  in  business,  but  endeavour  to  approve  their  conduct  to  the  confidence 
of  their  Superiors. 

For  my  own  part  I  am  not  in  much  pain  from  my  Parishioners,  otherwise 
than  for  what  they  must  endure  of  the  Common  distress.  From  the  reason  I 
have  from  their  past  deportment  &  present  disposition,  I  ought  to  rely  on  their 
firmness  to  the  principles  of  their  profession  and  their  consequent  regard  of 
their  duty  to  God  &  the  King.  May  the  Supreme  Ruler  of  the  universe  &  of 
the  hearts  of  all  men  dispose  the  present  and  all  future  events  of  these  most 
unhappy  of  all  commotions  to  the  speedy  &  effectual  issue  of  permanent 
reconciliation,  peace,  and  union.  I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

EDWD  WINSLOW. 


1 775-] 


574 


Mr.  CLARK  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Dedham,  April  17th,  1775. 

Revd  Sir, 

I  am  very  glad  I  happened  to  be  at  Boston  on  Easter-eve,  by  which  means 
I  recd  yours  of  Jany  21st  last — sooner  than  I  might  otherwise  have  done — 
especially  as  I  had  before  devoted  a  portion  of  this  day  to  your  service — it 
being  about  the  usual  period  of  my  addressing  you  as  the  Secretary  of  the 
venerable  Society. 

I  made  early  enquiry  on  my  coming  to  this  mission  whether  a  Copy  of  Mr. 
Colburn’s  Will  had  been  sent  to  the  Society  as  a  thing  necessary  &  which 
ought  to  be  done,  &  was  answered  in  the  affirmative,  and  was  told  so  by  the 
Revd  Mr.  Winslow  a  little  before  I  wrote  last  October  (but  whether  by  himself 
or  his  predecessor  Dr.  Miller  I  did  not  particularly  enquire),  &  therefore 
thought  it  needless  for  me  to  trouble  you  with  another  copy. 

However  late  my  intelligence  be,  or  however  unpromising  the  matter  of 
it,  I  could  not  before  have  conveyed  to  the  Society  any  intelligence  of  the 
present  state  of  the  Glebe  further  than  that  they  must  know  by  this  will  (which 
I  supposed  them  to  have  in  their  hands),  except  it  be  that  Mr.  Kingsberry,  the 
surviving  Executor,  is  a  very  unhappy  man,  under  whose  influence  Mrs.  Col¬ 
burn  has  managed  her  Farm  very  much  to  her  own  detriment,  &  has  been 
thereby  drove  to  make  the  devastation  on  the  Estate  which  I  mentioned.  If 
I  have  been  to  blame  in  withholding  this  I  am  sorry,  but  humbly  presume  it  is 
on  the  side  of  candour  &  forbearance.  Indeed  I  have  been  long  in  hopes 
that  the  Executor  or  Trustee  would  alter  his  conduct  and  shew  himself  so 
much  of  a  man  &  a  Christian  as  to  hearken  to  the  repeated  solicitations  of 
myself  &  the  rest  of  his  Brethren  of  the  Church,  and  direct  Mrs.  Colburn  to  a 
more  prudent  management  of  her  estate  (for  to  no  other’s  advice  will  she 
hearken).  But  I  am  sorry  to  say  it,  he  seems  to  delight  in  directing  things 
contrary,  as  far  as  he  is  concerned,  to  the  united  voice  of  the  Church ;  a  speci¬ 
men  whereof  I  will  presently  give  you. 

The  Estate  while  it  remains  in  reversion  is  entirely  out  of  our  power,  and 
I  can  do  no  more  good  by  my  being  here,  on  that  account,  than  my  advice 


575 


H1 775* 


and  persuasion  to  a  right  management  of  it  will  go,  and  to  prevent  by  all 
Christian  means  any  destructive  wastes,  or  selling  the  parcel  that  remains 
liable  thereto — and  in  this  way  I  have  laboured  with  all  my  power.  I  have  fre¬ 
quently  consulted  our  brethren  of  the  Clergy,  and  Gentlemen  skilled  in  points 
of  law,  &  it  is  I  think  their  unanimous  opinion  that  there  is  nothing  to  be  done 
about  it  till  it  comes  in  possession,  further  than  as  above.  I  applied  to  a 
Lawyer  eminent  in  his  profession  (now  in  London),  more  than  a  year  since, 
about  Mrs.  Colburn’s  cutting  &  selling  the  wood  from  the  reversionary  lands. 
He  told  me,  after  perusing  the  Will,  that  if  she  cut  every  tree  down  there  was 
no  remedy  for  it. 

In  fine,  I  have  taken  all  the  care  in  this  matter  that  a  solicitous  concern  for 
the  temporal  Interest  of  the  church  can  inspire  a  person  with,  and  I  believe  I 
may  say  that  it  is  owing  to  my  being  here  that  the  io  Acre  lot  mentioned  in 
my  last  on  this  subject  is  not  yet  sold.  The  6  Acre  lot  I  mentioned  as  sold 
was  done  before  my  coming  here,  and  altho’  I  have  for  a  long  time  beheld  such 
mismanagements  on  the  Estate  in  reversion  to  the  Church  as  must  turn  greatly 
to  the  detriment  of  the  present  incumbent,  yet  I  improved  the  first  oppor¬ 
tunity  after  I  was  made  sensible  of  any  considerable  wastes,  to  the  detriment 
of  the  next  possessors,  to  inform  the  Society  of  it,  and  it  is  what  I  could  not 
prevent  by  any  means  in  my  power. 

I  would  further  observe  that  the  Chief  design  of  the  Clergy  in  petitioning 
my  appointment  here,  as  I  have  ever  understood  it,  so  far  as  respects  the 
Glebe,  was  to  prevent  any  alienation  from  the  original  design,  or  misappro¬ 
priation  of  it  when  it  falls  in  possession.  For  tho’  undoubtedly  it  was  designed 
for  a  ministerial  right  or  inheritance,  yet  I  think  it  is  not  so  clearly  expressed 
in  the  will  as  it  ought  with  that  view  to  have  been,  and  there  appears  to  me 
nothing  but  the  concluding  clause  expressive  of  such  a  design.  But  by  a 
clergyman’s  being  stationed  here  at  the  time  of  possession,  the  church  will  un¬ 
doubtedly,  so  far  as  in  their  power,  settle  it  on  him  &  his  successors  forever; 
but  otherwise  is  liable  to  be  appropriated  in  part,  if  not  wholly,  to  other  uses. 

But  here,  Sir,  lays  the  difficulty  I  referred  to,  about  which  I  observed  there 
were  different  Sentiments  &  which  is  much  agitated  among  us,  viz1,  whether 
the  Trustee  &  his  heirs  will  not,  after  the  decease  of  Mrs.  Colburn,  have  a 
right  of  inspection  &  controul,  so  as  to  overrule  any  vote  of  the  church  by 
which  it  might  be  conveyed  to  a  Minister ;  or  whether  it  must  be  ordered  & 
managed  just  as  he  pleases,  provided  he  pays  to  the  church  the  Income  of  it. 


I775-] 


576 


If  this  be  the  case  no  minister  will  care  to  burn  his  fingers  in  meddling  with  it. 
If  the  Trustees  and  his  heirs  after  him  (which  in  a  few  years  may  multiply 
into  many)  are  to  have  the  ordering  of  it,  and  it  cannot  be  settled  on  the 
church  as  other  temporalities  are,  so  that  the  Minister  may  enjoy  it  without 
any  incumbrance  or  interruption,  I  fear  it  will  be  but  of  as  little  Service  as  to 
the  main  thing  the  donor  had  in  view. 

Yet  this  right  the  aforesaid  Trustee  &  Execr  strongly  insists  upon,  &  this 
brings  me  to  the  specimen  I  promised  to  give  of  his  counteracting  the  desires 
of  the  Church. 

The  Society  will  observe,  by  the  Copy  of  the  Will  enclosed,  that  there  is 
one  acre  appropriated  to  the  use  of  the  church  from  the  time  said  Building 
was  erected  (which  is  now  about  17  years).  This  Acre  has  to  this  day  laid 
undivided  and  common  with  the  surrounding  Glebe,  and  a  small  portion  which 
must  come  within  the  bounds  of  the  Acre  is  rented  as  a  Gden  Spot.  Yet 
neither  this  nor  the  rest  of  the  acre  has  been  any  benefit  to  the  church,  thro’ 
the  obstinacy  of  the  Trustee,  and  he  has  neglected  to  account  with  them.  They 
have  applied  to  him  time  after  time  to  lay  off  the  acre  (as  he  only  is  authorized 
to  do  it),  with  an  intent  and  desire  of  its  being  some  small  benefit  to  me, 
but  he  has  as  often  refused  them,  signifying  that  they  have  no  business  with 
it — that  it  is  for  a  churchyard  &  Common  Land,  &c.,  when  at  the  same  time 
he  has  from  the  first  rented  part  of  it,  and  has  lately  brought  a  corn  field 
almost  to  the  very  church  door,  and  till  very  lately  we  were  obliged  to  climb 
over  a  Fence  to  get  to  the  church,  and  whatever  pay  he  has  received  for  the 
use  of  this  acre  for  1 7  years  past  he  has  never  accounted  for  it  to  the  church 
to  this  day.  I  have  used  my  utmost  endeavours  with  him  to  persuade  him  to 
give  up  this  Acre  to  the  church  for  them  to  do  as  they  pleased  with  it, — one 
quarter  part  of  which  would  serve  as  a  churchyard  for  so  small  a  church,  and 
which  I  sought  for,  not  so  much  on  my  own  account,  as  that  he  might  thereby 
recommend  himself  to  the  confidence  &  esteem  of  his  Brethren,  but  all  in  vain. 

Upon  this  the  church  were  advised  to  petition  the  Judge  of  Probate  to  use 
his  authority  that  the  Acre  might  be  laid  off,  and  other  abuses  rectified.  A 
Petition  was  accordingly  drawn  up  above  a  year  ago,  &  signed  by  10  Heads 
of  Families,  &  would  probably  have  been  signed  by  all  the  rest,  except  a 
Brother  of  the  Executor,  who  protested  against  it  with  so  much  warmth  & 
vehemence,  that  some  of  the  more  moderate  thought  it  too  trifling  a  thing  to 
raise  a  flame  in  the  congregation  about,  and  that  we  had  better  let  it  drop  till 


577 


[I775- 


the  whole  estate  fell  in,  and  have  one  trial  for  it  altogether.  A  copy  of  this 
Petition  I  have  thought  proper  to  send  you,  not  that  it  is  of  any  virtue  or 
importance,  but  as  it  may  serve  to  shew  the  sentiments  of  every  member  of 
Dedham  Church  (one  above  excepted),  and  as  I  would  keep  back  nothing  that 
would  cast  light  upon  this  matter,  now  I  am  upon  it. 

The  Glebe,  I  believe,  was  apprized  at  about  the  value  mentioned  in  your 
Letter,  tho’  I  cannot  at  present  obtain  any  authentic  Paper  or  Record  whereby 
to  be  certain  ;  but  there  has  been  no  diminution  of  it  since  I  have  lived  here, 
except  the  Wastes  I  have  mentioned — chiefly  in  the  wood  lots — Two  of  which 
there  are  affording  wood  enough  to  serve  one  family  forever,  tho’  I  doubt  one 
of  them  too  much  thinned  of  late,  &  which  is  the  next  piece  of  Land  Mrs.  Col¬ 
burn  has  power  to  sell,  but  which  however  I  shall  endeavour,  as  far  as  I  can 
with  prudence,  that  it  may  be  kept  entire  with  the  rest  of  the  Glebe. 

I  now  submit  myself  &  this  matter  to  the  Society,  and  cannot  but  think 
that  when  these  Papers  are  read  and  considered,  I  must  in  their  judgment  be 
acquitted  from  blame. 

Upon  the  whole  I  shall  not  cease,  so  long  as  I  remain  here,  to  secure  & 
preserve  the  temporal  interests  of  the  Church  ,as  well  as  to  serve  them  to  the 
best  of  my  capacity  in  spirituals. 

I  continue  to  officiate  one  Sunday  in  a  month  at  Stoughton  ;  they  now 
generally  attend.  Old  grudges  are  wearing  off  &  their  differences  subsiding, 
and  I  have  so  far  prevailed  with  them,  by  the  help  of  some  devout  members, 
that  last  month  I  administered  the  Lord’s  Supper  in  that  church,  after  almost 
3  years’  intermission.  In  other  respects  they  remain  as  in  my  last.  I  have 
visited  the  church  at  Bridgewater  in  the  same  proportion  as  heretofore,  and 
shall  go  next  month  one  Sunday  extraordinary.  This  church  bids  fair  to 
encrease,  &  they  shew  a  much  better  disposition  for  attending  public  worship 
than  either  of  those  under  my  care.  Mr.  Winslow  chiefly  baptizes  &  adminis¬ 
ters  the  other  Sacrament  there,  that  I  cannot  tell  what  number  of  communi¬ 
cants  there  may  be. 

The  Church  at  Dedham  is  in  as  good  a  state  as  can  be  expected,  in  these 
troublesome  &  distracted  times.  Several  have  withdrawn  on  account  of  what 
is  called  the  Toryism  of  the  Church  of  England,  tho’  they  own  that  they 
heartily  respect  me,  &  that  I  had  never  given  them  any  offence,  &  I  have  not 
much  doubt  they  will  see  their  error  ere  long,  &  return  to  the  bosom  of  the 
Church. 


73 


1 775*] 


578 


I  have  lived  in  much  fear  from  the  outrages  of  the  lawless,  who  have  with 
a  savage  barbarity  fell  upon  the  persons  &  property  of  many  of  the  King’s 
loyal  subjects ;  but  as  I  have  little  converse  or  concern  with  the  sons  of 
sedition,  I  have  been  preserved.  We  are  yet  in  a  very  melancholy  state,  & 
apprehensive  of  all  the  horrors  of  a  civil  war. 

May  God  open  the  eyes  of  an  infatuated  and  deluded  People  before  it  be 
too  late,  that  they  may  see  how  nearly  their  happiness  is  connected  with  a 
subjection  to  the  King  &  parliament  of  Great  Brit". 

I  may  just  further  mention  that  in  consequence  of  the  Courts  of  Justice 
being  put  down,  the  Treasurers  of  the  respective  parishes,  where  my  scattered 
people  reside,  have  refused  or  otherwise  put  me  off  from  receiving  their  rates, 
which  have  been  collected  and  paid  in,  according  to  the  laws  of  this  province, 
so  that  I  have  nothing  certain  to  live  upon  at  present  but  the  Society’s  small 
annuity;  but  I  hope  by  divine  grace  to  be  enabled  to  discharge  my  duty  under 
all  these  distresses  and  hardships,  and  I  pray  God  that  as  creature  comforts 
fail,  I  may  be  brought  nearer  to  the  Creator  &  Fountain  of  all,  &  may  be 
inclined  more  ardently  to  seek  the  riches  of  Eternity,  where  the  faithful 
servant  shall  meet  with  a  bountiful  reward. 

I  have  baptized  but  20  Infants  since  my  last,  being  all  that  has  been  offered 
for  that  ordinance,  and  yesterday  being  Easter  Sunday  I  had  2  communicants. 
In  other  respects  my  notitia  is  the  same  as  my  last.  I  hope  that  by  this  time 
you  have  recd  mine  of  Decr  28th,  1774,  in  answer  to  yours  of  August  19th  pre¬ 
ceding,  which  went,  I  think,  in  Capn  Robson,  who  did  not  sail  till  about  the  21st 
of  Feby. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

WM  CLARK. 


- 4. - 

Mr .  CANER  to  the  Secretary. 


Boston,  April  18th,  1775. 

Revd  Sir, 

Two  days  ago  I  rece’d  your  Letter,  directed  to  my  care,  for  the  Revd  Mr. 
Clark,  who  happened  to  call  at  my  house  about  an  hour  after,  &  gave  me  an 
oppotrunity  of  putting  it  into  his  hands.  Yesterday  I  was  favor’d  with  yours 


579 


C1 775- 


of  Decr  28th,  with  one  inclosed  for  the  Clergy  of  this  province,  which  I  shall 
take  care  to  communicate  as  opportunity  offers.  The  advice  which  that  Letter 
contains  I  have  the  pleasure  to  find  is  nearly  the  same  with  what  I  had  before 
given  to  sundry  of  the  country  Clergy  who  had  consulted  me.  I  have  prom¬ 
ised  to  notify  them  if  the  King’s  troops  shod  find  it  necessary  to  move  forward 
in  a  hostile  manner,  that  they  may  retire  to  this  town  for  a  time,  lest  possibly 
they  should  be  seized  on  as  Hostages,  if  no  worse.  In  the  mean  time  I  have 
some  small  hopes  that  the  troops  now  daily  arriving  will  discourage  our  factious 
Leaders  from  attempting  an  open  resistance. 

Our  Clergy  have  in  the  midst  of  these  confusions  behaved  I  think  with 
remarkable  prudence.  None  of  them  have  been  hindered  from  exercising  the 
duties  of  their  office  since  Mr.  Peters,  tho’  many  of  them  have  been  much 
threat’ned ;  and  as  their  people  have  for  the  most  part  remained  firm  and 
steadfast  in  their  loyalty  and  attachment  to  Government,  the  Clergy  feel 
themselves  supported  by  a  conscious  satisfaction  that  their  labors  have  not 
been  in  vain. 

As  to  the  miscarriage  of  your  Letters,  I  have  not  heard  that  any  of  them 
have  failed.  I  am  sure  that  none  directed  to  my  care  have  been  delayed,  but 
have  been  forwarded  as  directed  by  the  first  opportunity. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

H.  CANER. 


♦ 


Mr.  BY  EES  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 


Boston,  April  29th,  1775. 


Revd  Sir, 

*  *  *  On  Easter  Tuesday  I  found  so  implacable  a  temper  prevailing 

among  the  proprietors  of  this  Church  that  I  thought  proper  to  communicate 
to  them  the  offers  which  were  made  me  from  Portsmouth.  The  result  was 
our  parting  by  mutual  consent.  The  same  evening  I  wrote  to  Portsmouth, 
accepting  the  invitation  of  that  people,  and  advising  with  them  as  to  the 
circumstances  of  my  removal.  To  this  Letter  I  have  as  yet  no  answer,  nor 


I775-] 


580 


am  I  at  a  loss  for  the  reason.  Unhappily  on  the  very  next  day  the  sword  of 
civil  war  was  unsheathed  and  there  was  a  battle  between  the  Regulars  and 
Provincials,  in  which  numbers  were  killed  on  both  sides.  In  consequence  of 
this  New  England  is  now  in  an  uproar.  Boston  is  besieged.  Letters  are 
intercepted  and  all  friendly  intercourse  between  Town  and  Country  prevented. 
The  Inhabitants  of  this  place  are  now  confined  to  a  Garrison,  nor  indeed  is 
there  any  safety  elsewhere  for  those  who  have  distinguished  themselves  as  the 
friends  of  Government.  In  this  shocking  distress  it  would  be  highly  impru¬ 
dent  for  me  to  attempt  a  removal,  and  I  trust  to  the  well  known  goodness  of 
the  Society  that  they  would  not  wish  me  to  expose  myself  to  unnecessary 
insult  and  outrage  or  withdraw  their  wonted  protection  and  support  when 
every  other  resource  fails  me.  As  soon  as  circumstances  permit,  it  is  my  full 
intention  to  repair  to  Portsmouth,  but  Portsmouth  itself  is  by  all  accounts  at 
this  instant  in  the  most  distracted  state  imaginable. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

MATHER  BYLES. 

- * - 


Mr.  CANER  to  the  Secretary . 


Boston,  June  2d,  1775. 

Revd  Sir, 

On  the  18th  of  April  last,  Col1  Smith  of  the  10th  Regiment  was  sent  off  in 
the  Evening  with  about  a  thousand  men  to  seize  a  Magazine  of  arms  & 
ammunition,  which  the  Provincials  had  prepared  about  20  miles  in  the 
country.  Before  they  had  compleated  their  design,  a  large  body  of  Provincials 
surrounded  the  King’s  Troops  &  would  infallibly  have  cut  them  to  pieces 
had  they  not  been  supported  by  Lord  Piercy,  who  in  the  morning  of  the  1 9th 
marched  to  their  assistance  with  his  whole  Brigade  and  enabled  them  to  make 
a  retreat  to  the  town.  Lord  Piercy’s  Brigade,  from  10  in  the  morning  to  9 
o’Clock  in  the  Evening,  marched  40  Miles,  constantly  engaged  with  many 
thousands  of  the  Enemy  during  his  whole  retreat.  The  King’s  troops  have 
suffered  in  the  action  about  60  killed  and  upwards  of  100  wounded.  The 
Rebels  never  faced  the  troops,  but  fired  from  Houses,  Barns,  behind  Stone 


58i 


[x  775- 


Walls  &  Bushes.  Since  this  action  the  Town  is  surrounded  by  the  Rebels 
to  the  number  of  1 2  or  as  some  say  20  thousand.  They  are  intrenching  a 
short  distance  from  the  Camp  and  threaten  to  attempt  both  that  and  the  Town 
by  storm.  They  have  burnt  &  destroyed  most  of  the  houses  &  barns  & 
drove  away  all  the  cattle  without  the  town,  so  that  neither  the  Army  nor 
Inhabitants  can  have  either  provision  for  themselves  or  forage  for  their  horses 
but  what  must  come  from  England  or  Ireland.  This  is  a  slight  sketch  of  what 
has  occurred  since  my  last.  The  many  Passengers  who  go  now  from  hence 
in  the  Cerberus  will  be  able  to  give  a  more  perfect  tho’  a  melancholy  account, 
my  design  being  only  introductory  to  a  brief  account  of  the  present  state  of 
the  Society’s  missions. 

Mr.  Serjeant  of  Cambridge  has  been  obliged  with  his  family  to  fly  for  the 
safety  of  their  lives,  nor  can  I  learn  where  he  is  concealed.  His  fine  Church 
is  turned  into  Barracks  by  the  Rebels  and  a  beautiful  organ  that  was  in  it 
broke  in  pieces. 

Mr.  Weeks  of  Marblehead  is  also  fled  with  his  family,  since  which  I  have 
had  no  intelligence  what  has  become  of  him. 

Mr.  Wiswall  of  Falmouth,  after  being  taken  prisoner,  escaped  out  of  their 
hands  and  has  taken  shelter  in  this  town,  but  his  family  remain  at  the  mercy 
of  the  Rebels.  All  letters  are  intercepted,  so  that  I  can  obtain  no  particular 
account  of  the  other  Missionaries.  I  have  heard  indeed  that  Mr.  Winslow  of 
Braintree,  Mr.  Thompson  of  Scituate,  &  Mr.  Clark  of  Dedham  have  not  left 
their  Missions  nor  suffered  any  actual  violence,  tho’  much  threatened.  In 
short  we  are  all  of  us  in  a  distressful  situation.  In  the  Town  we  are  exposed 
to  famine;  in  the  Country  to  the  sword.  The  Town  is  steadily  besieged,  and 
whether  the  King’s  troops  are  not  thought  strong  enough  or  whether  the 
General  has  no  fighting  orders  I  cannot  say ;  but  this  I  am  certain  of,  that 
unless  something  be  speedily  done  the  town  will  fall  into  the  hands  of  the 
Rebels  and  we  shall  all  of  us  be  put  to  the  sword.  The  prospect  of  such  an 
event,  together  with  the  barbarities  committed  by  the  Rebels,  has  so  intimi¬ 
dated  many  of  the  King’s  loyal  subjects  that  they  have  fled  and  are  daily 
flying  to  Halifax,  to  Quebec,  to  the  West  Indies  and  to  England. 

No  Letters  can  come  to  us  but  such  as  are  enclosed  in  the  General’s 
Packets  or  sent  by  a  King’s  ship  bound  directly  into  this  Port. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

H.  CANER. 


1 775-] 


582 


Mr.  WINSLOW  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Braintree,  Aug4  8th,  1775. 

Revd  Sir, 

Some  time  has  elapsed  since  the  expiration  of  the  6  months  of  the  present 
year,  at  which  period  I  ought  to  have  addressed  the  venerable  Society  accord¬ 
ing  to  their  standing  directions.  This  delay  has  been  owing  to  the  infelicity  of 
the  present  state  of  universal  commotion  and  distress  in  this  province  beyond 
any  idea  I  am  able  by  description  to  convey.  Entirely  excluded  from  all 
intercourse  with  the  Capital,  under  jealous  inspection  of  whatever  is  spoken 
or  written  &  bound  (for  the  sake  of  safety)  to  the  most  vigilant  and  circum¬ 
spect  behaviour.  In  this  state  I  have  continued  with  the  congregation  whom 
I  serve  in  this  place  since  the  commencement  of  our  unhappy  ruptures  &  the 
accumulated  distresses  which  have  followed  with  scarce  any  interruption, 
having  determined  as  long  as  it  could  be  practicable  to  persevere  in  the 
regular  attendance  on  my  duty.  By  means  of  necessary  caution  and  the 
influence  of  some  leading  persons  in  the  management  of  this  town,  who  have 
discovered  themselves  of  catholic,  candid  and  humane  sentiments,  the  Church 
here,  my  family,  and  my  person  have  hitherto  escaped  some  such  effects  of 
the  general  rage  as  it  was  feared  would  have  deprived  us  of  the  privilege  of 
our  worship  or  of  such  comforts  of  society  &  domestic  enjoyments  as  might 
enable  us  the  better  to  sustain  whatever  share  of  the  common  calamities 
might  be  allotted  to  us.  I  have  publickly  declared  my  resolution  to  recede  in 
no  instance  or  degree  from  those  solemn  engagements  of  allegiance  to  the 
King  and  fidelity  to  the  Church  which  my  oaths,  conscience,  judgment  and 
inclination  jointly  bind  me  to  maintain  at  the  hazard  of  my  life,  nor  have  I 
been  constrained  to  any  compliances  inconsistent  herewith,  notwithstanding  I 
have  invariably  persisted  to  refuse  submission  to  any  such  public  Injunctions 
as  I  could  not  acknowledge  to  be  of  lawful  authority.  Altho’  I  am  not  so 
happy  as  to  find  none  among  the  members  of  this  Church  who  are  not 
wavering  and  unsteady  from  the  apprehension  of  the  violence  of  the  present 
storm  &  the  danger  which  may  seem  to  threaten  the  Church  from  it,  yet  there 
are  a  goodly  number  of  our  Members  so  firm  in  their  adherence  to  their 


5§3 


[1776. 


principles  that  I  should  think  myself  inexcuseable  to  desert  them  while  I  could 
in  any  degree  abide  with  them  in  safety.  Should  my  flight  finally  become 
unavoidable,  I  trust  I  may  meet  with  a  proper  asylum. 

It  might  be  proper  for  me  to  mention  to  you  such  circumstances  of  the 
present  calamities  as  fall  under  my  own  knowledge  and  may  give  particular 
cause  to  fear  that  we  may  be  affected  by  them,  but  I  dare  not  venture  to  be 
explicit  on  this  Head  nor  to  add  any  conjectures  of  my  own  as  to  the  probable 
issue  of  our  commotions ;  for  it  is  scarcely  possible  to  prevent  any  Letters 
from  inspection  which  are  not  wrote  &  sent  immediately  from  Boston  to 
England.  I  write  now  under  entire  uncertainty  how  &  when  this  Letter  will 
meet  with  conveyance. 

Mr.  Clark  &  myself  have  been  fearful  of  attending  the  Church  at  Bridge- 
water  as  usual  under  the  present  general  confusion,  but  having  lately  been 
persuaded  by  some  of  the  people  there  we  have  ventured  to  make  the  attempt 
&  have  not  been  molested  either  in  going  or  returning,  and  shall  continue  our 
services  there  till  compelled  by  necessity  to  desist.  Most  of  the  people  of 
our  communion  there  appear  disposed  to  persevere  through  all  discourage¬ 
ments.  Some  of  them  are  remarkably  firm  and  will  I  hope  continue  so. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

EDWD  WINSLOW. 


♦ 


M\  CANER  to  the  Secretary. 


Boston,  Jany  14th,  1776. 

Revd  Sir, 

Mr.  Wiswall,  late  Missionary  at  Falmouth,  takes  charge  of  this  Letter 
which  is  intended  to  acquaint  the  Society  with  the  death  of  their  faithful  & 
very  worthy  Missionary,  Mr.  Thompson  of  Scituate.  It  is  said  that  his  death 
was  owing  partly  to  bodily  disorder  &  partly  to  some  uncivil  treatment  from 
the  rebels  in  his  Neighbourhood.  The  parish  are  earnestly  desirous  of  being 
resupplied,  but  I  can  hardly  think  any  Gentleman  would  undertake  the  Mission 
in  these  troublesome  times. 


1 776.] 


5§4 


What  views  Mr.  Wiswall  has  in  going  to  England  I  cannot  say.  He  has 
no  parish,  indeed,  the  Town  of  Falmouth  being  burnt,  and  his  people  in  con¬ 
sequence  scattered  abroad.  Possibly  he  may  apply  to  the  Society  for  some 
favour ;  if  so  I  must  say  that  he  has  been  a  diligent  and  prudent  minister  and 
a  very  great  sufferer  in  the  confusion  that  now  prevails.  Indeed  we  all  of  us 
labour  under  so  much  distress  that  we  should  gladly  remove  to  some  place  of 
peace  and  safety. 

As  to  myself  in  particular,  the  scarcity  and  dearness  of  every  necessary  of 
life  would  have  determined  me  for  England  if  I  could  see  the  least  ground  to 
hope  for  a  support  there,  but  as  I  see  none,  am  obliged  to  submit  to  the  evil 
of  the  present  day  as  well  as  I  can.  The  wealthier  part  of  my  Parish  have 
provided  for  themselves  by  removing  to  England  or  elsewhere.  So  while  the 
few  necessaries  of  life  are  risen  to  an  exhorbitant  price,  my  salary  is  diminished 
to  an  insufficiency  thro’  the  poverty  of  the  few  remaining  parishioners. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

H.  CANER. 


Mr.  WINSLOW  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Braintree,  10th  April,  1776. 

Revd  Sir, 

*  *  *  All  the  Clergy  of  our  Church  who  were  [in]  the  Town  (one 

only  excepted)  are  gone  off.  A  few  of  us  who  had  not  the  opportunity,  or  if 
we  might  have  had  it  could  neither  leave  nor  transport  our  families,  still 
remain  at  our  respective  Missions  in  the  Country,  unable  to  judge  how  long 
or  in  what  manner  we  may  be  allowed  to  continue  this  depending  on  the 
pleasure  of  those  who  now  hold  us  in  their  power. 

As  to  myself,  I  have  hitherto  been  unmolested  in  my  usual  attendance  on 
my  public  duty.  I  have  in  no  instance  been  compelled  to  any  compliances 
incompatible  with  my  allegiance  to  the  King  or  my  fidelity  to  the  Church.  I 
have  to  lament  some  defection  in  my  congregation  at  Braintree,  but  the 
comfort  to  find  much  the  greater  part  steady  and  determined  at  all  hazards  to 
abide  by  their  principles  &  profession. 


585 


[i776. 


Should  the  infection  of  the  present  rage  be  found  less  prevalent  in  the 
Southern  Colonies,  as  is  generally  supposed,  there  would  be  still  encourage¬ 
ment  to  hope  for  an  issue  to  this  ruinous  contention,  in  the  effectual  and 
permanent  establishment  of  union  &  harmony  between  the  parent  State  and 
its  deluded  colonists.  God  Almighty  grant  us  to  see  and  enjoy  this  unspeak¬ 
able  blessing.  But  as  a  total  revolt  from  Great  Britain  seems  now  chiefly  in 
contemplation  and  expected  to  be  agreed  upon  and  openly  declared  :  should 
the  rage  of  the  Colonies  be  permitted  to  rise  to  this  heighth,  it  is  melancholy 
to  think  what  must  then  be  the  state  of  the  Church  in  this  Country.  If  it 
should  not  be  totally  suppressed  by  such  a  revolution,  it  is  not  probable  it 
would  otherwise  exist  than  under  such  restrictions  as  would  render  a  toleration 
of  little  or  no  avail  to  any  of  our  Clergy  now  in  America.  However,  come 
what  will,  I  hope  there  are  none  of  us  remaining  here  who  will  by  any 
extremities  be  constrained  to  violate  those  sacred  Engagements  to  the  throne 
and  the  National  Constitution  in  Church  &  State  in  which  we  have  bound  our 
consciences,  and  in  which  I  trust  we  think  ourselves  not  less  bound  by  inclina¬ 
tion  &  affection  than  by  our  oaths. 

When  I  can  no  longer  act  conformable  to  my  conscience  &  obligations,  I 
must  then  cast  myself,  and  a  numerous  family  whom  I  am  not  able  to  leave  or 
to  remove,  on  God’s  indulgent  providence,  hoping  for  his  Gracious  relief  and 
consolation,  &  still  trusting  in  his  Goodness,  that  none  of  the  designs  to 
crush  the  Church  of  England  in  America  will  so  far  be  permitted  to  take 
effect  as  to  prevent  it  from  eventually  reviving  &  flourishing. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

EDWD  WINSLOW. 


Mr.  CANER  to  the  Secretary. 


Halifax,  May  10th,  1776. 

Revd  Sir, 

In  my  last,  of  Jan’y  10th,  I  gave  the  Society  an  account  of  the  death  of 
Mr.  Thompson,  their  worthy  missionary  at  Scituate. 

Since  that  time  I  have  not  been  able  to  obtain  any  particular  account  of 
the  Missions  in  New  England.  All  means  of  correspondence  between  Boston 

74 


1 776.] 


586 


&  the  Country  being  cut  off,  I  cannot  learn  that  any  of  the  Missionaries 
besides  those  I  formerly  mentioned  have  met  with  any  fresh  insult.  As  to  the 
Clergy  of  Boston,  indeed  they  have  for  1 1  months  past  been  exposed  to 
difficulty  &  distress  in  every  shape ;  and  as  to  myself,  having  determined  to 
maintain  my  post  as  long  as  possible,  I  continued  to  officiate  to  the  small 
remains  of  my  Parishioners,  tho’  without  a  support,  till  the  10th  of  March,  when 
I  suddenly  and  unexpectedly  rece’d  notice  that  the  King’s  troops  would 
immediately  evacuate  the  Town.  It  is  not  easy  to  paint  the  distress  and 
confusion  of  the  Inhabitants  on  this  occasion. 

I  had  but  6  or  7  hours  allowed  to  prepare  for  this  measure,  being  obliged 
to  embark  the  same  day  for  Halifax,  where  we  arrived  the  Ist  of  April.  This 
sudden  movement  prevented  me  from  saving  my  books,  furniture,  or  any  part 
of  my  interest  except  bedding,  wearing  apparel,  and  a  little  provision  for  my 
small  family  during  the  passage. 

I  am  now  at  Halifax  with  my  daughter  and  servant,  but  without  any  means 
of  support  except  what  I  receive  from  the  benevolence  of  the  worthy  Revd 
Dr.  Breynton.  Several  other  Clergymen,  Dr.  Byles,  Mr.  Walter,  Mr.  Badger, 
&c.,  are  likewise  driven  from  Boston  to  this  place,  but  each  of  them  have 
some  comfortable  provision  in  the  Army  or  Navy  as  Chaplains,  a  service 
which  my  age  &  infirmities  will  not  well  admit  of.  I  have  indeed  greatly 
suffered  in  my  health  by  the  cold  weather  and  other  uncomfortable  circum¬ 
stances  of  a  passage  to  this  place  ;  but  having  by  the  good  providence  of  God 
survived  the  past  distress,  I  am  in  hopes  some  charitable  hand  will  assist  me 
in  my  purpose  of  proceeding  to  England,  where  the  compassion  of  the  well 
disposed  will  I  hope  preserve  me  from  perishing  thro’  the  want  of  the 
necessaries  of  life.  If  otherwise,  God’s  will  be  done. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

H.  CANER. 


587 


L 1 776. 


M'\  BY  EES  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Boston,  Octr  7th,  1776. 

Revd  Sir, 

Almost  2  Months  elapsed  after  my  last  Letter  to  you,  of  April  29th,  before 
I  rece’d  any  reply  from  Portsmouth.  At  length  a  few  lines  reached  me,  signed 
by  the  first  Warden,  an  exact  copy  of  which  I  enclose  as  an  apology  for  my 
not  repairing  immediately  to  that  which  I  now  esteem  my  proper  mission. 

Since  this  my  most  valuable  friend  Governor  Wentworth  has  thought  it 
prudent  to  retire  to  Boston.  He  thinks  it  happy  for  me  that  I  did  not  remove 
at  Easter,  as  the  Church  during  the  present  confusions  could  not  have  sup¬ 
ported  me,  and  as  I  should  most  probably  have  been  obliged  to  come  away 
when  he  did  &  leave  my  family  &  effects  behind  me.  Indeed  the  situation  of 
the  Missionaries  is  at  this  time  vastly  distressing.  If  Government  should  not 
be  re-established  I  am  well  convinced  that  no  Episcopal  Church  will  be  tolerated 
in  New  England.  Mr.  Serjeant,  Mr.  Weeks,  &  Mr.  Wiswall  have  since  my  last 
been  necessitated  to  retire  from  their  respective  stations.  In  the  midst  of  this 
perplexity,  beside  the  testimony  of  a  good  conscience,  we  have  nothing  to 
animate  us  but  a  full  confidence  in  the  generosity  of  the  venerable  Society 
that  they  will  never  abandon  their  faithful  Servants.  I  doubt  not,  my  dear 
Sir,  but  you  pity  us,  and  that  your  friendly  influence  will  consequently  be 
exerted  in  our  favor. 

I  should  have  informed  you  that  on  Easter  Tuesday,  tho’  the  Proprietors 
of  Christ  Church  told  me  expressly  they  would  no  longer  engage  one  farthing 
of  Salary  to  their  Minister,  I  still  offered  to  officiate  to  them  so  long  as  I  con¬ 
tinued  in  Boston  ;  but  they  treated  my  kind  proposal  with  neglect ;  they  chose 
rather  to  shut  up  the  church,  nor  has  it  since  been  opened  for  a  single  Sunday. 
Indeed  it  is  now  scarce  worth  while  to  attempt  it,  most  of  them  having  left  the 
Town,  not  more  than  six  or  seven  families  remaining.  At  parting  I  endeavored 
to  persuade  them  at  least  to  discharge  the  arrears  which  by  their  own  confes¬ 
sion  were  due  upon  the  Eighty  Pounds,  which  they  acknowledged  as  my  just 
demand,  but  tho’  they  as  usual  promised  fair,  they  have  not  paid  them  to  this 
day,  nor  do  I  much  expect  they  ever  will. 


1 777-] 


588 


Upon  the  whole,  as  my  old  Mission  is  in  a  manner  annihilated  by  the  fury 
of  the  times ;  as  it  is  absolutely  impracticable  for  me  to  remove  to  my  new 
one ;  as  leaving  Boston  at  this  juncture  for  any  other  place  in  America  would 
have  a  tendency  to  render  me  obnoxious  to  Government  and  have  the  appear¬ 
ance  of  deserting  to  a  faction  whose  principles  I  abominate ;  from  all  these 
considerations  I  would  beg  permission  from  the  Society  to  continue  as  I  am  at 
present.  They  may  be  assured  I  am  not  idle  ;  on  the  contrary,  my  hands  were 
never  fuller  of  employment.  The  Army  in  a  Garrison  where  there  are  22 
Regiments  and  but  3  Chaplains  from  England  are  continually  calling  for  my 
ministerial  offices.  Tho’  shut  out  from  my  own  church  I  frequently  assist  at 
the  other  churches  of  the  Town,  &  there  are  several  large  Hospitals  of  sick 
&  wounded  which  I  regularly  visit  every  week.  Since  my  last  I  have  baptized 
38  &  my  funerals  have  amounted  to  56.  The  uncertain  Gratuities  which  I 
receive  for  these  services,  with  the  addition  of  the  Society’s  bounty,  now  con¬ 
stitute  my  whole  income ;  my  little  inheritance  being  lost  in  the  ruins  of  my 
country.  I  accordingly  this  day  draw  for  ^30  in  favor  of  Mr.  Gilbert  Deblois, 
&  shall  endeavor  with  all  the  economy  &  fortitude  I  am  master  of  to  encounter 
the  hardships  of  a  Winter  siege.  What  the  event  will  be  I  know  not.  This 
I  know,  that  our  present  prospects  are  gloomy  beyond  description.  *  *  * 

I  am,  Dear  Sir,  &c., 

MATHER  BYLES. 


Mr.  WINSLOW  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Braintree,  Jany  ist,  1777. 

Revd  Sir, 

My  last  address  to  you  was  of  the  1 5th  of  Septr  past.  I  am  doubtful  of 
the  fate  of  it,  but  hope  it  has  escaped  the  hazard  of  being  intercepted,  and  has 
tho’  unseasonably  been  presented  to  you.  I  therein  mentioned  my  having 
been  harassed  from  the  Committee  of  Scituate  to  that  of  Braintree,  and  from 
the  latter  referred  to  the  General  Assembly  of  this  Province  under  the  odious 
imputation  of  being  an  Enemy  to  my  Country,  for  continuing  to  officiate  in 


589 


[1777- 


public  as  usual  without  any  omission  or  alteration  of  the  Service,  which  it 
seems  was  expected  upon  the  declaration  of  independency,  but  has  never 
been  commanded  by  any  supreme  or  subordinate  authority  which  has  been 
usurped  in  these  distracted  Colonies.  I  have  been  long  in  expectation  of  a 
Summons  to  appear  before  the  Assembly  in  consequence  of  this  complaint 
against  me,  and  either  to  have  been  imprisoned  for  my  contumacy  or  at  least 
to  have  been  debarred  the  privilege  of  attending  my  public  duty,  as  I  received 
undoubted  intelligence  that  the  complaint  was  under  consideration  and  that  it 
was  probable  I  should  be  doomed  to  suffer  severely.  Sev1  Months  have  since 
elapsed  and  I  have  without  any  interruption  or  prohibition  proceeded  in  the 
usual  course  of  my  duty,  praying  for  His  Majesty  and  the  Royal  family 
publicly  in  the  church  on  every  Sunday  and  every  Friday.  Various  threaten- 
ings  have  been  thrown  out  to  intimidate  me,  but  I  have  not  noticed  them, 
having  determined,  that  unless  some  authoritative  measures  which  we  are  not 
able  to  resist  shod  be  employed,  I  would  persevere.  I  have  accord’ly  perse¬ 
vered  &  I  have  been  supported  with  such  firmness  by  the  principal  Members 
of  my  little  flock  at  Braintree  as  has  done  them  honour ;  and  Justice  obliges 
me  to  take  this  occasion  to  commend  their  zeal  to  the  venerable  board  in 
being  ready  to  suffer  the  worst  that  our  deluded  adversaries  could  inflict. 
Had  we  been  pushed  to  extremities  which  we  had  every  cause  to  fear,  rather 
than  to  shut  up  the  church,  I  had  entertained  some  thoughts  of  so  far  yielding 
as  to  omit  the  prayers  for  the  King,  having  met  with  a  precedent  of  a  similar 
practice  in  Mr.  Nelson’s  life  of  Bp.  Bull  under  Cromwell’s  usurpation,  when 
the  public  use  of  the  Liturgy  was  wholly  interdicted.  I  presumed  to  mention 
this  to  you  in  my  last  Letter  in  hope  that  it  might  have  been  possible  by  some 
means  or  other  to  have  been  favored  with  the  instructions  of  my  superiors  on 
this  point.  But  I  most  heartily  thank  God  I  have  not  been  driven  to  this  or 
any  other  doubtful  expedient  to  keep  open  our  Church  for  public  Service  on 
every  Sunday  and  every  Friday  to  this  day. 

At  Scituate,  Marshfield,  &  Bridgewater  We  have  been  obliged  to  submit  to 
the  shutting  up  of  those  churches  which  I  constantly  attended  until  the  month 
of  June  past,  since  which  time  I  have  not  been  able  to  visit  those  places  more 
than  occasionally  to  administer  Baptism  and  to  perform  other  private  offices. 

The  people  of  these  churches,  particularly  they  of  Scituate  and  Marshfield, 
with  whom  I  have  chiefly  been  conversant  since  Mr.  Thompson’s  death,  have 
held  fast  their  profession  without  wavering,  unmoved  from  their  adherence  to 


[i  777- 


590 


the  Church  and  their  affection  for  the  King  and  national  constitution  by  all 
they  have  either  suffered  or  been  threat’ned  with.  They  have  been  cruelly 
dealt  with  in  various  instances,  besides  the  impositions  and  exactions  laid  upon 
them,  whereby  they  have  been  rendered  incapable  of  affording  me  that  assist¬ 
ance  under  my  necessities  which  they  were  well  inclined  to  have  done  if  the 
rates  had  been  at  their  own  disposal. 

Altho’  I  am  willing  to  give  due  credit  to  the  candour  and  humanity  of  some 
persons  in  power  in  this  town,  yet  I  must  say  it  is  chiefly  owing  to  the  rapid 
progress  which  His  Majesty’s  forces  have  made  in  the  past  year,  and  particu¬ 
larly  to  the  many  fortunate  events  with  which  it  has  pleased  God  to  crown  the 
operations  towards  reducing  the  New  England  Governments  to  a  sense  of 
the  madness  and  ingratitude  of  their  revolt,  &  bringing  them  back  to  their 
allegiance  &  duty.  Chiefly  to  this  happy  cause  I  must  attribute  it  that  I  have 
escaped  many  sufferings  to  which  I  had  been  ere  this  devoted,  and  that  I  am 
at  present  in  tolerable  quiet  and  comfort  so  as  to  attend  my  duty  without  any 
molestation,  God  be  praised.  Every  day  now  encreases  the  pleasing  hope 
of  a  happy  issue  of  this  most  unnatural  commotion  &  the  prospect  that  the 
deluded  people  of  this  continent  will  cheerfully  submit  to  that  wise  and  good 
Government  of  the  parent  State  in  which  only  they  can  expect  the  Blessings 
of  peace  and  prosperity. 

Amidst  many  straits  to  which  I  have  been  reduced  for  the  means  of 
subsistence  &  for  the  exorbitant  rates  of  the  necessaries  of  life,  I  have  to 
acknowledge  the  goodness  of  Providence  in  an  unexpected  and  liberal  relief 
by  a  Dividend  of  the  Collection  in  England  for  the  suffering  Clergy  in 
America.  I  rece’d  advice  of  this  from  a  Gentleman  at  Halifax,  with  Instruc¬ 
tions  to  the  Clergy  to  draw  for  the  same.  To  all  of  us  this  has  been  a  most 
seasonable  benefit,  especially  to  some  of  our  brethren  who  have  been  distin¬ 
guished  in  their  trials — much  beyond  any  which  I  have  hitherto  been  called  to 
endure — and  who  nobly  distinguished  themselves  by  their  patience,  prudence, 
&  fortitude.  We  all  unite  in  our  grateful  sense  of  this  bounty  and  in  our 
prayers  for  our  worthy  benefactors  that  they  may  be  plenteously  rewarded  in 
the  multiplied  blessings  of  Divine  grace  &  Providence.  I  beg  leave  here 
to  express  an  earnest  wish  that  the  worthy  family  of  the  late  Revd  Mr. 
Thompson  of  Scituate  might  be  comprehended  in  the  distribution  of  this 
collect11.  No  clergyman  of  the  Church  maintained  his  character  with  more 
dignity  and  fidelity,  and  I  am  persuaded  it  was  in  no  small  degree  owing  to 


59i 


[ 1 777- 


the  difficulties  he  had  to  struggle  with  from  the  rage  of  our  distracted  times 
that  the  Church  was  deprived  of  so  exemplary  a  Minister  and  the  Venerable 
Society  of  so  valuable  a  Servant  and  Minister,  when  to  human  appearance  our 
hopes  seemed  to  be  encouraged  of  his  longer  continuance. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

EDWD  WINSLOW. 


- + - 

Mr.  CLARK  S  Address ,  referred  to  in  the  following  Letter . 


March,  1777. 

My  Brethren, 

I  may  now  properly  inform  you  that  since  we  last  met  together  for  public 
worship,  I  have  seen  an  act  lately  passed  our  General  Court,  forbidding  all 
expressions  in  preaching  and  praying  that  may  discountenance  the  People’s 
support  of  the  independency  of  these  colonies  on  the  British  Empire  on  the 
Penalty  of  ^50.  You  all  know  that  in  my  preaching  I  have  generally  avoided 
these  matters,  and  so  far  I  could  reconcile  my  performances  to  the  act. 

But  by  vows,  oaths,  and  subscriptions  which  have  been  made  on  Earth  and 
recorded  in  heaven  I  am  obliged  to  act  as  a  dutiful  subject  of  His  most 
Gracious  Majesty,  King  George  the  Third,  and  to  the  constant  use  of  the 
Liturgy  of  that  Church  of  which  under  God  he  is  the  head.  I  mean  whenever 
I  perform  publicly,  and  you  all  must  know  that  there  are  various  expressions 
in  this  liturgy  which  plainly  discountenance  all  kinds  of  rebellion  and  opposi¬ 
tion  to  his  Kingly  Government,  and  the  very  naming  of  him  as  our  most 
gracious  Sovereign,  is  I  suppose  sufficient  to  break  the  Law.  To  give  up 
these  petitions  or  prayers  while  I  use  the  other  prayers  is  against  the  present 
light  of  my  own  conscience.  Both  my  oath  of  allegiance  (which  neither  the 
Congress,  however  respectable  in  their  personal  characters,  nor  the  Pope 
himself  can  absolve  me  from, — both  my  oath  of  allegiance  I  say)  and  my 
solemnly  subscribing  to  use  the  Liturgy  strongly  unite  to  oblige  me  to  pray 
for  the  King’s  majesty  till  such  time  as  he  shall  be  pleased  to  relinquish  his 
right  of  Government  or  jurisdiction  over  these  Colonies.  Then  and  not  till 
then  I  shall  think  myself  lawfully  and  properly  absolved  from  my  oath  of 
allegiance,  and  all  obligations  arising  from  my  subscription  will  fall  of  course. 


1 777-] 


592 


Now  it  has  been  generally  agreed  among  the  Episcopal  clergy  in  America, 
at  least  in  these  parts  of  it,  to  shut  up  their  churches  when  they  could  not 
proceed  in  the  usual  service  without  being  subject  to  penalties  and  Fines,  and 
I  am  informed  that  the  better  part  of  them  in  the  neighbouring  colonies  have 
done  it  already. 

Wherefore  after  long  thinking  upon  the  subject  I  am  of  opinion  that  tho’ 
some  means  might  be  devised  to  carry  on  some  kind  of  public  service  con¬ 
sistent  with  conscience  and  without  being  exposed  to  the  penalty  of  the  Law, 
yet  at  best  it  must  be  very  lame  and  imperfect,  and  that  upon  the  whole,  in 
the  want  of  the  presence  of  a  Diocesan  from  whom  we  might  receive  proper 
directions,  it  will  be  best  to  harmonize  and  acquiesce  with  the  determination 
of  a  majority  of  our  brethren  on  the  Continent.  Our  unanimity  I  imagine  will 
conduce  much  to  our  honour,  and  be  a  mean  more  strongly  to  convince  both 
friends  and  Enemies  of  the  sincerity  of  our  religious  profession,  and  of 
promoting  the  revival  and  permanent  stability  of  our  Church. 

Having  said  this  much  I  am  now  to  inform  you  that  I  shall  now  from  this 
day  cease  from  carrying  on  the  publick  worship  in  the  Church  till  such  time 
as  there  shall  be  some  alteration  or  change  in  politics  and  Government,  or 
until  I  have  proper  authority  to  make  the  omission  in  the  Liturgy  proposed. 

The  several  offices  of  the  Church,  except  the  common  performance  of  the 
Lord’s  day  worship,  I  stand  ready  to  assist  any  of  you  in  so  long  as  I  sojourn 
among  you,  and  I  recommend  it  to  you  all,  nay,  I  seriously  exhort  you  to  spend 
the  Lord’s  day  with  reverence  and  devotion  in  your  own  houses  or  in  such 
other  manner  as  your  consciences  shall  direct  and  point  out  to  you  as  most 
conducing  to  your  spiritual  welfare. 

And  may  Almighty  God  smile  on  our  endeavours  to  hold  fast  our  integ¬ 
rity,  Grant  us  again  the  enjoyment  of  our  ancient  unrestrained  liberty  for 
His  public  worship,  and  finally  crown  us  with  His  everlasting  happiness  in  the 
world  to  come. 

I  conclude  what  I  have  to  say  with  those  words  of  our  Saviour  to  St.  John 
in  his  Book  of  Revelations  directed  to  the  Church  of  Smyrna:  “  Fear  none  of 
those  things  which  thou  shalt  suffer ;  behold  the  Devil  shall  cast  some  of  you 
into  prison,  that  ye  may  be  tried,  and  ye  shall  have  tribulation  io  days;  be 
thou  faithful  unto  death  and  I  will  give  the  Crown  of  Life.” 


593 


L1 778. 


Mr .  CLARK  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

Dedham,  Jany  5th,  1 778. 

Revd  Sir, 

*  *  *  Six  Months  after  the  date  I  recd  your  letter  of  July  21st, 

1 775,  informing  me  that  mine  of  April  1 7th  preceding  had  been  rece’d  and  com¬ 
municated  to  the  Board,  and  I  am  heartily  glad  that  it  gave  satisfaction.  This 
is  the  last  advice  I  have  had  directly  or  indirectly  from  the  Society. 

Were  I  fully  to  communicate  the  distresses  of  various  kinds  that  I  have 
passed  thro’  since  the  commencement  of  the  present  unhappy  war,  and  am 
still  involved  in,  the  obstructions  I  have  met  with  in  my  ministry,  the  state  of 
my  little  flock,  &c.,  at  large,  I  fear  it  would  be  tedious  to  you ;  and  as  these 
matters  are  so  interwoven  with  the  civil  affairs  of  the  country,  perhaps  it  might 
not  be  prudent  at  this  time.  I  shall  content  myself  with  representing  some 
of  the  most  material  facts  concerning  myself  and  mission. 

In  a  state  below  envy  I  happily  enjoyed  myself  and  escaped  the  persecut¬ 
ing  rage  of  the  times  beyond  what  might  have  been  expected  (having  no  more 
than  my  share  of  such  ill  treatment  as  is  common  to  every  one  who  is  sus¬ 
pected  of  holding  sentiments  favourable  to  Government,  and  too  trifling  to 
mention)  till  May  last,  from  which  time  I  seem  to  have  been  singled  out  from 
the  rest  of  my  brethren  as  an  object  for  oppression  and  cruel  usage ;  and  lest 
the  Society  should  think  that  by  any  imprudent  act  of  my  own  I  stirred  up 
the  resentment  of  the  People  to  use  me  in  a  more  rigorous  manner  I  will 
circumstantially  relate  the  cause  of  my  prosecutn. 

A  Member  of  my  church,  a  poor  man,  and  more  than  half  blind,  being 
suspected  and  purposely  provoked,  uttered  some  expressions  signifying  that 
the  present  war  was  a  rebellion,  and  his  desire  that  the  King’s  Government 
might  be  restored,  for  which  he  was  assaulted  by  Mobs  and  riots  from  time  to 
time,  till  at  length  they  came  near  to  kill  him  with  Poles  and  Stones.  They 
had  forced  from  him  his  house  and  little  place  (upon  which  he  had  got  a  com¬ 
fortable  subsistence  for  his  family),  they  had  carried  off  or  destroyed  his 
farming  utensils  and  robbed  him  of  almost  every  thing  that  he  had,  and  finally 
ordered  him  to  depart  the  Town,  on  pain  of  death,  in  a  fortnight’s  time. 

75 


I778-] 


594 


In  these  circumstances  he  applied  to  me  for  a  letter  of  recommendatn  to  a 
gentleman  of  an  amiable  character  in  another  County  to  whom  he  had  been 
advised,  as  one  compassionately  inclined  to  help  him  into  some  way  to  support 
himself ;  after  some  reluctance  I  thought  it  my  duty  to  assist  him  as  far  as  I 
could  with  prudence ;  I  wrote  but  5  or  6  lines  as  I  thought  in  unexceptionable 
terms,  without  mentioning  anything  that  might  give  offence.  Upon  an  ill- 
grounded  suspicion  of  his  going  to  the  Royal  army  with  letters,  he  was  way¬ 
laid  and  brought  back,  and  tho’  they  were  much  disappointed  in  the  letter  they 
expected  to  find  upon  him  ;  yet  they  endeavoured  to  put  a  forced  construction 
on  what  I  wrote,  a  construction  that  I  never  intended  nor  thought  of,  where¬ 
upon  the  dissenting  minister  of  the  parish  (who  had  rece’d  the  most  obliging 
and  civil  treatment  from  me)  with  some  others  stirred  up  the  violence  of  the 
mob  so  suddenly  that  the  same  night,  about  midnight,  I  was  assaulted  by  a 
large  number  of  them,  my  house  ransacked,  and  myself  used  with  indignity 
and  insult.  Upon  the  mediation  of  a  friend  I  was  released  upon  my  parole  to 
attend  the  Committee  of  the  Town  the  next  day ;  I  went  accord’ly,  was 
examined  and  dismissed  by  them  in  about  three  or  four  hours’  time ;  they 
expressed  themselves  satisfied  with  what  I  said  and  disapprov’d  of  the 
behaviour  of  the  mob,  but  influenced  I  suppose  by  some  restless  people,  they 
soon  after  entered  a  prosecution  against  me  and  sent  a  man  and  horse  30  or 
40  mile  to  stir  up  the  mob  against  the  innocent  Gentn  to  whom  my  letter  was 
directed,  on  which  account  he  was  barbarously  abused. 

I  was  taken  on  a  Warrant  on  the  5th  of  June  and  denied  Bail  which  the 
Law  expressly  allows.  I  was  carried  first  to  a  public  house  and  shut  in  a 
separate  Room  3  quarters  of  an  hour  to  view  the  picture  of  Oliver  Cromwell. 
I  was  then  hurried  to  Boston  with  3  others  of  my  church  on  a  very  hot  day 
and  tho’  I  was  much  fatigued  in  walking  sev1  miles  (my  carriage  having  broke 
in  the  way)  I  was  allowed  by  the  Justice  but  half  an  hour  to  get  2  Bondsmen 
or  to  go  to  Jail.  I  obtained  it,  but  the  3  others  were  committed,  tho’  sev1 
offered  to  be  bound  for  them  in  the  Town  where  they  belonged. 

My  Trial  7  days  after  this  was  carried  on  in  so  near  a  resemblance  of  the 
Romish  Inquisition  that  I  need  not  trouble  you  with  an  account  of  it.  It  is 
enough  to  say  that  I  was  denied  Counsel  and  not  permitted  to  know  what 
was  alleged  against  me  by  the  witnesses  and  Attorney  Gen1  (for  by  reason  of 
a  great  degree  of  deafness  I  could  not  hear  in  the  ordinary  way),  and  from 
thence  it  is  almost  needless  to  say  that  I  was  condemned  to  banishment  and 


595 


[1778- 


confiscation  of  estate,  and  sent  on  board  a  Guardship  in  the  Harbour  prepared 
for  that  purpose  (with  the  person  on  whose  behalf  I  wrote  the  letter  before 
mentd)  in  order  to  be  transported  to  the  West  Indies  or  some  part  of  Europe. 
I  may  add  here  that  a  Gentleman  of  Boston,  a  friend  of  mine,  and  by  whom  I 
had  been  much  obliged,  having  with  sev1  other  Gentlemen  been  carted  out  of 
town  with  violence  and  ignominious  usage  by  the  mob  and  contrary  to 
the  orders  and  promised  protect"  of  the  present  Governmn1,  and  forbid 
return2  to  his  family  on  penalty  of  worse  usage,  &c.,  &c.,  he  having  of  his 
own  accord  took  refuge  at  my  house  for  a  short  time.  This  was  made  a 
principal  matter  of  accusat"  against  me,  which  togr  with  the  Letter  above 
mentd  was  all  the  charge  they  brought. 

Having  been  troubled  with  some  degree  of  the  asthma  for  about  2  years 
before,  so  cruel  a  confinement  as  I  had  thro’  all  the  Hot  Season  for  10  Weeks 
together  brought  on  that  disorder  to  a  great  degree  ;  this,  togr  with  the  friendly 
exertions  of  some  Gentlemen  in  the  Gen1  Court  who  thought  my  trial  con¬ 
ducted  in  a  mode  extremely  unjust,  induced  the  powers  in  being  to  favor  me 
so  far  as  to  grant  me  a  return  to  my  own  house  and  remain  there  as  a 
prisoner,  &c.  (having  one  mile  excursion  under  bonds  of  ^500  penalty),  which 
I  was  obliged  to  submit  to  or  I  might  never  have  lived  to  see  this  day.  I 
returned  home  the  20th  of  August. 

Thus  confined  I  now  remain  labouring  under  a  great  degree  of  the  disorder 
aforesaid  which  it  may  be  much  doubted  whether  I  shall  ever  outgrow. 

I  continued  the  service  of  the  Church  in  full  with  preach2  twice  every 
Sunday  and  some  other  holy  days  as  usual  for  more  than  8  months  after 
independency  was  proclaimed,  viz1.,  till  last  Easter,  about  which  time  a  law 
was  published  forbidding  prayers  for  the  King’s  majesty  in  public  or  private 
under  the  penalty  of  ^50.  If  you  can  have  patience  to  peruse  the  enclosed 
Paper  the  substance  of  what  I  delivered  to  my  people  when  I  left  off  publick 
service  (which  I  beg  leave  to  send  you  to  save  the  trouble  of  enlarging  here) 
it  will  discover  the  reasons  why  I  could  not  with  integrity  and  a  good 
conscience  omit  those  prayers,  at  least  I  could  not  do  it  with  so  much  comfort 
and  ease  of  mind  without  the  direct"  of  my  diocesan,  and  therefore  thought  it 
most  prudent  to  shut  up  my  church,  and  herein  I  was  happily  united  in  Senti¬ 
ment  with  the  Society’s  missionaries  in  my  vicinity  who  remained  in  the 
country,  Mr.  Winslow,  Mr.  Serjeant,  and  Mr.  John  Graves  (N.B.  Mr.  Win¬ 
slow  since  gone  to  N.  York).  I  should  be  sorry  if  such  a  procedure  be 


1778.] 


596 


disagreeable  to  the  Society,  and  could  I  have  had  the  direction  of  my  proper 
ordinary  I  would  cheerfully  have  obeyed,  but  otherwise  I  have  acted  according 
to  the  dictates  of  my  conscience. 

I  have  constantly  every  Sunday  so  much  of  the  Liturgy  as  the  times  will 
bear  in  private  (where  I  suppose  myself  to  have  that  liberty  in  modelling  the 
prayers  that  I  have  not  in  public),  and  some  that  are  not  too  fearful  and  dis¬ 
posed  for  it  join  with  me,  and  I  do  all  the  parochial  duty  in  other  respects  that 
I  can  do  within  a  mile.  Were  I  at  liberty  my  preachg  at  present  would  be 
almost  useless,  by  reason  of  the  Asthma,  which  greatly  obstructs  my  utterance. 
I  have  lately  applied  to  a  member  of  the  highest  branch  of  our  legislature 
now  in  being  to  know  his  sentiments  whether  upon  a  proper  applicatn  I  might 
not  obtain  so  much  liberty  at  least  as  to  visit  the  People  under  my  care  in 
cases  of  sickness  and  death  and  such  like  occurrences,  and  with  a  guard  to 
attend  me  if  needful.  I  have  rece’d  his  answer  altogr  discouraging  from 
expecting  so  much  liberty  as  that  at  present. 

Revd  Sir,  &c., 

WM  CLARK. 


Mr .  CLARK  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 

Newport  (Rhode  Island),  July  6th,  1778. 

Revd  Sir, 

When  I  wrote  you  the  preceding  Letter  that  will  accompany  this  (Marked 
No.  1)  I  had  a  prospect  of  sending  it  to  you  soon  by  a  Gentn  who  belonged 
to  the  army  under  Gen1  Burgoyne,  but  by  the  proceedings  of  the  Congress  in 
that  matter  I  soon  found  myself  disappointed.  It  remains  now  for  me  to  give 
an  aicco1  of  myself  since  that  period  and  what  has  brought  me  here,  and  in 
doing  this  you  will  not  expect  a  detail  of  every  act  of  cruelty  and  oppression  I 
have  rece’d.  It  is  enough  to  say  that  I  have  drank  deep  of  the  cup  of  afflic¬ 
tion  and  endured  complicated  misery. 


597 


[i 778. 


After  having  suffered  about  a  year’s  imprisonment  I  had  not  the  least 
prospect  of  obtaining  my  liberty  unless  I  would  renounce  my  allegiance  and 
declare  for  independency,  which  I  could  not  in  conscience  comply  with  till  the 
King  shall  be  pleased  to  declare  the  Colonies  independent. 

My  asthmatic  infirmities  growing  upon  me  (by  the  cruel  confinement  I 
have  endured  and  the  want  of  proper  remedies)  to  that  degree  that  I  now 
remain  almost  deprived  of  the  use  of  speech  and  scarcely  able  to  articulate  a 
sentence  to  be  understood ;  and  furthermore  being  deprived  of  all  means  of 
support  except  the  small  salary  I  have  from  the  Society,  which  by  the  enor¬ 
mous  increase  in  the  price  of  every  article  of  life  would  scarcely  go  farther 
than  40  shillings  in  former  times ;  my  little  Flock,  torn  and  scattered  by  per¬ 
secution,  and  scarcely  able  to  support  themselves  and  families  by  reason  of 
the  extravagant  fines  drawn  from  them  to  save  themselves  and  children  from 
bearing  arms  and  other  difficulties  of  the  times,  that  I  could  have  but  little 
relief  from  them,  tho’  they  have  in  general  been  kind  to  me  according  to  their 
ability, — these  difficulties  and  embarrassments,  with  others  of  the  like  nature 
that  might  be  mentioned,  attendg  my  continuance  in  my  mission,  induced  me 
to  try  to  obtain  permission  to  go  into  some  place  under  the  King’s  protection. 
My  first  view  was  to  go  to  Halifax.  I  petitioned  and  obtained  leave  for  it. 
The  Doctor  who  had  attended  me  in  my  disorder  having  first  certified  that  my 
confinement  was  in  his  opinion  the  cause  of  the  increase  and  obstinacy  of  my 
said  disorder  and  a  great  aggravation  to  it,  and  as  the  said  Doctor  is  not  with 
me  in  matters  religious  or  political,  he  could  not  be  thought  to  be  prejudiced. 
Having  been  disappointed  of  the  opportunity  I  expected  of  going  to  Halifax,  I 
easily  obtained  permission  to  go  on  board  one  of  the  said  Transports  in 
Boston  Harbour  under  the  sanction  of  a  flag,  and  bound  to  Newport.  I 
embarked  with  my  wife,  having  no  other  family,  the  1 5th  of  June,  on  board 
His  Majesty’s  Ship  Duke  of  Bedford,  Captn  Clark,  and  after  being  on  ship¬ 
board  18  days,  by  reason  of  calms  and  contrary  winds,  I  arrived  here  but  3 
days  since,  and  am  now  cast  on  the  wide  world  with  but  very  little  to  support 
myself  with  ;  and  were  it  not  for  my  expectations  from  the  kind  hand  of  charity 
and  the  providence  of  Almighty  God,  see  nothing  but  that  I  must  perish 
here ;  but  I  have  met  with  much  kindness  and  humanity  from  the  Gent"  of 
the  Town  as  far  as  I  have  gained  acquaintance,  tho’  I  have  not  yet  had  time 
to  wait  upon  the  Gen1  and  other  persons  of  distinction  who  I  have  no  doubt 
will  shew  me  all  the  favor  I  can  expect. 


1778.] 


598 


Captn  Clark  having  orders  to  sail  to-morrow  for  England,  I  was  loth  to  let 
slip  this  opportunity  of  writing  to  you,  and  have  broke  off  from  every  other 
engagement  to  prepare  my  Letters,  of  which  hereafter  I  shall  send  Duplicates, 
and  I  hope  upon  the  perusal  of  this  and  the  preceding  Letter  my  conduct  will 
appear  such  as  to  be  satisfactory  to  the  Society,  whose  favourable  regards  I 
wish  for  next  to  the  peace  of  my  own  conscience  and  the  approbation  of  my 
God.  And  I  hope  that  I  shall  be  allowed  to  draw  for  my  salary  till  I  shall  be 
in  some  other  settled  way  to  support  myself.  It  is  the  General  Sentiment 
that  the  Society  will  allow  this.  But  being  now  about  3  years  since  I  heard 
any  thing  directly  or  indirectly  from  that  Honourable  board,  nor  have  I  seen 
anybody  who  corresponds  therewith  since  my  arrival,  I  make  it  my  desire  to 
you,  sir,  that  you  would  be  pleased  to  favour  me  with  a  Letter  that  I  may  know 
the  Society’s  pleasure  with  regard  to  myself,  and  such  instructions  as  they 
shall  be  pleased  to  give  for  my  future  conduct  in  this  day  of  trial  and  the 
Church’s  troubles.  If  you  would  be  pleased  to  direct  to  the  care  of  the  Revd. 
Mr.  Bissett,  Rector  of  the  Church  in  this  place,  it  will  be  forwarded  to  me  if 
upon  any  occasion  I  should  be  gone  from  here  at  present.  I  know  not  that  I 
shall  very  soon. 

As  soon  as  I  get  a  little  more  settled  I  shall  apply  myself  to  some  of  the 
eminent  Physicians  now  in  this  place,  and  still  entertain  hopes  that  by  the 
blessing  of  heaven  I  shall  yet  obtain  relief  of  my  disorder  so  as  to  be  further 
useful,  especially  as  I  may  now  have  better  means  than  before. 

I  baptized  sev1  infants  and  one  adult  who  was  bro‘  and  came  to  me  under 
my  confinement. 

I  will  now  conclude  this  Letter  with  expressing  the  sense  I  have  of  divine 
goodness  that  in  all  the  distresses  and  persecutions  which  I  have  endured  I 
have  continually  had  that  inward  consolation  that  arises  from  a  good  con¬ 
science,  and  enjoyed  that  peace  of  mind  which  the  world  can  neither  give  nor 
take  away. 

Be  pleased,  Revd  Sir,  to  accept  the  affectionate  and  respectful  salutations  of 
a  distressed,  persecuted  bro’r.  Let  me  have  an  interest  in  your  prayers,  and 
believe  me  with  the  utmost  sincerity, 

Your  mo.  obed1  Serv1, 


WM  CLARK. 


599 


[i778. 


State  of  the  Church  in  1778,  by  Mr.  WEEKS. 


The  State  of  the  Episcopal  Churches  in  the  Province  of  Massachusetts  Bay , 
New  Hampshire ,  &c. 

The  Church  of  Pownalborough  on  Kennebeck  is  not  much  diminished. 
Mr.  Bailey  having  been  long  persecuted  is  now  treated  with  a  little  less 
severity.  When  I  came  away  they  had  not  tendered  the  oath  to  him ;  should 
they  do  it  he  determines  to  attempt  making  his  escape  to  Halifax. 

When  I  was  in  that  part  of  the  Country  I  baptized  many  children  and  mar¬ 
ried  several  couple.  The  Church  at  George  Town  is  made  up  of  sev1  wealthy 
Farmers  who  are  noted  Loyalists.  I  offered  to  preach  to  them  but  they  were 
afraid  to  suffer  me.  They  were  all  obliged  to  pay  taxes  to  the  Dissenting 
ministers,  and  they  dared  not  dispute  it. 

At  Falmouth,  in  Casco  Bay,  I  used  to  preach  frequently,  even  after  the 
Church  was  burnt.  The  congregation  was  small  but  exceedingly  well  dis¬ 
posed,  being  enemies  of  the  rebellion  and  friends  to  Government. 

The  Church  at  Portsmouth  is  in  a  ruinous  condition,  the  windows  broken 
and  many  of  the  Pews  shattered.  There  are  sev1  Good  families  which  belong 
to  the  Church  still.  A  Clergyman  who  was  supposed  to  have  abjured  the 
King  offered  to  preach  there.  The  Warden,  who  was  a  Rebel  General  and 
Commissary  of  the  Province,  refused  him,  saying  the  doors  of  the  Church 
should  never  be  opened  till  they  could  have  somebody  else  to  enter  them  and 
officiate  besides  those  perjured  villains  who  had  broken  their  oaths  of  allegi¬ 
ance  and  their  promises  at  ordination. 

The  Church  at  Newbury  Port  is  much  in  the  same  state  in  which  it  hath 
been  for  some  years  past.  Upon  the  declaration  of  independence  Mr.  Bass 
was  persuaded  to  leave  out  the  prayers  for  the  King,  &c.,  &c.  By  this  com¬ 
pliance  he  expected  to  make  great  acquisitions  to  his  flock,  but  he  was 
disappointed.  For  this  indeed  his  People  have  greatly  increased  his  salary, 
but  he  hath  by  it  lowered  himself  in  the  esteem  even  of  the  rebels  themselves. 
There  is  scarcely  one  loyal  person  in  that  rebellious  town. 

At  Salem  Mr.  McGilchrist’s  Parish  have  dwindled  away  almost  to  nothing. 
He  is  very  much  broken  by  years  and  infirmities,  and  especially  by  the  ill- 


1 778-] 


6oo 


treatment  of  those  from  whom  he  had  reason  to  expect  at  least  the  common 
offices  of  humanity.  For  the  Rebels  after  having  made  an  ineffectual  attempt 
to  starve  him  into  compliance  with  their  humours,  now  have  some  compassion 
for  his  Grey  hairs  and  suffer  him  to  remain  unmolested.  The  Rebels  at 
Marblehead  made  the  same  trial  to  bring  me  to  their  terms  ;  but  it  proved 
abortive.  My  secret  friends  were  more  powerful  than  my  open  enemies. 

Mr.  Serjeant’s  Parish  at  Cambridge  is  wholly  broken  up.  The  elegant 
Houses  of  those  Gentlemen  who  once  belonged  to  it  are  now  occupied  by  the 
Rebels,  and  Mr.  Inman,  a  man  of  fortune  and  figure,  is  now  obliged  to  pur¬ 
chase  things  from  his  own  farm  at  Cambridge.  The  Rebels  have  taken  every 
thing  from  him  except  his  wearing  apparel,  only  because  he  had  been  one  of 
the  King’s  Council  in  that  Province. 

I  have  not  the  happiness  to  know  any  of  the  People  of  Marshfield  and 
Scituate,  but  tho’  at  the  distance  of  50  miles  I  have  rece’d  privately  many 
tokens  of  their  esteem,  which  they  never  would  have  sent  me  had  they  not 
been  loyal  in  their  hearts  &  had  they  not  sincerely  approved  of  my  conduct. 

Truth  constrains  me  to  say  that  the  conduct  of  the  Loyalists  in  that 
country  resembles  that  of  the  primitive  Christians  towards  their  brethren 
suffering  persecution.  They  have  all  things,  if  I  may  so  say,  in  common,  and 
they  are  ready  to  suffer  and  die  for  each  other. 

Mr.  Fayerweather  having  an  excellent  Glebe  of  100  Acres,  and  having  no 
family,  meets  with  no  difficulty  in  living.  His  parish,  being  small,  never  con¬ 
tributed  anything  to  his  subsistence. 

Mr.  Clark,  of  Dedham,  on  account  of  his  health,  got  liberty  of  the  Rebels 
to  go  to  Newport.  He  is  excessively  deaf,  so  that  he  cannot  perform  divine 
service.  Some  refugees  and  inhabitants  of  Newport  had  subscribed  about 
^30  Sterling  for  his  present  support.  Tho’  he  has  no  family  but  a  wife,  yet 
he  is  in  great  need  and  merits  compassion  from  all.  He  was  taken  up  last 
year  and  tried  at  the  same  time  I  was,  and  his  Lawyer  deceiving  him  by  going 
out  of  Town  when  he  ought  to  have  been  in  court,  he  was,  without  the  least 
colour  of  evidence  against  him,  condemned  and  confined  for  some  time  on 
board  the  Guardship,  by  which  his  health  was  much  injured  and  his  voice  so 
affected  that  he  can  scarcely  be  understood. 

The  Church  of  Marblehead,  before  these  unhappy  times,  was  large. 
Almost  all  the  young  people  of  any  note  in  the  Town  flocked  to  it,  and  there 
was  no  testimony  of  their  love  and  esteem  which  they  were  not  ready  to  give 


6oi 


[ 1 778 . 


me.  It  grew  up  under  my  ministry  to  a  very  flourishing  state,  but  the  breath 
of  rebellion  made  it  wither  away  in  a  very  strange  manner  ;  some  terrified  by 
the  threats  of  the  rebels  were  afraid  to  attend  it ;  and  others  growing  dis¬ 
affected  to  Government  spontaneously  left  it.  There  were  only  about  50 
families  on  whose  fedelity  I  could  rely,  as  they  were  still  attached  to  our  con¬ 
stitution  both  in  Church  and  State.  For  near  a  year  after  independence  was 
declared  by  the  Congress  they  generally  attended  divine  service  in  the 
church,  where  I  constantly  used  the  liturgy  till  the  General  Assembly  made  a 
Law  against  it,  when  it  was  judged  best  for  me  to  desist.  Mr.  McGilchrist 
shut  up  his  church  at  the  same  time.  After  this  I  frequently  visited  my  flock 
from  house  to  house,  instructed  their  children,  comforted  them  under  their 
troubles,  and  endeavoured  to  encourage  them  in  their  religion  and  loyalty. 

Trinity  Church  in  Boston  is  still  open,  the  prayers  for  the  King  and  Royal 
Family,  &c.,  being  omitted. 

The  King’s  Chapel  is  made  use  of  as  a  meeting  house  by  a  Dissenting 
congregation.  The  French  had  rece’d  leave  from  the  Congress  to  make  use 
of  Christ  Church  for  the  purposes  of  their  worship,  but  the  proprietors  of  it 
having  notice  of  this  persuaded  Mr.  Parker  to  preach  in  it  every  Sunday  in 
the  afternoon,  by  which  means  it  remains  untouched. 

In  a  word,  our  ecclesiastical  affairs  wear  a  very  gloomy  aspect  at  present 
in  that  part  of  the  world.  But  the  Dissenting  Ministers,  by  their  mean  and 
servile  compliances,  have  incurred  the  universal  reproach  of  their  people,  and 
are  now  held  by  them  in  utter  contempt.  They  are  now  despised  by  those 
very  men  who  have  made  them  the  tools  and  instruments  of  their  tyranny  & 
rebellion,  &  were  independence  allowed  them  I  am  convinced  their  religion 
would  fall  into  utter  neglect,  and  they  themselves  be  generally  abhorred. 

76 


1 779-] 


602 


State  of  the  Evidence  against  Mr.  BASS \  who  was  dismissed 
the  Society  s  service  on  charges  of  improper  and  disloyal 
behaviour  which  originally  gave  offence  to  his  Brethren. 


1.  The  several  orders  of  the  Board  respecting  Mr.  Bass  at  the  Board  of 
Jan’y,  1779,  ordered  that  no  more  Bills  of  Mr.  Robert  Blackwell,  Missionary  at 
Gloster  &  Waterford,  be  accepted,  nor  of  Mr.  Bass,  Missionary  at  Newbury, 
in  N.  England. 

N. — This  was  grounded  upon  sundry  representations  of  the  clergy,  Dr.  Caner, 
Mr.  Troutbeck,  Mr.  Weeks,  Mr.  Clark,  &  others. 

2.  Jo.  22,  p.  310.  At  the  Board,  Sep1,  1781.  Agreed  in  opinion  that  there 
does  not  appear  to  be  sufficient  Evidence  as  yet  in  favour  of  Mr.  Bass  to  in¬ 
duce  the  Society  to  reverse  their  former  decision — resolved  to  agree  with  the 
Committee.  See  Jo.  22,  350,  Walter’s  Letter. 

N.B. — Mr.  Walter  had  given  contradictory  evidence.  Col.  Gardiner  and 
Peters  had  given  me  verbal  proof  of  Bass’s  disloyalty. 

3.  At  the  Board,  Novr,  1782,  Jo.  22,  p.  521.  Whereupon  the  Committee 
having  considered  all  the  evidence  respectg  Mr.  Bass,  they  find  that  of  the  3 
charges  alleged  against  him — that  he  had  read  the  Declaration  of  Indep., 
preached  a  sermon  in  favour  of  a  collection  for  rebel  soldiers,  &  continued  to 
keep  all  the  fasts  &  thanksgivings  appointed  by  Congress,  he  has  disproved 
the  first ;  that  he  preached  generally  without  descending  to  particulars ;  and 
the  third  he  is  still  to  be  charged  with.  They  desire  therefore  to  leave  the 
decision  of  his  case  to  the  Society. 

Resolved  to  postpone  the  consideration  of  this  business  respecting  Mr. 
Bass  to  a  future  meeting. 

N. — This  was  done  by  desire  of  the  late  A’b’p  of  Canterb7,  who  was  not 
present,  and  I  was  directed  to  apply  to  Col1  Gardiner. 


603 


[i  779- 


At  the  next  Board,  Decr,  1782,  Jo.,  p.  34,  Mr.  Bass’s  case  was  again  taken 
into  cons’on,  and  2  authenticated  charges  of  disloyalty,  signed  by  persons  of 
respectable  character,  were  read  to  the  Board.  Whereupon  it  was  resolved 
that  there  does  not  appear  to  the  Society  any  reason  for  rescinding  the 
resolve  of  a  former  Board  respecting  Mr.  Bass’s  dismission. 


Observations. 

Jo.  20,  p.  417.  Dr.  Caner,  in  a  letter  of  July  15th,  1775,  writes  thus  : 

“  Mr.  Bass  has  complied  perhaps  too  far  with  the  orders  of  the  Rebels.” 

Compare  this  with  Col1  Gardiner’s  Letter.  At  this  time  Mr.  Serjeant  & 
Mr.  Wiswall  were  driven  from  their  missions,  &  Mr.  Weekes. 

No  notice  was  taken  of  this  till  Jan’y,  1779,  when  Mr.  Bass  was  struck  off 
the  List  after  repeated  assurances  from  Clergy  who  came  over  from  America 

of  his  disloyal  principles. 

» 

Mr.  Bass's  Letters  to  the  Society. 


Jo.  20.  He  wrote  Septr  29,  1773.  See  page  -  -  18 

Mar.  25,  1774,  in  which  he  observes  that  nothing 
material  had  occurred.  See  page  -  172 

Septr  29,  1774.  Seepage  -  -  253 

Mar.  25,1775.  Seepage  -  386 


in  which  he  says  that  his  Church  has  suffered  less  than  might  have 
been  expected. 

Compare  this  with  Dr.  Caner’s  letter  as  above. 

Aug1  11th,  1775,  pa.  446,  mentions  the  Gen1  distress  of  the  Country. 

Jo.  xxi.  He  wrote  May  3d,  1776,  by  a  Mr.  Miller  to  whom  he  had  sold  his 
Draft  on  the  Society.  See  page  71.  From  that  time  the  Society  had  no 
Letter  from  him  till  Novr  15th,  1779.  2  letters  of  that  date  came  to  the  Society 

in  which  he  takes  no  notice  of  his  dismission  which  he  probably  knew  of. 
Writes  that  he  had  omitted  the  Prayers  for  the  King  &  Royal  Family,  nothing 
having  been  required  of  him  but  that  omission.  He  likewise  adds  that  he 


\ 


1 779-]  604 

had  drawn  for  no  Bills  for  [Jo.  xxii.]  3  years  as  he  had  no  opportunity  of 
disposing  of  them  and  knew  not  how  soon  the  times  might  oblige  him  to  come 
to  England.  See  page  61. 

Mr.  Bass  wrote  June  Ist,  1780,  &  affects  a  total  ignorance  &  asks  advice  of 
the  Society.  See  it  among  my  papers. 

2.  How  could  Mr.  Bass  have  remained  quietly  in  so  rebellious  a  place  (the 
other  Missys  in  the  Massachusetts  being  driven  away)  if  he  had  made  no 
other  compliances  ?  &  why  did  all  the  clergy  differ  from  him  on  that 
account  ? 

When  the  abstracts  of  1779  were  received  on  the  other  side  in  which  Mr. 
Bass  was  left  out  there  was  not  a  single  intimation  of  dissatisfaction.  Dr. 
Inglis  wrote  Novr,  1769,  and  Mr.  Walter  another  Letter  of  the  same  date  & 
no  mention  of  Bass.  Mr.  Walter  had  wrote  in  his  favor  and  contradicted  it 
soon  after.  See  my  papers.  N. — The  application  to  get  evidence  in  favor  of 
Mr.  Bass  was  from  this  Country  not  by  order  of  the  Society. 

See  my  Letter  book  to  Col1  Sheriff  -  -  pa.  78 

to  Mr.  Walter  -  -  pa.  97 

Weeks  and  Clark  told  me  that  they  had  personal  conversations  with  Bass, 
&  that  if  their  principles  were  right  and  loyal  his  were  otherwise.  Mr.  Trout- 
beck  the  same. 

- * - 


Mr.  IV I NSL  0  JV  to  the  Secretary. 


New  York,  4th  January,  1779. 

Reverend  Sir, 

My  last  address  waited  on  you  by  Mr.  Weeks  of  Marblehead  of  the  date 
of  the  7th  of  Octr.  In  a  week  after  which  date  that  Gent"  sailed  with  a  large 
fleet  bound  from  hence  for  England.  I  make  no  doubt  he  has  arrived  long 
ere  this  time  and  had  opportunity  to  present  himself  to  the  venerable  Society. 
In  my  Letter  by  him  I  acquainted  you  that  Sir  Wm  Howe  before  he  sailed 
from  England  had  been  pleased  to  take  into  cons’on  the  circumstances  of  the 
Missionaries  and  other  distressed  Clergymen  who  had  fled  from  the  rage  of 
persecution  and  betaken  themselves  to  this  Asylum  under  the  protection  of 


605 


L1 779* 


the  King’s  troops — the  provision  made  for  us  by  Sir  Wm  and  since  with  equal 
goodness  continued  by  his  worthy  Successor  Gen1  Clinton  has  afforded  great 
relief  to  us  ;  For  my  own  part  I  think  myself  bound  to  shew  the  warmest 
sense  of  Gratitude  for  that  share  of  his  Goodness  which  I  take,  and  altho’  this 
benefit  in  addition  to  my  allowance  from  the  Society  requires  the  most  thrifty 
management  to  answer  the  necessity  I  remain  under  to  furnish  my  distressed 
family  (still  detained  from  me  at  Braintree)  with  such  supplies  as  I  can  find 
means  to  transmit,  besides  subsisting  myself  &  Son  in  N.  York  where  every 
article  of  subsistence  or  accommodation  is  advanced  to  a  rate  never  before 
known.  Nevertheless  I  must  in  gratitude  to  God’s  providence  acknowledge 
that  I  experience  such  comfortable  change  in  my  condition  as  has  so  far 
alleviated  the  distresses  of  my  mind  as  that  my  chief  disquietude  now  arises 
from  my  painful  separation  from  my  family  and  reflections  on  the  deplorable 
condition  to  which  the  madness  and  infatuation  of  the  deluded  people  of  this 
continent  have  reduced  this  once  happy  country,  and  more  especially  the 
lamentable  state  of  the  Church  of  England  in  these  Colonies,  which  seems 
almost  on  the  brink  of  Extinction  unless  divine  providence  interpose  to  revive 
its  yet  remain5  seeds  and  recover  them  into  new  life  and  vigour  out  of  that 
Heap  of  ruins  in  which  they  are  now  buried.  Upon  the  prospect  of  a  restor¬ 
ation  to  such  happiness,  together  with  that  of  a  reunion  with  our  parent  State 
and  the  reestablishment  of  Constitutional  Government  and  just  subordination, 
upon  this  desireable  prospect  tho’  clouds  and  darkness  now  rest,  yet  blessed 
be  God  it  is  not  so  hid  from  our  eyes  as  to  exclude  our  strong  hopes  that  the 
now  opening  year  may  be  so  crowned  with  this  goodness  of  our  Lord  as  to 
afford  us,  our  posterity,  and  our  land  fresh  and  permanent  cause  of  rejoicing, 
praise,  and  thankfulness  in  and  for  the  salvation  of  our  God. 

Apprehending  that  tho’  accommodation  may  take  place  and  Government 
may  be  restored  yet  it  must  be  some  time  before  such  violent  agitations  and 
commotions  will  so  far  subside  as  to  admit  of  a  peaceable  and  quiet  return  to 
our  respective  stations  and  places  of  abode.  Under  this  idea  I  took  the  liberty 
to  express  a  wish  to  you  that  if  I  should  find  it  necessary  or  most  prudent  and 
expedient  to  continue  here  and  should  see  any  prospect  of  useful  employment 
in  either  of  the  Society’s  vacant  missions  in  this  province  or  its  neighbourhood 
I  might  be  indulged  with  their  permission  for  this  purpose.  There  are  sev1 
vacancies  at  present  and  possibly  they  may  be  increased,  but  I  am  chiefly  in¬ 
duced  to  suggest  this  Motion  by  the  cruel  Edict  lately  issued  in  the  province 


1779-]  6o6 

in  Massachusetts  to  proscribe  all  the  refugees  and  prohibit  their  return  under 
penalty  of  imprisonment,  and  I  presume  that  the  little  property  I  possessed 
there  has  been  already  seized  and  confiscated  beyond  recovery.  I  have  also 
sent  for  my  wife  and  family  and  expect  them  here  when  the  season  will  per¬ 
mit,  but  I  altogether  submit  the  matter  to  my  superiors  and  patrons. 

Mr.  Clark,  Missionary  at  Dedham,  having  obtained  a  Release  from  a  long 
confinement  at  Boston  which  has  deprived  him  almost  of  his  voice,  besides  his 
natural  infirmity  of  deafness,  at  length  found  means  to  arrive  at  this  port  from 
Rhode  Island,  and  by  the  great  humanity  of  the  Commander-in-chief  here  has 
obtained  a  Passage  in  a  transport  for  Cork  in  order  to  come  to  England  and 
lay  his  circumstances  before  the  venerable  Society.  He  sailed  the  24th  of  the 
last  month  and  probably  may  reach  England  by  the  time  this  may  wait  on 
you.  This  unhappy  tho’  deserving  Gentleman  has  experienced  an  aggravated 
measure  of  suffering  but  has  been  exemplary  in  his  stedfastness  to  his  pro¬ 
fession  &  principles  &  in  his  Christian  fortitude  &  patient  enduring  of  tribu¬ 
lation  &  persecution.  Should  he  not  meet  with  some  remedy  under  his  recent 
misfortune  of  the  loss  of  his  voice,  he  must  certainly  be  rendered  incapable  of 
future  usefulness  in  his  office.  I  pray  God  to  succeed  the  means  to  which  he 
may  be  directed  for  this  end,  &  still  to  render  him  a  blessing  to  the  Church 
&  an  instrument  of  promoting  the  kingdom  of  the  Redeemer  in  the  World. 

In  my  late  address  I  signified  my  intention  to  postpone  my  bills  for  the 
last  year’s  salary  until  the  expiration  of  the  year,  to  which  period  being  arrived 
I  humbly  beg  leave  to  advise  you  that  I  have  now  drawn  on  the  Treasurer  for 
the  Sum  of  Sixty  Pounds,  and  thankful  for  the  past  favors  of  the  Society  I  sub¬ 
join  my  earnest  prayers  to  Almighty  God  that  should  He  grant  me  to  see  the 
felicity  of  the  restoration  of  the  national  Constitution  in  Church  &  State  in 
these  distracted  Colonies  he  would  vouchsafe  his  effectual  Grace  to  enable  me 
by  future  attention  to  and  assiduity  in  the  duties  of  my  Office  not  only  to 
discover  my  gratitude  to  the  venerable  Society  but  the  integrity  of  my  wishes 
to  enjoy  the  continuance  of  their  patronage  &  ever  to  approve  myself  as  I 
now  subscribe, 

Revd  Sir,  &c., 

EDWD-  WINSLOW. 


607 


[1779- 


Mr.  CLARK  to  the  Secretary . 


London,  March  16th,  1779. 

Revd  Sir, 

I  make  it  my  desire  to  you  to  offer  my  apology  to  the  Hon’ble  Board  for 
my  coming  to  England  without  their  previous  permission,  &  have  to  plead  the 
extreme  sufferings  to  which  I  was  reduced  as  set  forth  in  my  two  last  Letters,  & 
also  the  circumstance  of  the  times  which  greatly  interrupted  a  regular  cor¬ 
respondence,  togr  with  my  being  drove  from  my  cure  and  actually  incapable 
of  duty,  subsisting  chiefly  on  the  kindness  of  a  few  friends  which  I  could  not 
expect  for  any  long  time  togr;  and  further  that  it  was  after  waiting  6  months 
from  the  date  of  my  last  Letter  and  by  the  advice  of  some  respectable  persons 
— I  may  mention  the  Revd  Mr.  Walter  and  the  Revd  Dr.  Inglis — it  was  their 
opinion  and  of  others  that  my  unfortunate  circumstances  might  be  in  some 
way  relieved  by  my  coming  to  England.  Since  my  arrival  in  London  I  have 
been  duly  informed  that  a  Letter  from  the  Revd  Mr.  Walter  of  the  23d  of  last 
December  had  been  communicated  to  the  Board,  which  prevented  any 
application  of  my  own.  I  freely  resign  to  their  determination  and  commit 
myself  &  concerns  to  the  conduct  of  Divine  Providence. 

I  beg  leave  to  offer  an  explanation  of  my  conduct  in  having  drawn  a 
dividend  of  ^50  sterling  of  the  American  fund,  and  for  not  notifying  it  to  the 
Society. 

It  was  in  Novr,  1776,  that  Mr.  Winslow  of  Braintree  was  authentically  in¬ 
formed  by  a  Gentleman  of  Halifax  that  there  was  a  Fund  raised  in  England 
for  the  relief  of  the  suffering  clergy  &  a  Dividend  of  ^50  allowed  to  each. 
That  the  Refugee  Clergy  at  Halifax  had  already  drawn  their  said  Dividends 
offering  at  the  same  time  to  take  our  Bills.  I  was  also  informed  about  the 
same  time  that  Mr.  Clarke,  Missionary  in  Connecticut,  had  rec’ed  a  Letter  from 
the  Revd  Dr.  Hind  giving  information  of  the  same  thing,  and  that  the  Mission¬ 
aries  who  were  made  sufferers  by  the  peculiarity  of  the  times  and  distressed 
for  the  means  of  subsistence  were  entitled  to  receive  a  portion  of  said  Fund. 
As  times  were  then  circumstanced  I  thought  we  had  as  good  a  warrant  for 
drawing  as  any  we  could  receive.  My  circumstances  were  at  that  time 


177  9-] 


6o8 


peculiarly  distressing.  Besides  other  inconveniences  I  had  had  a  long  sickness 
of  one  in  my  family  &  was  greatly  intruded  upon  by  the  Rebel  Soldiers  as  they 
passed  thro’  the  Country,  one  of  whom  under  sickness  I  was  obliged  to  enter¬ 
tain  for  6  weeks.  I  therefore  disposed  of  my  Bill  dated  December  ioth,  1776, 
to  Mr.  Deblois  of  Boston,  Merchant,  &  wrote  a  letter  of  advice  to  Messrs  Hoar 
&  C°,  as  did  also  Mr.  Winslow  and  Mr.  Serjeant  to  the  same  person  and  about 
the  same  time.  I  had  also  about  this  time  sketched  out  a  Letter  to  the  Revd 
Dr.  Hind  in  which  I  had  intended  to  mention  this  matter,  but  I  found  it  im¬ 
possible  to  send  a  Letter.  In  times  of  such  distraction  as  we  have  seen  in 
America  some  mistakes  are  unavoidable,  the  sufferings  I  had  gone  through 
were  enough  to  distract  the  mind,  and  it  being  so  long  after  when  I  wrote  my 
Letters  of  Jan’y  5th  and  July  6th,  1778,  that  I  forgot  to  mention  it.  I  beg  leave 
to  add  that  I  rece’d  the  aforesaid  ^50  in  Congress  Bills  at  Par,  which  to  my 
best  remembrance  was  more  than  half  depreciated  in  value  before  the  money 
was  half  spent.  I  need  make  no  further  enlargements. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

WM  CLARK. 

- ♦ - 


M\  IV ALTER  to  the  Secretary . 


(EXTRACT.) 

New  York,  Sept.  20th,  1779. 

Revd  Sir, 

You  have  greatly  obliged  me  by  your  kind  Letter  of  March  20th,  and  I  am 
happy  to  find  that  my  past  services  and  tenders  of  future  new  ones  have 
proved  acceptable  to  the  Society,  particularly  I  must  beg  you  to  make  my 
grateful  acknowledgemts  to  them  for  their  ready  acquiescence  in  my  requests 
relative  to  Messrs  Viets  &  Cossit.  I  have  as  yet  had  no  opportunity  of 
acquainting  them  with  their  superiors’  good  will,  but  the  earliest  occasion 
shall  be  embraced. 

In  the  mean  time  permit  me  to  acquaint  the  Society  that  particular  circum¬ 
stances  having  induced  me  to  alter  my  intentions  of  residing  in  the  country  for 


6c>9 


[1779- 


this  year  I  have  visited  Huntingdon  but  once.  I  was  glad  however  to  find  the 
state  of  that  mission  so  much  better  than  I  had  expected,  the  Church  &  Par¬ 
sonage  House  are  in  good  repair,  but  few  of  the  Members  have  been  driven 
away  by  the  rage  of  this  rebellion  &  their  places  have  been  abundantly  sup¬ 
plied  by  refugees  from  the  Continent  who  have  taken  up  their  residence  in 
this  pleasing  Township.  If  we  add  to  this  the  ruinous  state  of  the  Meeting¬ 
house  and  the  flight  of  the  Dissenting  Minister,  many  of  whose  Parishioners  I 
am  told  highly  disapproved  of  his  inflammatory  preachments  &  would  willingly 
join  to  the  more  sober  and  judicious  Order  of  the  Church  of  England,  I  can¬ 
not  help  thinking  the  present  a  very  favourable  opportunity  of  building  up  and 
establishing  a  flourishing  Church  in  this  place  if  a  prudent  and  sensible  cler¬ 
gyman  could  be  found  who  wod  devote  himself  to  the  service  of  this  people. 

I  mean  to  make  it  one  more  visit  at  least  before  the  Winter  comes  on. 
My  further  enquiries  may  possibly  be  attended  with  discoveries  that  may 
refute  or  confirm  beyond  a  doubt  my  present  opinion  and  I  shall  not  fail  to 
write  you  again  upon  the  subject. 

Permit  me  before  I  close  to  advert  to  a  very  interesting  part  of  your  Let¬ 
ter.  You  say  that  Messrs  Blackwell,  Bass,  Macgow  are  left  out  of  this  year’s 
abstract  for  their  disloyalty.  Two  of  these  I  only  know  by  hearsay  &  believe 
the  Society  have  judged  very  rightly  in  their  determination  to  dismiss  them, 
but  the  other  I  know  too  well  to  suffer  his  enemies  to  attempt  his  ruin  without 
exerting  all  my  influence  to  hold  him  up.  Mr.  Bass  is  an  old  and  intimate 
friend  of  mine,  &  from  long  acquaintance  I  am  bold  to  say  tho’  the  Society 
may  have  Servants  of  more  splendid  talents  they  have  not  one  more  faithful 
or  more  devoted  to  their  interest  nor  our  Sovereign  a  warmer  well-wisher  in 
all  his  kingdoms  nor  a  better  subject.  He  cannot  be  a  Rebel ;  his  mind  is  too 
strong  and  his  heart  too  good  to  be  perverted  even  by  these  villainous  and 
contagious  times,  &  and  yet  appearances  may  be  against  him.  Will  you  per¬ 
mit  me  to  explain  them  as  they  have  been  explained  to  me  ?  He  has  remained 
in  the  Rebel  Country,  his  Church  is  open  &  he  omits  the  Collects  for  the  King 
and  Royal  family.  But  he  has  adopted  no  Prayers  for  the  powers  that  be. 
He  has  taken  no  oath  of  fidelity  to  the  States.  He  has  done  no  one  thing  in 
aid  of  the  rebellion.  On  the  contrary  he  opposed  the  rebellion  in  its  first 
rising  with  all  the  Steadiness  that  could  be  expected  from  a  man  of  his  mild 
and  pacific  disposition.  When  he  was  no  longer  permitted  to  use  the  Royal 
Collects  he  closed  his  church,  and  it  was  closed  for  I  believe  a  twelvemonth  or 


77 


1 779-] 


610 


more.  At  length  impatient  under  the  longer  continuance  of  the  War,  dis¬ 
tressed  at  seeing  his  Parishioners  weekly  attending  the  discourses  of  the  Dis¬ 
senters  ministers,  which  were  generally  of  the  most  treasonable  kind,  &  at  the 
same  time  solicited  by  many  of  his  best  parishioners  &  friends  to  resume  his 
ministry  &  open  his  church  on  the  best  terms  he  could,  that  the  loyal,  the 
peaceable,  and  the  moderate  might  enjoy  the  Sabbaths  and  the  Service  of  our 
Church  as  near  to  its  perfection  as  the  times  would  permit,  he  on  the  whole 
thought  it  justifiable  to  comply  with  his  friends’  solicitations,  and  he  has  at  present 
a  small  but  respectable  congregation,  chiefly  of  loyalists,  who  keep  themselves 
pure  and  wait  with  patience  for  the  happy  time  when  they  shall  see  the  author¬ 
ity  of  their  Sovereign  restored  and  with  it  the  Church  Service  entire.  This  is 
all  his  crime,  and  this  it  seems  his  enemies  have  represented  to  the  Society  in 
such  colours  as  to  induce  a  belief  of  his  disloyalty  &  to  occasion  their  treating 
him  as  an  Enemy,  but  I  flatter  myself  this  representation  that  I  have  given 
will  restore  him  to  their  favour,  and  an  equal  knowledge  of  Mr.  Earl  of  North 
Carolina  be  the  cause  of  removing  him  for  ever  from  their  service. 

I  am  Sir, 

Your  obed1  Servant  &  friend, 

W.  WALTER. 


. . -4 - 

Mr.  BYLES  to  the  Secretary. 


(EXTRACT.) 


Halifax,  Octr  15th,  1779. 


Revd  Sir, 

*  *  *  I  have  lived  long  enough,  my  dear  Sir,  to  be  convinced  of 

the  uncertainty  of  all  popular  elections.  Indeed  therefore  it  is  not  merely  out 
of  the  regard  to  myself  and  family  that  I  am  so  uncommonly  solicitous  upon 
this  point  but  from  an  intimate  knowledge  of  the  character  and  temper  of  this 
people,  with  whom  I  have  now  constantly  resided  more  than  3  years,  a  full 
conviction  that  as  they  contribute  largely  to  the  support  of  their  minister  they 
will  not  readily  relinquish  the  privilege  of  choosing  him ;  &  that  should  they 
by  any  undue  exercise  of  authority  be  deprived  of  it  the  consequence  would 


[1781. 


6i  1 

be  fatal  to  the  Church.  I  am  also  well  convinced  that  the  Society  in  many  in¬ 
stances  are  not  properly  apprized  of  the  management  of  their  affairs  in  this 
province,  and  it  is  obvious  that  they  cannot  always  expect  to  obtain  the  most 
accurate  information  from  persons  in  public  office  of  gay  character,  many  of 
whom  as  they  seldom  attend  the  service  of  the  Church  cannot  be  supposed  to 
be  warmly  engaged  in  her  interests.  I  sincerely  sympathize  with  the  worthy 
Mr.  Weeks,  who  I  doubt  not  has  informed  you  of  the  illiberal  reception  which 
he  met  with  from  those  in  power.  Among  them  you  may  be  assured  there  is 
but  little  inclination  to  encourage  the  settlement  of  the  Refugee  Clergy  in  Nova 
Scotia.  Neither  Dr.  Breynton  nor  Mr.  Bennett  appear  to  be  fond  of  it  & 
I  have  in  some  measure  felt  the  effect  of  the  inhospitable  maxims  which  they 
have  adopted.  In  Mr.  Weeks’s  case  particularly.  Mr.  Bennett,  who  by  the 
indulgence  of  Governor  Hughes,  among  his  other  sinecures  enjoys,  while  he 
resides  at  Halifax,  the  emoluments  of  the  Deputy  Chaplaincy  of  the  Garrison 
at  Annapolis,  which  was  formerly  a  perquisite  of  Mr.  Woods,  is  probably  not 
much  in  a  hurry  to  advise  a  Commander  in  Chief  who  is  entirely  under  his 
influence  to  induct  a  regular  &  respectable  Successor  to  that  Mission  ;  but 
it  is  time  for  me  to  check  my  Pen  as  the  subject  grows  too  delicate  for  me  to 
enlarge.  I  have  already  unbosomed  myself  perhaps  farther  than  prudence 
will  permit,  thinking  it  my  indispensable  duty  thus  to  communicate  in  perfect 
confidence  to  my  best  and  steadiest  friends  the  undisguised  sentiments  of  an 
honest  heart. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

MATHER  BYLES. 


Mr.  CLARK  to  the  Secretary . 


N°.  12  Furnival’s  Inn  Court, 

23d  Feby,  1781. 

Revd  Sir, 

In  answer  to  your  request  to  be  informed  concerning  the  Revd  Mr.  Bass 
I  must  previously  observe  to  you  that  his  residence  in  Massachusetts  Bay  was 
about  50  Miles  from  me  &  therefore  I  cannot  be  supposed  to  be  perfect  in 
any  intelligence  I  can  give  you  of  him  or  his  conduct. 


What  I  have  mentd  concerning  him  to  my  private  Friends  is  partly  founded 
on  a  conference  I  had  with  him  and  partly  on  Report. 

He  did  me  the  honor  to  call  on  me  in  the  month  of  June,  1776,  as  he  was 
passing  that  way.  We  soon  entered  into  conversation  on  the  difficulties  the 
clergy  of  the  Church  of  England  were  exposed  to  by  the  Rebellion,  when  I 
was  a  little  surprized  (from  the  character  he  had  hitherto  sustained)  to  find 
him  differ  in  opinion  from  the  united  sentiments  of  the  clergy  of  that  province 
(except  Mr.  Parker  of  Boston)  on  the  conduct  that  was  proper  for  us  to  adopt 
if  we  should  be  required  by  the  Rebel  authority  to  omit  the  prayers  for  the 
King’s  Majesty,  &c. 

It  is  impossible  for  me  to  recollect  the  particulars  that  passed,  but  this  in 
general  I  remember,  that  he  spoke  his  mind  to  be  for  compliance  with  the 
People  in  all  omissions  that  they  should  require  in  order  to  keep  up  publick 
worship,  using  the  vulgar  proverb  “  that  Half  a  Loaf  was  better  than  no 
bread.”  He  also  observed  that  the  Episcopal  Clergy  in  the  time  of  the  Grand 
Rebellion  in  England  did  the  same.  I  replied  that  whatever  instances  were 
to  be  found  of  that  in  those  times  it  was  to  be  considered  that  they  had  their 
Bishops  with  them,  from  whom  they  might  receive  instructions  from  time  to 
time  as  the  exigency  of  affairs  might  require,  which  circumstance  I  thought 
made  some  difference  in  the  case,  and  that  as  the  state  of  things  was  then 
with  us  I  did  not  think  we  had  a  right  to  make  any  the  least  alteration  or 
omission  in  the  Liturgy  without  the  direction  of  our  diocesan.  What  he  said 
in  reply  I  do  not  remember,  but  I  am  sure  it  was  nothing  that  satisfied  me. 

I  told  him  moreover  that  I  was  engaged  the  then  next  Sunday  to  officiate 
at  Scituate,  where  I  intended  to  read  the  Prayers  for  the  King’s  Majesty  with 
as  distinct  and  audible  a  voice  as  I  could  speak,  though  Mr.  Winslow  had  been 
very  roughly  handled  there  by  the  Committee  a  few  weeks  before  for  the 
same  thing.  He  seemed  to  think  that  I  was  rather  foolhardy  than  otherwise. 
However  something  different  from  fear  of  the  People  hindered  my  going 
there  at  that  time. 

It  was  some  time  after  this,  if  I  do  not  mistake,  that  Mr.  Graves  of  Provi¬ 
dence,  who  himself  was  fond  enough  in  all  conscience  of  humouring  the  people 
till  matters  came  to  extremity,  told  me  that  he  had  rec’ed  a  letter  from  his 
Brother  Bass,  which  surprized  him  very  much,  because  it  appeared  so  contrary 
to  that  spirit  of  Loyalty  which  breathed  in  his  former  letters,  viz1,  that  he  (Mr. 
Bass)  at  the  desire  of  the  Wardens  and  Vestry  of  his  Church  had  omitted 


6i  3 


[1781. 


the  Prayers  for  the  King’s  Majesty,  Royal  Family,  &c.,  throughout  the  Liturgy. 
Mr.  Graves  made  some  pertinent  remarks  at  the  same  time,  which  discovered 
his  own  firmness  to  adhere  to  the  Liturgy  without  any  alteration  or  omission. 
I  also  heard  by  various  other  means  that  Mr.  Bass  omitted  the  Prayers 
obnoxious  to  the  Rebels,  read  their  Proclamations,  kept  their  Fasts,  &c.,  &c., 
and  finally  was  in  all  things  compliant  as  far  as  requested. 

Many  things  may  have  happened  since  the  time  I  now  refer  to  to  give 
Mr.  Bass  other  sentiments  of  the  matter  and  to  increase  and  confirm  his 
loyalty ;  and  I  will  add  that  from  all  I  have  heard  or  observed  I  did  not  and 
do  not  imagine  that  he  has  any  fixed  principle  of  disaffection  to  the  British 
Government,  but  that  he  was  inclined  to  secure  an  interest  in  popular  favor  in 
case  of  a  Revolution,  with  which  perhaps  he  would  be  equally  easy ;  &  con¬ 
sequently  that  he  has  or  had  not  that  attachment  to  the  aforesaid  Government 
and  constitution  of  the  Church  of  England  in  all  its  parts  as  to  endure  the  loss 
of  his  living  or  any  sufferings  in  support  of  them.  This  was  the  opinion  I  had 
formed  of  him  when  I  left  Massachusetts  Bay  in  the  year  1778. 

And  withal  declare  that  I  have  a  very  friendly  feeling  for  Mr.  Bass,  inas¬ 
much  as  he  has  always  conducted  himself  laudably  in  his  station  (unless  what 
I  have  now  wrote  should  be  thought  an  exception),  and  has  been  always  well 
respected  by  his  Parishioners  and  his  brethren  in  general. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

WILLM  CLARK. 

P.  S. — I  have  been  very  much  engaged  since  I  rec’ed  your  commands  or 
I  would  have  answered  them  before,  or  have  broken  thro’  all  had  I  conceived 
it  a  matter  of  immediate  necessity. 


Mr.  JV ALTER  to  the  Secretary . 


New  York,  Decr  8th,  1781. 

Dear  Sir, 

I  feel  with  all  its  force  the  justness  of  your  reasoning  in  your  Letter  of 
Septr  29th  &  frankly  acknowledge  that  the  charge  of  inconsistency  lies 
violently  against  me  in  the  evidence  which  I  have  at  different  times  given  of 


i78i.] 


614 


Mr.  Bass,  &  before  I  can  expect  that  my  testimony  shall  be  received  with  that 
respect  which  I  wish  it  always  to  obtain  in  that  venerable  body  of  which  I  have 
the  honor  to  be  a  member,  it  belongs  to  me  to  clear  up  this  matter.  My  first 
Letter  was  the  mere  effusion  of  friendship  on  finding  a  Brother  Clergyman 
that  I  loved  and  of  whom  I  had  heard  no  ill  dismissed  from  the  Society’s 
service.  I  could  not  but  conceive  that  some  Enemy  had  done  him  the 
mischievous  office  of  misrepresent5  him  to  his  superiors.  In  this  belief  I 
continued  till  I  saw  Mr.  Weeks  after  his  return  from  England,  &  he  related 
to  me  sev1  matters  of  which  he  seemed  so  well  informed  that  I  thought  his 
testimony  authentic  on  the  head  &  for  a  time  wished  that  I  had  never  interfered 
in  Mr.  B.’s  vindication.  Under  this  impression  I  wrote  my  Letter  of  Septr 
29th,  1779,  since  when  the  evidence  has  been  continually  rising  so  strongly  in 
favour  of  Mr.  Bass  that  I  cannot  but  be  confident  that  Mr.  Weeks  was  himself 
misinformed  respecting  Mr.  B.,  that  to  Mr.  Weeks  all  the  embarrassment  is  to 
be  attributed  &  that  he  will  when  fully  informed  be  among  the  deepest 
mourners  for  his  conduct. 

For  myself  I  lament  not  that  I  have  appeared  in  favour  of  Mr.  Bass,  for  I 
believe  him  to  be  what  I  knew  him  before  these  troubles — an  innocent  man,  a 
loyal  man,  &  what  is  more  a  good  man.  I  therefore  only  lament  that  Mr. 
Weeks  should  have»fallen  in  my  way  at  the  time  he  did,  as  my  great  regard 
for  him  led  me  too  readily  to  give  up  my  own  opinion  &  for  a  moment  to 
think  ill  of  my  former  friend. 

The  Society’s  great  cautioning  in  determining  against  one  of  their  Servants 
and  their  steadiness  in  adhering  to  one  opinion  till  completely  informed  cannot 
be  too  highly  approved ;  but  notwithstanding  all  you  have  said  you  must 
pardon  me  for  still  being  the  advocate  of  my  friend  as  I  disbelieve  that  Mr. 
Bass  ever  preached  a  Sermon  for  cloathing  a  rebel  battalion  or  ever  read  the 
Declarative  Act  for  independence  in  his  Church  or  has  altered  his  sentiments 
since  his  dismission,  but  that  he  opens  his  Church  on  the  days  appointed  by 
the  Congress  as  Public  days  is  most  certain,  and  if  this  is  to  be  criminal  then 
every  clergyman  within  the  rebel  lines  is  criminal,  &  among  others  Dr.  Inglis 
of  this  city,  who  did  the  same  when  Mr.  Washington’s  army  was  here  [see 
his  Lre.  abst.,  1777],  &  yet  no  clergyman  stands  higher  in  the  esteem  of  the 
Society  for  his  loyalty.  To  err  is  incident  to  humanity  and  great  allowances 
must  be  made  for  the  delicate  situation  of  the  Clergy  of  the  Church  of  England 
in  the  revolted  Provinces.  However  Mr.  Bass  cannot  want  me  for  an  advocate. 


6i5 


[1782. 


In  his  Letter  which  I  take  the  liberty  of  forwarding  by  his  particular  desire 
the  Society  will  have  an  opportunity  of  hearing  what  he  has  to  say  for  himself. 
You,  my  good  Sir,  have  had  an  abundance  of  trouble,  but  I  am  sure  you  will  think 
no  trouble  too  great  for  the  investigation  of  truth  and  will  always  be  infinitely 
more  happy  to  see  a  Brother  Clergyman  proved  innocent  than  guilty  of 
any  criminal  charge. 

I  am,  Dear  Sir, 

With  great  esteem, 

Your  most  obed1 

&  very  faithful  Servant  &  Bror, 

W.  WALTER. 

- + - 


Mr.  W ALTER  to  the  Secretary . 


New  York,  Jan’y  2d,  1782. 

Dear  Sir, 

In  consequence  of  a  Letter  formerly  rec’ed  from  you  expressing  the 
Society’s  wish  that  some  care  might  be  taken  of  the  valuable  library  belonging 
to  them,  late  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Fairweather,  I  wrote  to  Mr.  Graves  of 
Providence  to  take  what  care  he  could  of  the  Books  consistent  with  his  own 
safety  in  the  present  unhappy  state  of  the  Country,  and  I  have  now  the 
pleasure  to  enclose  you  his  answer  for  the  Society’s  information.  I  am 
further  informed  that  Mr.  F.’s  relations  intend  to  dispute  his  Will,  which  may 
frustrate  his  intended  Legacies. 

Permit  me  to  trouble  you  once  more  on  the  part  of  my  friend  Mr.  Bass. 
In  October  last  I  wrote  to  Mr.  Parker,  my  former  Assistant  in  Trinity  Church, 
Boston,  and  intimately  acquainted  with  Mr.  B.,  desiring  him  to  give  his  candid 
sentiments  of  Mr.  B.  and  mentd  the  Report  of  Mr.  B.’s  preaching  a  Sermon 
for  cloathing  a  Rebel  Battalion.  He  says  in  answer,  “  The  Report  you  mention 
you  may  depend  upon  it  is  groundless.  If  the  Society  have  dismissed  him 
because  he  has  carried  on  the  service  by  omitting  the  Prayers  for  the  King 
they  have  as  to  that  been  rightly  informed,  if  for  any  other  reason  their 
information  has  certainly  been  groundless  and  must  have  been  given  thro’ 
malice  or  envy.” 


1782.] 


6i6 


In  addition  to  this  testimony  let  me  mentn  Mr.  William  Winthrop  of  New 
London,  who  is  now  here  by  permission.  He  tells  me  he  has  been  at 
Newberry  Port  sev1  times  during  the  troubles,  has  never  heard  any  person 
intimate  the  smallest  syllable  to  Mr.  B.’s  prejudice  as  a  friend  of  the  British 
Government,  but  on  the  contrary  was  told  by  Dr.  Smith,  the  principal  Physician 
of  that  Seaport  and  a  parishioner  of  Mr.  B.’s,  that  he  was  astonished  to  hear 
of  Mr.  B.’s  dismission  from  the  Society’s  service.  That  to  his  certain  knowl¬ 
edge,  thro’  all  the  troubles,  Mr.  B.  had  neither  said  nor  done  anything  that  cod 
entitle  him  to  the  Society’s  displeasure. 

These  Evidences,  among  a  great  multitude  to  the  same  purpose,  I  have  to 
support  the  testimony  which  I  have  given  of  Mr.  B.,  excepting  only  when  I 
was  misled  by  Mr.  Weeks  who  I  am  confident  was  himself  misinformed,  and 
I  cannot  help  flattering  myself  that  the  Society,  acting  on  the  so  much 
applauded  maxim  of  the  British  Courts,  “  Better  ten  guilty  persons  should 
escape  than  one  innocent  man  suffer,”  will  dismiss  their  prejudices  against 
Mr.  B.  &  receive  him  again  to  their  favor  &  employment,  &  believe  that  there 
is  nothing  about  which  I  shall  be  more  careful  than  to  give  them  from 
time  to  time  such  information  as  they  may  assuredly  rely  upon.  It  is  the 
duty  and  will  always  be  the  highest  pleasure  of, 

Rev.  &  Dear  Sir,  &c.,  &c., 

W.  WALTER. 


Mr.  BASS  to  the  Secretary . 


Newbury  Port,  New  England, 
Feb’y  27th,  1782. 

Revd  Dr., 

Since  my  last  of  Octr  30th,  1781,  I  have  seen  a  Letter  from  the  Revd  Mr. 
Walter  of  New  York  to  a  friend  in  Boston,  containing  the  following  para¬ 
graph  :  “  I  wrote  Mr.  B.  some  time  ago  and  flattered  him  that  his  affairs  were 
in  a  good  way  with  the  Society,  but  by  letters  lately  rec’ed  I  find  the 
Society  has  been  informed  of  some  matters  so  much  to  his  injury  that  they 


[1782. 


6i  7 

do  not  appear  disposed  to  restore  him  at  present.  They  have  been  informed 
that  he  should  say  in  the  beginning  of  these  troubles  that  it  was  a  matter 
of  indifference  whether  he  pleased  them  or  not,  for  whatever  they  could 
deprive  him  of  would  be  amply  made  up  by  his  parishioners.” 

This  is  as  false  as  God  is  true.  I  find  I  have  secret  Enemies  (God  knows 
how  they  came  to  be  so)  who  are  set  upon  ruining  my  character  &  reputation 
with  those  upon  whose  good  opinion  I  set  the  highest  value.  As  to  the  loss 
of  the  Society’s  salary  being  made  up  to  me  by  my  parishioners  I  was  always 
sensible  it  could  not.  Some  of  them  indeed  have  shewn  me  much  kindness, 
but  the  times  are  very  hard  upon  them,  Taxes  exceeding  high,  Trade  well- 
nigh  ruined,  &c.,  so  that  in  short  I  plainly  find  I  cannot  subsist  here  much 
longer  with  any  tolerable  decency  without  the  Society’s  usual  allowance.  But 
were  my  Parishioners  ever  so  able  &  willing  to  support  me,  this  I  can  sincerely 
&  solemnly  affirm  that  I  have  no  principles  either  civil  or  religious  which  lead 
me  to  displease  the  Society,  and  this  has  been  too  well  known  here  these  times 
for  my  quiet  or  comfort.  If  however  the  foregoing  or  any  other  reports 
should  continue  to  influence  the  Society  to  my  prejudice,  I  make  not  the  least 
doubt  but  they  will  be  so  just  to  me  as  to  let  me  know  who  my  false  Accuser 
is,  so  conscious  of  my  innocence  I  will  be  bold  to  call  him  whoever  he  is. 

I  remain,  Sir,  &c., 

EDWARD  BASS. 


Mr.  BASS  to  the  Secretary . 


Newberry  Port,  New  England, 
March  15th  1782. 

Revd  Dr., 

Since  the  sealing  of  the  Letter  which  accompanies  this  I  have  seen 
another  Letter  from  New  York,  in  which  the  writer  says  with  respect  to  me 
as  follows :  “  Some  person  pretending  to  be  well  acquainted  with  him  has 
represented  him  to  the  Society  in  such  a  manner  that  it  is  almost  hazarding 
one’s  reputation  to  appear  for  him ;  however  as  the  cause  of  truth  &  virtue 
will  in  the  long  run  commonly  prevail,  I  do  not  mean  to  be  intimidated  by 

78 


1782.] 


6i8 


opposition  &  till  I  can  be  convinced  he  is  the  person  he  has  been  represented 
to  them  I  shall  not  cease  endeavoring  to  convince  them  that  he  has  been 
misrepresented.  It  has  been  affirmed  to  them  that  he  has  been  a  favourer  of 
*  *  *  that  he  rec’ed  (Y.  e.  as  I  suppose  the  meaning  to  be  read)  the 

Declaratory  Act  of  Independence  in  his  Church,  that  he  preached  a  Sermon 
for  the  clothing  a  certain  Battalion  and  opens  his  Church  on  all  days 
appointed  by  *  * 

All  these  charges  against  me  are  absolutely  false  except  the  last,  viz1, 
opening  the  church  on  the  days  appointed  by  the  present  powers.  This  I 
have  done  at  the  repeated  request  of  my  Parishioners,  who  represented  to  me 
the  danger  the  Church,  if  shut  up  on  such  days,  would  be  in  of  being 
demolished,  &  considering  the  spirit  or  rather  frenzy  of  the  People  I  really 
believe  that  was  too  likely  to  have  been  the  consequence.  I  therefore 
thought  it  prudent  to  comply  with  their  request  &  opened  it,  and  I  flatter 
myself  that  upon  those  occasions  I  did  no  harm  at  all  to  good  order  and 
Government.  However  I  did  nothing  in  opening  the  Church  on  said  days 
but  what  if  I  am  not  much  misinformed  other  clergymen  and  missonaries 
who  remain  in  the  Country  have  done  without  being  found  fault  with,  as  far 
as  I  have  been  able  to  learn.  If  the  Society  shall  think  proper  to  call  for 
them  I  am  ready  to  produce  Witnesses  in  abundance  of  the  falsity  of  all  those 
charges  that  I  hear  have  been  exhibited  against  me,  which  are  of  that  public 
nature  as  to  be  capable  of  being  proved  to  be  false,  except  that  one  which  I 
have  now  mentioned,  and  I  hope  in  some  measure  at  least  apologized  for.  I 
should  be  exceeding  happy  to  know  the  Society’s  mind  as  to  this  matter. 

I  remain,  Revd  Dr.,  &c., 

EDWD  BASS. 

« 

- ^ - 


Mr .  WAL  TER  to  the  Secretary. 


1782. 

Dear  Sir, 

I  have  the  honor  to  enclose  you  a  Letter  from  Mr.  Cossit,  the  Itinerant 
Missionary  at  Claremont.  It  came  open  to  me,  and  in  the  same  form  I  shall 
beg  leave  to  forward  it,  and  am  happy  to  find  that  he  &  his  Parishioners  & 


[1782. 


6ig 

our  friends  in  that  Quarter  are  at  length  in  peace ;  and  that  our  venerable 
Church  begins  to  have  that  respect  paid  her  in  those  distant  regions  which  she 
so  well  deserves. 

Had  I  not  said  so  much  on  the  subject  of  Mr.  Bass  I  would  just  add  that 
having  stated  to  Mr.  Parker,  of  Boston,  the  whole  charge  lying  agst  Mr.  B.,  he 
assures  me  that  the  whole  is  false,  scandalous  &  malicious ;  &  a  Gentn  of  per¬ 
fect  veracity  (Captn  Packer)  is  now  here  who  tells  me  that  he  is  intimately 
acquainted  with  Mr.  Bass,  is  astonished  to  think  that  any  intimation  can  be 
given  against  him  of  disloyalty ;  &  respecting  that  part  particularly  of  his 
reading  the  declaratory  Act  of  Independency,  he  was  at  Newberry  just  after 
that  act  was  circulated,  &  Mr.  Bass  told  him  that  he  had  been  requested  to 
read  it  in  his  church,  but  that  he  had  positively  refused  it,  saying  He  was  no 
Herald  to  publish  the  Proclamations  of  War.  If  the  High  Sheriff  or  the 
Clerk  of  the  Church  were  disposed  to  read  it  he  cod  not  prevent  it,  but  would 
have  nothing  to  do  with  it  himself,  &  Captn  Packer  is  positive  it  never  was 
read  there  by  any  one. 

This  Evidence  is  so  pointed  that  I  could  not,  without  injustice  to  my 
valuable  friend,  omit  laying  it  before  you  for  the  information  of  the  Society, 
whose  wish  I  am  sure  it  must  be  to  get  all  the  information  they  possibly  can 
respecting  their  Servants  in  America. 

Permit  me  to  congratulate  you  on  the  great  success  with  which  it  has 
pleased  Divine  Providence  to  crown  the  British  Navy  in  the  West  Indies  in 
their  late  Engagement  with  their  Enemies.  May  the  same  propitious  inter¬ 
ference  accompany  all  the  exertions  of  the  King’s  Servants  till  our  Colonies 
shall  be  recovered  &  peace  be  restored,  and  the  Empire  once  more  united  & 
prosperous. 

With  great  respect, 

I  am,  Dear  Sir,  &c., 

S.  WALTER. 


1782.] 


620 


Declaration  of  the  Church  Wardens  of  S*.  Paul's,  Newbury  port. 


Whereas,  We,  the  Subscribers,  have  been  informed  that  in  these  times  of 
trouble  and  confusion  various  reports  have  been  carried  to  the  Society  for  the 
Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts  disadvantageous  to  the  character 
of  the  Revd  Mr.  Bass,  their  Missionary  in  this  place,  respecting  his  loyalty, 
We  can  assure  the  Society  that  there  is  not  the  least  Ground  for  any  such 
reports,  and  that  his  political  Character  is  the  reverse  of  what  it  hath  been 
represented  to  them. 

JOHN  TRACY,  |  Wardens  of  S\  Paul’s  Church, 
WM  MORLAND,  J  Newburyport. 

Newburyport,  New  England,  October  14th,  1782. 


Declaration  of  Mr .  W entworth  Mr,  J  affray. 


Portsmouth,  New  Hampshire, 

New  England,  Octr  22d,  1782. 

Whereas,  it  hath  been  represented  to  the  Subscribers  that  in  these  times 
of  confusion  and  tumult  various  Reports  have  been  carried  to  the  Society  for 
the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts  disadvantags  to  the  Character 
of  the  Revd  Mr.  Bass,  their  Missionary  at  Newbury  Port,  respecting  his 
Loyalty,  We  do  cheerfully  embrace  this  opportunity  of  assuring  the  Society 
that  there  is  not  the  least  Ground  for  any  such  Reports,  but  that  on  the 
contrary  he  hath  demeaned  himself  in  all  respects  as  became  a  good  subject 
of  the  King,  unless  his  omitting  His  Majesty  and  Royal  Family  in  the 
Liturgy  be  reckoned  an  exception.  We  live  in  the  Neighbourhood  of  Mr. 
Bass,  and  are  acquainted  with  him  &  his  affairs,  and  are  therefore  in  this 


621 


[1782. 


respect  well  qualified  to  give  our  testimony  in  his  favour.  What  our  qualifi¬ 
cations  are  in  other  respects  and  what  credit  is  due  to  our  testimony,  the 
Society  may  learn  from  Governor  Wentworth,  who  is  one  of  their  body,  & 
now  resides  in  London. 

MARK  HY  WENTWORTH, 
GEO.  JAFFRAY. 


Mr,  BASS  to  the  Secretary . 


Newbury  Port,  New  England,  Novr  6th,  1782. 

Dear  Sir, 

You  see  what  trouble  your  kind  attention  to  my  affairs  has  brought  you 
into  ;  it  emboldens  me  to  trouble  you  this  once  more  at  least.  Since  my  last 
(which  I  presume  you  have  rece’d)  I  have  heard  it  mentd  as  a  complaint 
exhibited  against  me  to  the  Society  that  I  had  preached  a  Charity  Sermon  in 
favour  of  the  American  Soldiers,  exciting  them  to  acts  of  hostility  against  His 
Majesty,  the  meaning  of  which  I  am  utterly  at  a  loss  to  know,  not  being  able 
to  recollect  any  circumstance  or  occurrence  that  might  give  occasion  to  such 
a  report  unless  it  be  the  following :  In  a  Year  or  two  after  the  beginning  of 
these  troubles,  when  the  distresses  of  the  poor  among  us  began  to  be  very 
great,  many  of  them  almost  naked,  it  was  proposed  here  to  have  a  collection 
for  the  poor  of  the  Town  in  general,  among  whom  were  probably  included  the 
Families  of  some  persons  in  the  American  Army  (probably,  I  say,  for  I  am 
not  now  certain  as  to  that  circumstance)  &  the  ministers  of  the  Town  were 
desired  to  acquaint  their  respective  parishioners  when  the  Collection  was  to 
be  made.  I  did  accord’ly  mention  to  my  people,  in  the  course  of  a  Charity 
Sermon  preached  the  next  Sunday  morning,  the  said  Proposal  for  a  Collection 
&  the  time  when  it  was  to  be  made,  but  without  saying  a  word,  either  then  or 
at  any  other  time,  concerning  American  Soldiers. 

This  is  the  whole  of  the  matter,  and  it  might  possibly  be  misrepresented 
and  misreported  from  one  to  another  till  it  got  to  be  a  very  criminal  affair. 


1782.] 


622 


Your  benevolence  will  lead  you  to  make  a  proper  use  of  this  if  there  should 
be  occasion. 

I  am,  Dear  Sir,  &c., 

EDWD  BASS. 

P.S. — Be  so  kind  as  to  deliver  the  enclosed  to  the  Society,  unless  Govr 
Wentworth  has  delivered  of  the  same  tenor. 

♦ 


Mr,  BASS  to  Governor  JVentworth. 


Newbury  Port,  New  England,  Novr  7th,  1782. 

Sir, 

This  begs  the  favor  of  you  to  present  the  enclosed  to  the  Society  for  the 
Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts,  which  will  be  adding  a  fresh  obli¬ 
gation  to  the  many  that  you  have  heretofore  confd  upon 

Yr  mo.  obed4  Ser4,  &c., 

EDWD  BASS. 


Mr,  PETERS  to  the  Secretary . 


Charlotte  St.  Pimlico,  Novr  18th,  1782. 

Revd  Sir, 

Concerning  the  conduct  of  Mr.  Bass,  the  Society’s  Missionary  at  Newbury 
Port  since  1774,  I  can  only  report  what  was  communicated  to  me  at  the 
Royal  Exchange  in  August,  1778,  by  Salter  &  Morrison,  2  masters  of  ships 
which  sailed  from  Newbury  Port,  &  were  taken  and  brought  to  some  port  in 
England. 

Mr.  Salter  addressed  me,  Sir,  can  you  direct  me  to  Govr  Hutchinson  ?  I 
gave  him  directions.  He  then  said  he  knew  me  to  be  a  Priest,  Peters  of  Con- 


623 


[1782. 


necticut,  otherwise  he  should  not  have  asked  such  a  favor  of  me.  I  was  desir¬ 
ous  to  hear  news,  if  any,  I  had  from  Mr.  Bass,  who  was  his  minister.  I  told 
him  that  I  had  not  heard  from  him,  but  by  the  completn  of  affairs  in  that 
country,  &  expected  to  hear  he  was  destroyed  by  the  Rebels.  Salter  replied, 
You  need  not  fear  that,  for  Mr.  Bass  was  in  high  favor  among  such  as  you  call 
Rebels.  I  answered,  Then  I  did  not  wish  to  hear  of  or  from  him.  Salter 
seemed  to  be  in  a  passion  &  said  Mr.  Bass  is  one  of  the  best  men  in  that  pro¬ 
vince,  he  is  prudent  &  moderate.  I  told  him  that  had  been  my  opinion  of  Mr. 
Bass  before  he  informed  that  Bass  was  in  high  favor  among  the  Rebels. 
Salter  said,  I  know  your  principles  &  Govr  Hutchinson’s,  who  is  my  cousin,  & 
from  whom  I  will  get  money  to  carry  me  home,  but  will  tell  him,  as  1  now  tell 
you,  that  if  he,  Dr.  Cooper,  Dr.  Chandler,  and  your  clergy  in  the  middle 
colonies  had  behaved  with  that  moderation  and  love  for  America  as  did  Mr. 
Bass  &  Mr.  Parker,  you  might  all  have  retained  your  reputations  &  property. 

I  asked  him  wherein  we  differed.  Salter  said,  Your  Cooper  &  Chandler 
paid  no  regard  to  the  minds  of  the  people,  obeyed  no  orders  of  Congress  nor 
observed  their  fasts,  but  Mr.  Bass  &  Parker  did. 

I  asked  him,  How  do  you  know  that  Mr.  Bass  paid  attention  to  the  orders 
of  Congress  ?  Salter  replied,  I  was  at  church  &  heard  Mr.  Bass  read  their 
Proclamations  for  fasts  &  thanksgivings,  their  Declarata  of  Independence  & 
thier  prohibition  to  pray  longer  for  the  King,  &  I  heard  him  pray  for  the  Con¬ 
gress  &  he  omitted  the  prayers  for  the  King,  besides  he  &  his  wife  hold 
shares  in  2  or  3  privateers  &  have  had  good  luck. 

I  told  Salter  that  I  suspected  him  to  be  no  friend  to  Mr.  Bass  or  the  Church 
by  his  charging  Mr.  Bass  with  Perjury  &  Treason,  &  hope  your  design  is  to 
hurt  the  character  of  Mr.  Bass  and  insult  me.  Salter  declared  upon  his 
honour  that  what  he  had  said  was  the  naked  truth,  &  wished  to  God  that  I 
had  done  the  like,  which  would  have  done  more  good  than  I  will  ever  have 
again  in  my  power  to  do.  He  referred  me  to  a  master  of  a  ship  then  living 
N°.  7  Old  Bailey,  where  I  called  twice  but  did  not  find  him.  Mr.  Morison  said 
I  might  give  full  credit  to  what  Mr.  Salter  had  said.  I  told  Salter  that  if  what 
he  said  reached  the  Society  Mr.  Bass  would  lose  his  salary,  &  he  ought  to  be 
careful  in  speaking  such  words  about  his  friend  Bass,  &  desired  him  to  take 
back  his  accusation  lest  the  archbishop  should  hear  of  it  &  call  me  to  give  an 
account  of  this  conversation,  which  in  conscience  I  could  not  conceal  from  his 
Grace.  Salter  said,  You  are  welcome  to  tell  the  whole,  &  to  make  use  of  my 


1783-] 


624 


name;  for  Mr.  Bass  by  his  good  conduct  has  doubled  his  Church  since  1774,  & 
can  live  without  the  Society’s  aid  !  !  !  Further  says  not 

Revd  Sir,  & c., 

.SAMUEL  PETERS. 

I  beg  leave  to  make  one  observation,  viz1,  If  Salter  is  a  Dissenter  his  evi¬ 
dence  is  bad,  if  a  Churchman  it  may  be  good,  for  it  seldom  happened  in  New 
England  that  a  Churchman  ever  abused  a  clergyman. 

Some  People  from  Massachusetts  Bay  have  told  me  that  Salter  is  a  lying 
Fellow,  but  others  have  told  me  that  he  is  a  gentleman  of  veracity.  Truth  is 
not  easily  discovered  about  Natives  of  Massachusetts  Bay  by  Natives  of  that 
province. 

N.B. — I  was  never  called  Parson  nor  Minister  in  New  England,  but  Priest 
Peters. 


Affidavit  of  Mr.  MILLER. 


Glasgow,  May  5th,  1783. 

I,  William  Miller,  late  Deputy  Collector  of  His  Majesty’s  Customs  at  New¬ 
bury  Port,  in  New  England,  declare  that  I  have  been  personally  and  intimately 
acquainted  with  the  Revd  Mr.  Bass,  of  Newbury  Port,  aforesaid,  the  Society’s 
Missionary  there,  from  the  very  beginning  of  the  Revolt  in  North  America  till 
the  Month  of  May,  1 776,  when  I  left  that  Country;  that  I  have  had  frequent 
&  repeated  conversations  with  Mr.  Bass  on  the  subject  in  dispute  between 
Great  Britain  and  her  colonies,  &  that  I  have  always  found  him  a  steady  friend 
to  his  Majesty’s  Government;  that  he  was  notoriously  and  universally  so 
esteemed,  &  that  he  has  suffered  insults  for  such  attachment ;  that  his  sermons 
breathed  such  a  spirit  of  moderation  and  obedience  to  Government  that  he 
lost  some  of  his  most  wealthy  Parishioners  thereby ;  that  if  he  had  the  least 
inclination  towards  the  rebels  or  their  cause,  living  in  his  house  as  I  did  for 
above  a  year  before  I  left  the  Country,  I  must  have  discovered  it.  On  the 


625 


C1  783- 

contrary,  I  always  found  him  zealously  attached  to  the  King’s  person  and 
Government;  &  I  have  every  reason  to  conclude  he  still  continues  in  the 
same  disposition. 

WILLIAM  MILLER. 

Glasgow,  May  5th,  1783. 

Sworn  to  before  me,  one  of  His  Majesty’s  Justices 
of  the  Peace  for  the  County  of  Lanark. 

John  Alston,  Junr,  J.  P. 


Mr.  WHITE' S  Declaration. 


London,  May  14th,  1783. 

I,  the  Subscriber,  hereby  declare  that  I  have  known  the  Revd  Mr.  Bass,  the 
Missionary  for  the  Society  at  Newbury  Port,  in  New  England,  and  during  the 
whole  dispute  between  Great  Britain  &  the  United  States  he  has  always  been 
deemed  and  reputed  a  Tory,  and  inimical  to  the  liberties  of  America. 

SAML  WHITF 


Mr.  PETERS  to  the  Secretary. 


Tuesday,  20th  May,  1783. 

Revd  Sir, 

If  you  will  please  to  cut  off  a  few  lines  towards  the  bottom  of  my  Letter  to 
you  concern5  what  Salter  &  Morrison  told  me  about  the  conduct  of  Mr.  Bass, 
I  believe  that  account  may  excuse  my  attendance  at  the  Board  when  the 
Letter  may  be  read  publicly,  as  it  will  do  me  less  harm  than  it  now  does  and 
has  done.  I  am  censured  by  those  who  call  themselves  Friends  to  Justice  & 
to  Mr.  Bass,  as  a  private  accuser  of  an  absent  and  injured  Brother,  altho’  I 
was  no  accuser  of  Mr.  Bass,  who  was  cut  off  from  his  salary  by  the  Board  long 
79 


1 7^3*] 


626 


before  I  was  called  on  to  report  what  2  parishioners  of  Mr.  Bass  told  me  of 
his  conduct,  and  which  they  knew  to  be  true  and  praised  him  for.  I  am  not 
terrified  by  any  of  those  zealous  Defenders  of  Mr.  Bass.  I  have  no  personal 
knowledge  of  malconduct  in  Mr.  Bass,  nor  do  I  wish  him  any  ill,  but  I  wish  he 
had  better  Men  to  support  his  loyalty  (if  any  he  had)  than  such  as  have  shewn 
themselves  friends  to  Congress,  altho’  they  may  have  changed  sides.  I  know 
some  men  would  be  rendered  happy  if  they  could  lay  blame  on  me  and 
excuse  Walter  &  Inglis,  or  any  of  those  pro  and  con  Gentn  who  have  said  and 
unsaid  what  determined  the  Board  in  their  decision  against  Mr.  Bass,  which 
decision  was  [confirmed  to  be  just]  justified  by  Morison  &  Salter,  &  if  I  was 
a  Member  should  never  be  rescinded  till  better  evidence  appeared  than  has 
yet  appeared  in  behalf  of  Mr.  Bass. 

I  intended  to  have  mentioned  to  you  yesterday  Col1  Edmund  Fanning 
(LL.D.  of  Oxford),  and  lately  appointed  Lieut1  Governor  of  Nova  Scotia,  who 
is  a  good  Churchman  &  who  would  make  an  excellent  Member  of  the  Society, 
and  I  believe  would  be  highly  pleased  with  the  Honour.  His  character  is 
superior  to  any  recommendation  of  mine.  I  therefore  only  beg  leave  to  men¬ 
tion  his  name,  &  to  submit  the  whole  to  your  wisdom  &  discretion. 

Col1  Fanning  resides  at  N°.  219  Oxford  S1,  &  will  soon  set  off  for  Halifax, 
&  knows  nothing  of  my  mentioning  his  name  to  you. 

Reverend  Sir, 

I  am,  with  Honour,  &c., 

SAML  PETERS. 

I  am  sure  some  of  Mr.  Bass’s  Advocates,  by  offices  they  once  held,  took 
oath  of  allegiance  to  King  George  Third,  &  broke  them  by  taking  like  oaths 
to  the  Rebel  Congress,  and  such  Persons  as  can  be  guilty  of  perjury  may  tell 
a  simple  lie  without  a  blush.  Common  and  Statute  Law  says  he  that  is  proved 
to  be  guilty  of  Perjury  cannot  be  an  evidence  in  any  court. 


627 


H1 783 


The  Same  to  the  Same. 


Saturday,  24th  May,  1783. 

Revd  Sir, 

I  herewith  leave  a  Letter  from  Col1  Peter  Frye,  Esqr,  of  Salem,  in  New 
England,  a  Gentleman  without  malice  &  of  the  first  rank  in  life  in  the  province 
until  the  troubles  broke  out  in  America,  &  was  one  of  the  first  and  greatest 
sufferers  by  the  Rebel  Fires,  set  on  purpose  to  burn  him  &  his  property.  He 
escaped  only  with  his  person  &  the  lives  of  his  family.  I  was  in  Boston  at  the 
time,  in  Septr,  1774,  where  it  was  then  said  the  Rebels  had  burnt  the  Property 
of  Col1  Frye  to  the  value  of  ^10,000  Sterling  ;  wher  his  assertions  will  weigh 
any  thing  against  that  Passage  in  Dr.  Porteus’  Sermon,  page  25,  viz1,  “and  to 
the  several  congregations  intrusted  to  their  care,”  must  be  left  to  futurity. 

I  beg  leave  to  ask  your  favour  with  the  Board  in  behalf  of  Mrs.  Nieland, 
whose  salary  at  the  time  of  her  husband’s  death  was  ^75,  &  Dr.  Johnson,  the 
Executor  of  Mr.  Nieland,  drew  a  Bill  of  ^50  in  favour  of  Mr.  Sansom,  is  not 
paid,  as  Mr.  Clapham  informed  me  yesterday,  &  I  found  a  Caveat  on  his  book 
put  in  by  Dr.  Chandler  against  Mr.  Nieland’s  Loyalty,  consequently  against 
his  having  payment  made. 

I  know  not  the  reason  of  Dr.  Chandler’s  condemning  Nieland,  nor  why  he 
supports  Mr.  Bass,  but  this  I  know  from  Capn  Camp,  of  Newhaven,  now  at 
New  York,  is  and  has  always  been  a  Loyalist,  who  says  no  clergyman  of  our 
Church  has  departed  from  his  character  in  these  evil  days  in  the  whole  Colony 
of  Connecticut.  Nieland’s  church  was  shut  up,  &  Nieland  was  called  a  Tory 
red  hot  as  his  Godfather  Peters,  &  would  have  suffered  much  but  for  his 
Father-in-Law,  Dr.  Johnson,  who  has  trimmed  and  behaved  less  virtuously 
than  the  Episcopal  Clergy,  &  even  compelled  Nieland  to  go  before  wind  & 
Tide,  tho’  he  could  never  prevail  on  him  to  open  his  church  under  the  restric¬ 
tion  of  Congress.  Thus  far  the  idea  of  Capn  Camp. 

Nieland  died  in  April,  1777.  I  think  it  hard  for  Nieland’s  widow  to  lose 
what  was  due  to  her  husband,  &  Mr.  Chapman  says  he  thinks  the  Board 
ordered  the  ^50  not  to  be  paid  to  Mr.  Sansom,  but  is  not  certain.  Capn 
Camp,  the  Agent  for  Mrs.  Nieland,  wishes  to  know  what  is  to  be  expected  from 
the  Society  in  this  matter. 

Revd  Sir,  &c., 

SAML  PETERS. 


1783-] 


628 


My  brother,  Bemslee  Peters,  now  in  Town,  says  he  was  at  Mr.  Nieland’s 
in  1775,  in  December,  When  Nieland’s  windows  were  broke  by  the  mob  for 
his  Toryism,  &  was  compelled  to  give  money  to  the  mob,  &  left  Hebron  in 
June,  1776,  at  which  time  Nieland  was  deemed  by  all  parties  a  Tory. 


Col1.  FRYE  to  the  Secretary. 


Suffolk  St,  Midd’x  Hospital, 

May  24th,  1783. 

Revd  Sir, 

Having  been  called  upon  to  say  what  was  the  public  Report  in  the  Massa¬ 
chusetts  Bay  about  the  Loyalty  of  the  Revd  Edward  Bass,  of  Newbury  Port,  an 
Episcopal  Clergyman  &  a  Missionary  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of 
the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts,  I  hereby  inform  you  and  all  whom  it  may 
concern,  that  from  the  beginning  of  the  late  troubles  in  America  till  the 
year  1 777,  when  I  left  Salem,  it  was  common  Fame  that  the  said  Revd 
Mr.  Bass  had  complied  with  all  measures  of  Congress  &  of  the  various  Com¬ 
mittees.  That  in  consequence  of  it  he  had  kept  his  church  open,  that 
he  was  applauded  by  the  Rebels  for  his  conduct,  while  the  Revd  Mr. 
McGilchrist,  of  Salem,  was  condemned  for  his  in  not  reading  the  proclama¬ 
tions  of  the  Congress  and  other  Rebel  Powers,  had  his  church  shut  up  and 
the  people  forbid  aiding  or  assisting  him  with  even  the  necessaries  of  life  ; 
that  the  said  Mr.  Bass  was  blamed  by  the  Loyalists  &  called  a  perjured  man 
and  a  Rebel  to  the  Church  &  King.  Salem  is  20  miles  from  Newbury  Port, 
in  the  same  county,  there  my  family  was  ;  but  I  resided  chiefly  at  Ipswich, 
only  11  miles  from  Newbury  Port,  because  I  was  in  great  trouble  myself  at 
Salem  on  account  of  my  loyalty,  which  however  prevented  me  of  all  personal 
knowledge  &  intercourse  with  the  said  Mr.  Bass.  I  also  believe  it  to  be  cer¬ 
tain  that  no  clergyman  could  open  his  church  in  the  Massachusetts  Bay  who 
did  not  first  satisfy  the  Committees  that  he  was  friendly  to  the  American 
Grand  cause,  &  who  did  not,  by  words  and  deeds,  prove  himself  an  Enemy  to 
the  British  King  and  Nation. 


629 


[T  7S3. 


It  was  said  that  Mr.  Bass  and  Mr.  Parker,  of  Boston,  were  the  only  clergy¬ 
men  who  could  open  their  churches,  and  I  believe  it  to  be  a  truth.  It  was 
also  said  by  the  People  of  Newbury  Port,  after  the  death  of  a  Col1  Farnham 
the  Town  was  purified  &  had  not  one  Tory  left  in  it ;  that  it  had  not  a  Loyal¬ 
ist  in  the  Town.  Said  Mr.  Bass,  however,  was  at  that  time  living  in  that 
Town  without  any  insults  or  molestation  that  I  ever  heard  of  in  those  times 
and  till  I  arrived  in  England. 

I  am,  Revd  Sir,  &c., 

S.  FRYE. 


Gover?ior  IVENTIEORTH  to  the  Secretary. 


Hammersmith,  June  11th,  1783. 

Sir, 

I  have  lately  rece’d  the  enclosed  Letter  and  certificate,  &  in  conformity 
to  the  request  of  Mr.  Bass,  who  I  believe  to  be  a  very  worthy  missionary,  I 
request  your  favor  in  presenting  them  to  the  venerable  Society. 

Mr.  Wentworth  &  Mr.  Jaffray,  the  Gentlemen  who  sign  the  Certificate,  have 
been  steady  and  uniform  members  of  the  Church  of  England  from  its  first 
establishment  in  New  Hampshire,  &  are  unexceptionably  respectable  in  their 
whole  characters,  that  their  testimony  may  safely  be  relied  upon. 

I  am,  with  due  respect, 

Sir,  &c.,  &c., 

T.  WENTWORTH. 


Mr.  PETERS  to  the  Secretary. 


Pimlico,  June  19th,  1783. 

Revd  Sir, 

By  Mr.  Hale’s  desire  I  called  this  day  on  Mr.  Messerve,  late  His  Majesty’s 
Collector  at  Portsmouth,  New  Hampshire,  who  is  verily  a  Loyalist.  He  said 
Mr.  Bass  was  an  Enemy  to  the  measures  of  the  Rebels  in  1775,  when  he  left 
the  country,  &  still  believes  him  a  Loyal  Subject  to  the  Church  &  King. 


1783-] 


630 


Mr.  Messerve  says  he  knows  the  People  that  pursued  me  in  their  Boats 
in  1774,  from  Portsmouth  to  Fort  William  &  Mary,  at  Newcastle,  at  the 
mouth  of  Piscataqua  River.  That  the  Hon’ble  George  Jefferies  was  not  one 
of  them,  for  he  is  an  Old  Man  &  was  against  Mob  in  my  favor,  &  is  a  very 
loyal  subject  to  the  Church  &  King,  and  has  been  treated  very  ill  by  the 
Rebels  for  his  loyalty  &  attachment  to  the  Church.  It  must,  therefore,  be 
another  Jefferies  who  joined  the  mob  against  me,  &  not  George  Jefferies.  Thus 
much  I  have  wrote  to  let  you  know  the  possibility  of  a  mistake  in  Names  doing 
harm  in  Mr.  Bass.  The  Jefferies  who  meant  to  trouble  me  appeared  to  be 
about  40  years  old,  &  whom  I  never  saw  but  that  one  time,  and  I  never  saw 
any  other  Jefferies  in  the  province  of  New  Plampshire.  Cockram,  Captn  of 
the  Fort,  gave  me  the  Names  of  Sundry  of  that  mob.  A  Mr.  Jefferies  was 
one  &  George  Waterhouse  another.  Mr.  Hale  thinks  I  have  make  the  mis¬ 
take  by  fixing  the  Christian  name  of  Waterhouse  to  Mr.  Jefferies,  altho’  I  have 
not  any  Christian  name  for  the  said  Mr.  Jefferies.  Upon  the  whole  I  believe 
the  Hon’ble  George  Jefferies,  who  is  said  to  have  signed  an  affidavit  in  favor 
of  Mr.  Bass’s  loyalty,  did  not  attempt  to  mob  me. 

I  am,  Sir,  &c., 

SAML  PETERS. 


The  Tame  to  the  Same. 


June  19th,  1783. 

Revd  Sir, 

I  think  it  my  duty  to  inform  you  that  Mr.  Messerve  &  Mr.  Hale  agree  that 
every  officer,  even  down  to  a  Hoghoward,  were  obliged,  after  June,  1776,  to 
be  qualified  by  an  oath  to  the  Supremacy  of  Congress  before  they  could  exer¬ 
cise  in  any  office. 

Mr.  Porter,  a  Lawyer  from  Salem,  told  me  the  same  yesterday,  &  that  Mr. 
McGilchrist,  Weeks  &  Clarke  were  maltreated  for  omitting  to  take  sd  Oath  to 
Congress  and  for  shutting  up  their  churches,  &  that  Mr.  Bass  &  Mr.  Parker 
did  qualify  themselves  &  kept  open  their  churches.  Messerve  &  Porter  agree 


[1784. 


631 

that  there  never  was  known  to  be  in  Newbury  Port  more  than  4  loyal  subjects, 
one  of  whom  went  off  to  Scotland,  Col1  Farnham  was  killed  by  the  Rebels,  Mr. 
Bass  &  Dr.  Jones  gave  satisfaction  to  the  Rebels  &  remained  there. 

Revd  Sir,  &c., 

SAML  PETERS. 

- »  ■  -  - 


M’\  BslSS  to  the  Secretary . 


Newbury  Port,  New  England, 
Jan.  9th,  1784. 


Revd  Dr., 

I  am  sorry  to  trouble  you  with  any  more  of  my  Letters,  but  cannot  help 
observing  to  you  the  singularity  of  my  Fate  in  being  a  Sufferer  on  both  Sides, 
here  for  my  Loyalty,  with  you  for  the  contrary,  without  being  a  Trimmer. 
When  the  late  rebellion  commenced  I  preserved  as  firm  &  unshaken  Loyalty 
to  his  Majesty  &  attachment  to  the  British  Government  as  was  consistent 
with  my  remaining  in  the  Country,  whereof  I  have  given  to  the  Society  all 
the  proof  that  I  thought  to  be  requisite,  having  exhibited  ample  Testimonials 
in  my  favour  not  only  from  my  Wardens,  but  also  from  some  of  the  most 
respectable  characters  and  noted  Loyalists  in  the  Capital  of  New  Hampshire, 
about  twenty  miles  distant  from  me,  who,  without  my  Sollicitation,  made  me  a 
voluntary  tender  of  their  Service,  not  to  mention  the  Testimony  of  sundry 
refugee  Loyalists  now  in  London,  who  resided  in  this  Town  &  perfectly  knew 
my  character  and  conduct.  Notwithstanding  which  the  Society  has  thought 
proper  to  distinguish  me  by  uncommon  marks  of  neglect  &  displeasure. 
When  they  were  pleased  to  strike  me  off  their  list  of  Missionaries,  they  left 
me  to  vindicate  myself  against  I  knew  not  what,  &  to  pick  up  the  Articles  I 
was  charged  with  here  &  there,  by  accident,  &  from  common  report ;  &  I 
took  much  pains  to  exculpate  myself  before  I  was  accused,  which,  I  flatter 
myself,  was  the  only  sign  of  guilt  I  had.  The  articles  alledged  against  me 
which  have  come  to  my  knowledge  in  the  above  mention’d  way,  are, 

That  being  a  Chaplain  in  one  of  his  Majesty’s  Regiments  I  endeavour’d 
to  seduce  the  Soldiers  from  their  allegiance  ;  that  I  have  said  I  did  not  care 


1784.] 


632 


whether  I  pleased  or  displeased  the  Society,  for  that  my  Parishioners  were 
able  &  willing  to  support  me  ;  that  I  read  the  Declaration  of  Independence  in 
my  Church ;  that  I  preached  a  Sermon  exhorting  my  Hearers  to  contribute 
liberally  toward  cloathing  the  rebel  Army,  and  that  I  kept  the  Fasts  appointed 
by  the  Congress.  All  these  charges  against  me  are  totally  false,  except  the 
last ;  for  I  do  not  deny  that  I  did  generally  open  my  Church  on  those  Fasts, 
tho’  not  in  consequence  of  the  orders  or  commands  of  any  rebel  Powers 
whatever,  none  of  whose  Papers  or  Proclamations  I  ever  read  in  Publick,  but 
of  the  application  &  earnest  desire  of  my  congregation,  who  represented  it  as 
necessary  in  order  to  preserve  the  church  from  destruction,  such  was  the 
spirit  or  frenzy  of  People  in  general  at  that  time.  It  was,  I  can  truly  say, 
with  reluctance  that  I  comply’d,  nor  was  I  singular  in  this  practice,  several 
missionaries  who  remained  in  the  country,  &  who  stand  well  with  the  Society, 
having,  if  I  am  not  much  misinformed,  done  the  same. 

Some  of  the  missionaries  and  others  who  quitted  the  country  were 
extremely  prejudiced  against  us  who  staid  behind  and  kept  our  churches  open, 
&  were,  I  doubt,  too  ready  to  hearken  to  any  reports  against  us.  Mr.  Weeks 
of  Marblehead,  I  remember,  charged  me  to  my  face  with  praying  publickly 
for  the  Congress,  which,  with  the  strictest  truth,  I  absolutely  deny’d.  I  know 
not,  however,  whether  he  believed  me  or  made  this  an  article  of  charge 
against  me  to  the  Society.  You  must  allow  me,  Sir,  to  express  my  feelings 
of  the  Society’s  neglect  of  me.  Had  there  been  no  means  of  correspondence 
during  the  war  I  should  not  have  thought  much  of  it,  but  I  had  the  mortifica¬ 
tion  of  knowing  that  others  were  noticed,  &  particularly  of  hearing  a  Letter 
from  the  Society  to  the  Revd  Mr.  Parker  of  Boston,  who  is  no  Missionary, 
read,  thanking  him  for  looking  after  some  interest  of  theirs  in  his  Neighbor¬ 
hood.  If  there  be  any  merit  in  this  I  can  lay  claim  to  the  same,  being  able 
to  shew  the  Society’s  letter  of  thanks  to  me  for  my  attention  to  their  landed 
interest  in  New  Hampshire.  I  have  had  two  protested  Bills  lately  returned 
upon  my  hands,  of  ^50  each,  the  one  drawn  upon  Messrs.  Hoare  &  C°,  the 
other  upon  the  Society’s  Treasufi  the  Disappointment  great,  not  to  mention 
the  charges  of  Protest  to  one  who  has  nothing  to  pay.  Two  lines  of  advice 
to  me  would  have  prevented  this.  I  am  not  ignorant  that  the  Society  has 
power  to  relinquish  any  Mission  whenever  they  judge  proper.  But  that  they 
should  discard  a  Missionary  upon  an  allegation  of  misdemeanour,  a  Mission¬ 
ary  of  long  standing,  depending  upon  their  salary,  &  daily  incurring  expences 


633 


[1784. 


upon  a  full  expectation  of  continuing  to  receive  it,  without  giving  him  the 
least  notice,  or  any  chance  of  vindicating  himself,  is,  to  say  the  least  of  it, 
an  unexampled  method  of  proceeding,  &  such  as  must  imply  some  very 
atrocious  crime  fully  proved.  I  must  beg  it  of  the  Society  either  to  let  me 
know  what  proof  of  my  innocence  will  be  sufficient,  or  that  no  proof  whatever 
will  avail  me  ;  or,  if  they  refuse  me  this,  at  least  to  do  me  the  common  act  of 
justice  to  let  me  know  who  are  my  Accusers  &  what  the  nature  of  my  crime 
or  crimes  ;  for,  whatever  becomes  of  my  Living,  I  am  determined  to  clear  up 
my  character  in  point  of  Loyalty  to  my  late  Sovereign,  which,  thank  God,  I 
can  easily  do,  as  the  forementioned  things  charged  against  me  (if  indeed  they 
are  the  things)  could  not  be  done  in  a  corner. 

I  hope  that  by  a  speedy  answer  to  this  you  will  prevent  the  necessity  of 
my  giving  you  or  myself  any  further  trouble  in  this  way.  Such  answer 
concerns  me  much  also,  as  it  is  high  time  for  me  to  look  out  for  myself. 

When  the  late  Mr.  Serjeant  of  Cambridge  fled  from  his  Dwelling  with 
such  of  his  effects  as  he  could  carry  with  him,  Cudworth’s  System,  part  of 
the  Society’s  Library,  fell  into  my  hands,  where  it  now  remains.  It  shall  be 
disposed  of  according  to  the  Society’s  directions. 

I  remain,  Sir,  yr  most  obed1  Serv1, 

EDWARD  BASS. 

Revd.  Dr.  Morice. 


M\  HALE  to  the  Secretary . 


Samuel  Hale,  on  behalf  of  Edward  Bass,  one  of  the  Society’s  Mission¬ 
aries  settled  at  Newbury  Port  in  New  England,  begs  leave  to  state  to  the 
Society  that  he  conceives  the  said  Bass  was  dismissed  from  their  service  and 
his  Salary  withheld  upon  representation  made  to  that  Body  that  the  said  Bass 
had  been  disloyal  and  guilty  of  acts  manifesting  disaffection  to  the  British 
Government,  and  this  Memorialist  further  begs  leave  to  add  that  after  being 
informed  that  the  Society  had  since  taken  into  consideration  Mr.  Bass’s  case, 
and  have  resolved  that  they  see  no  reason  to  rescind  their  first  Resolution,  or  to 
that  amount,  he  would  not  trouble  the  Society  so  far  as  to  desire  them  to  recon- 

80 


1784.] 


634 


sider  Mr.  Bass’s  case  was  he  not  convinced  he  now  can,  &  he  flatters  himself 
that  the  present  documents  will  carry  irresistible  conviction  not  only  of  his 
innocence  respecting  particular  charges  against  him,  but  also  of  his  continued 
&  uninterrupted  Integrity  &  Loyalty  &  sufferings  during  the  whole  course  of 
this  unfortunate  contest  with  America,  &  also  that  far  from  deserving  censure 
or  punishment  Mr.  Bass  merits  reward.  Mr.  Hale  therefore  submits  to  the 
consideration  of  the  Society  the  following  testimonies,  &  he  does  it  with  the 
more  alacrity  as  some  of  the  Witnesses  are  on  the  spot  &  ready  to  answer 
any  questions.  He  therefore  prays  the  Society  would  reconsider  Mr.  Bass’s 
case,  and  he  doubts  not  but  the  Society  will  agree  with  him  that  Mr.  Bass 
ought  to  be  restored. 

SAMUEL  HALE. 

- ♦ - 


Account  of  Mr.  HALE. 


He  was  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  near  Salem.  Educated  at  Cambridge 
College.  Designed  for  a  Dissenting  Teacher,  but  marrying  an  old  rich 
maiden  named  Parker,  Sister  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Parker  of  Boston,  he  became 
a  Lawyer  in  New  Hampshire. 

Headed  and  harangued  the  mobs  in  the  beginning  of  the  troubles.  Stood 
candidate  to  be  a  member  of  Congress  in  the  years  1754,  5,  6,  but  lost  it, 
Sullivan  (afterwards  a  General)  being  chosen.  Then  he  went  Commissary 
from  Congress  to  N.  York  for  providing  for  Rebel  Prisoners.  Then  he  went 
to  France  to  Dr.  Franklin  expecting  some  place,  but  one  Jonathan  Williams, 

a  cousin  of  Dr.  Franklin’s,  was  preferred.  Then  H - came  to  England, 

professed  himself  a  Loyalist,  and  obtained  a  Pension  from  the  British 
Government. 


635 


[1784- 


Declaration  of  HENRY  ATKINS. 


I,  Henry  Atkins,  late  Weigher  and  Gauger  of  his  Majesty’s  Customs 
at  Newbury  Port  in  New  England,  declare  that  from  the  year  1772  to  April, 
1778,  during  which  time  I  was  intimately  acquainted  with  the  Revd  Mr.  Bass 
of  said  Newbury  Port,  and  am  well  satisfied  till  said  April,  1778,  when  I  left 
Newbury  Port,  that  the  said  Mr.  Bass  was  firmly  attached  to  the  Constitution 
&  Government  of  Great  Britain,  and  so  universally  esteemed  by  all  that 
knew  him,  and  on  that  account  was  obnoxious  to  the  people  &  often  insulted, 
which  I  was  eye  witness  to  a  little  before  I  left  the  place,  and  that  several  of 
his  most  wealthy  Parishioners  left  him  on  account  of  his  Preaching  modera¬ 
tion  &  obedience  to  Government,  and  on  the  day  I  left  Newbury,  the  11th 
April  as  above,  I  had  some  conference  with  him,  and  it  appeared  to  me  he 
was  strongly  attached  to  Government  as  he  always  had  been,  and  upon  part¬ 
ing  he  expressed  a  great  desire  to  be  with  me,  and  have  no  other  reason  but 
to  think  he  still  remains  in  the  same  opinion. 

HENRY  ATKINS. 


Reasons  humbly  offered  why  those  Missionaries  who  have  left  out  the 
Prayers  for  the  King,  Royal  Family,  &c.,  should  not  receive  any  Salary  from 
the  Society  from  the  time  of  their  first  doing  it  till  they  return  back  to  their 
duty  &  use  the  Liturgies  as  they  promised  to  do  at  their  Ordination. 

1.  Because  those  People  at  whose  request  this  was  done  are  generally 
Rebels  both  in  principle  &  practice,  &  having  amassed  large  Fortunes  by 
privateering  are  able  to  give  those  Clergymen  that  comply  with  them  very 
ample  Salaries,  &  do  actually  give  them  more  than  they  ever  before  received 
from  the  Society  and  people  both  together. 

2.  Because  the  People  themselves  at  whose  instance  this  was  done  have 
not  the  least  expectation  and  I  believe  not  much  desire  that  their  Clergymen 
should  be  assisted  by  the  Society,  and  those  Clergymen  who  have  been  so 
compliant  have  told  me  they  did  not  expect  the  continuance  of  the  Society’s 
bounty. 


1784.] 


636 


3.  Because  the  Loyal  part  of  the  Episcopal  Congregations  in  America 
who  ought  chiefly  to  be  consulted  in  such  cases  chose  rather  that  the  Churches 
should  be  entirely  shut  than  that  the  Service  should  be  performed  with  such 
a  material  omission  as  that  of  the  Prayers  for  the  King,  &c.,  &c.,  &c.,  than  their 
minister  without  express  leave  from  his  Bishop  should  incur  the  reproach  of 
acting  contrary  to  his  engagements  at  Ordination. 

3.  Because  altering  the  Service  so  materially  is  contrary  to  their  public 
declaration  at  Ordination ;  contrary  to  the  three  Articles  in  the  Canon 
which  they  subscribe ;  and  in  some  respect  contrary  to  their  Oath  of  Alle¬ 
giance,  for  if  they  own  a  King  they  ought  to  pray  for  him  &  all  that  are  in 
authority  under  him.  And  publickly  using  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer 
without  using  the  Prayers  for  the  King  in  their  proper  place  is  publickly 
renouncing  allegiance  to  him. 

4.  Because  unless  the  Society  shew  some  disapprobation  of  those  who 
have  swerved  from  the  plain  path  of  Loyalty  in  their  public  ministrations 
others  who  have  refused  to  deviate  from  the  path  marked  out  by  the  Church 
will  be  looked  upon  with  an  evil  Eye,  as  being  weak  in  their  judgment  and 
inattentive  to  the  desires  of  their  people. 

6.  Because  it  proves  a  very  bad  precedent,  &  there  is  I  believe  no 
Missionary  who  if  these  things  are  allowed  will  not  desire  leave  to  return 
back  to  his  Cure  and  be  induced  to  carry  on  the  Service  as  well  and  as 
profitably  as  he  can. 

It  mav  be  said — 

✓ 

They  do  not  pray  for  the  Congress,  because  they  ought  to  pray  for  the 
higher  powers,  and  there  are  none  such  known  in  America  except  the  King 
and  the  Congress.  But  may  they  not  publickly  leave  out  a  part  of  the  Service 
as  justifiably  as  omit  the  whole  ?  By  no  means.  For  we  declare  at  Ordina¬ 
tion  that  whenever  we  are  called  publickly  to  minister  in  the  Church  we  will 
use  the  Liturgy,  &c.  We  do  not  promise  to  use  it  when  we  are  sick,  when 
we  are  in  prison,  or  when  death  is  before  us. 

But  may  they  do  not  much  good  by  such  compliance  by  keeping  their 
people  together,  &c.,  &c.  ?  Why  a  Robber  may  in  the  same  manner  justify 
the  taking  money  from  a  miser  that  he  may  do  good  with  it,  and  the  villain 
who  swears  falsely  to  save  his  friend  may  justify  his  perjury  on  a  like  principle 
of  doing  much  good,  &c.  And  if  we  once  admit  that  we  may  do  evil  that 
good  may  come,  there  is  an  end  of  all  moral  obligation ;  for  every  moral  duty 
may  be  explained  away  on  this  principle. 


637 


[^734- 


In  short,  any  person  of  common  reflection  will  look  on  those  Clergymen 
&  those  Churches  who  have  omitted  the  Prayers  for  the  King  and  Royal 
Family  as  renouncing  their  dependence  on  the  Society  &  as  able  to  support 
themselves. 


M'\  CUTLER  to  the  Secretary. 


Newbury  Port,  May  the  3d,  1784. 

Reverend  Dr„ 

By  the  Abstract  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in 
Foreign  Parts,  it  appears  that  the  Ven’ble  Society,  for  a  number  of  years 
past,  have  considered  their  Mission  in  this  place  vacant.  Mr.  Bass  has  been 
constantly  Resident  here  since  his  first  appointment,  and  notwithstanding  the 
difficulties  to  which  the  churches  in  general  have  been  subjected  in  America 
during  the  late  tumults  and  troubles,  the  church  in  this  place  has  been  open 
during  the  War  without  interruption. 

Mr.  Bass’s  Parishioners  have  been  at  a  loss  to  conjecture  why  this  Mission 
hath  been  considered  as  vacant  with  a  Resident  Missionary,  but  have  lately, 
to  their  no  small  surprise,  been  informed  that  the  Ven’ble  Society  have  been 
induced  to  this  measure  in  consequence  of  the  following  charges  alleged 
against  Mr.  Bass,  viz1,  Ist.  That  at  the  commencement  of  the  dispute  between 
Great  Britain  &  the  Colonies,  Mr.  Bass  practised  with  the  King’s  Soldiers  to 
seduce  them  from  their  allegiance  and  to  persuade  them  to  join  the 
Colonists. 

2dly.  That  he  has  manifested  a  disregard  for  the  Ven’ble  Society  by  declar¬ 
ing  that  the  Society’s  Salary  was  not  an  object  with  him,  as  he  could  depend 
upon  his  Parish  to  support  him. 

3rdly.  That  he  read  in  his  church  the  Declaration  of  Independence  published 
by  the  American  Congress. 

4thly.  That  he  preached  a  Charity  Sermon  to  clothe  the  American  Army. 

5thly.  That  he  discovered  a  readiness  to  open  his  church  on  the  Fast  Days 
appointed  by  the  Congress. 


1784.] 


638 


To  aid  the  representation  of  Truth  &  to  vindicate  the  character  of  Mr. 
Bass  from  such  groundless  imputation,  We,  the  Subscribers,  Wardens  of  his 
Church,  do,  for  ourselves  and  also  in  the  Name  of  the  Church,  declare  that  so 
far  as  it  is  possible  to  know  a  Negative,  we  are  certain  that  the  four  first  of 
these  charges  are  totally  groundless  &  false ;  the  general  and  particular  de¬ 
portment  of  Mr.  Bass,  so  far  as  we  have  been  able  to  observe,  having  always 
been  such  as  in  no  degree  to  warrant  either  of  the  said  imputations.  Tem¬ 
perate  &  uniform  in  the  discharge  of  the  duties  of  his  Mission,  his  conduct 
has  been  such  as  could  give  just  cause  of  offence  to  no  party.  As  for  the  last 
article  of  charge,  Mr.  Bass’s  readiness  to  observe  the  Days  appointed  as 
Public  Fasts,  the  fact  is  in  a  degree  true,  &  his  Parishioners  have  conceived 
him  justified,  as  a  Servant  of  the  Society,  in  so  doing.  Prayers  were  usually 
read  in  his  church  upon  those  occasions,  &  unless  this  had  been  done  the 
Church  must  have  been  broken  up  immediately.  Mr.  Bass  has  been  for  a  long 
time  here  in  the  service  of  the  Ven’ble  Society,  &  hath  sustained  many  of  the 
difficulties  connected  with  the  late  Revolution.  The  Annual  Allowance  of  the 
Ven’ble  Society  heretofore  was  the  principal  part  of  his  Living,  the  ability  of 
his  Parish  to  support  him,  instead  of  increasing,  hath  been  considerably  dimin¬ 
ished.  We  were  heretofore  greatly  relieved  by  the  assistance  of  the  Society, 
for  which  we  do  now  heartily  thank  them,  &  shall  ever  retain  a  grateful 
remembrance  of  their  goodness. 

If  in  bearing  testimony  to  the  above  stated  facts  we  can  remove  the  charges 
made  against  Mr.  Bass,  we  conceive  we  shall  serve  the  Ven’ble  Society,  who 
in  no  case  can  be  contented  under  a  false  information ;  and  to  the  end  they 
may  know  the  Truth  on  this  subject  of  their  faithful  servant,  Mr.  Bass,  we 
request  of  you,  Sir,  that  you  will  embrace  the  earliest  opportunity  to  commu¬ 
nicate  this  our  testimony  to  the  Ven’ble  Society. 

We  remain,  Sir,  with  all  due  respect  and  consideration, 

Your  very  humble  Servants, 

JOSEPH  CUTLER, 

LEWIS  JENKINS, 

Wardens  of  Sl.  Paul’s  Church, 

Newbury  Port,  New  England. 


639 


[1735- 


M\  BASS  to  the  Secretary. 


Newbury  Port,  New  England,  June  21st,  1784. 


Revd  D\, 

Presuming  that  you  are  not  at  liberty  to  answer  my  Letters  as  Secretary 
to  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel,  I  apply  myself  to  you  as  to 
a  private  Gentleman.  In  a  Letter  of  yours  which  I  have  seen  of  July  12, 
1782,  to  the  Revd  Mr.  Parker  of  Boston,  is  the  following  paragraph:  “I  had 
almost  forgotten  to  add  that  you  are  mistaken  about  Mr.  Bass ;  there  were 
sufficient  grounds  for  what  the  Society  have  done,  which  I  need  not  now 
explain,  but  only  assure  you  that  it  was  not  in  consequence  of  any  malicious 
reports  from  Enemies  to  him.”  Now,  Sir,  as  you  are  perfectly  acquainted 
with  the  grounds  of  the  Society’s  proceedings  against  me,  and  know  who  is 
my  accuser,  it  is  my  earnest  request  to  you  that  you  would  communicate 
these  things  to  me  which  I  wish  to  know  for  no  worse  purpose  than  to  be 
able  to  exculpate  myself  and  to  make  the  way  clear  for  a  settlement  should 
an  opportunity  offer  among  those  of  His  Majesty’s  subjects  with  whom  my 
character  now  labours  on  account  of  my  disgraceful  dismission  from  the 
Society’s  Service.  In  full  expectation  of  your  compliance  with  this  request, 

I  remain,  your  most  obed1  h’ble  Servant, 

EDWARD  BASS. 


The  Secretary  to  M’\  BASS. 


Feby  17,  1785. 

Revd  Sir, 

Mr.  Tracy  has  delivered  me  a  Letter  from  you  to  which  he  is  very  impor¬ 
tunate  for  an  answer.  The  only  answer  I  can  give  either  as  Secretary  or  as 
a  private  person  (in  which  latter  capacity  you  address  me)  is  that  your  affair 


1735-] 


640 


was  three  times  agitated  before  the  Society  at  the  request  of  some  Friends 
of  yours,  and  the  result  was  that  they  saw  no  reason  to  alter  their  first 
decision,  &  which  I  thought  Mr.  Hale,  who  pleaded  so  much  in  your  behalf, 
would  have  communicated  to  you. 

I  am,  Sir,  your  obed1  Serv\ 

W.  MORICE. 


NOTES  AND  ADDITIONAL  DOCUMENTS. 


Pp.  I-24. 

“The  Present  State  of  New  England’’  is  printed  in  Gov.  Hutchinson’s  “Collection  of 
Original  Papers  relative  to  the  History  of  the  Colony  of  Massachusetts-Bay”  (pp.  477-503  of 
the  Original  Edition,  8°,  Boston,  1769  ;  pp.  210-240  of  vol.  ii.  of  “The  Hutchinson  Papers,” 
published  by  the  “Prince  Society,”  in  40,  1865).  Several  verbal  discrepancies  occur  in  the 
various  copies,  that  which  is  found  in  this  volume  agreeing  quite  as  frequently  with  the 
amended  text  in  the  Prince  Society  reprint  as  that  which  appears  in  the  edition  of  1769. 
Dr.  O’ Callaghan,  who  reprints  a  portion  of  this  paper  in  the  New  York  Colonial  Documents 
(iii.  pp.  240-244),  from  a  manuscript  in  the  State  Paper  Office  in  London,  quotes  the  following 
paragraph  from  Chalmers’  “Political  Annals,”  p.  438,  with  reference  to  this  report:  “Chal¬ 
mers  says  that  Hutchinson  seemed  to  doubt  its  authenticity,  but  adds :  ‘  The  Lords  of  the 
Committee  of  Council  distrusting  Randolph’s  Reports,  because  they  appeared  so  extraordinary, 
sent  his  papers  to  Lord  Culpeper,  the  Governor  of  Virginia,  who  had  called  at  Boston  on  his 
voyage  to  England;’  who  answered,  in  August,  1681,  ‘I  have  perused  Mr.  Randolph’s  writ¬ 
ings  sent  me,  and,  during  my  stay  in  Boston,  did  hear  of  the  matters  of  fact  specified  therein.’  ” 
The  learned  editor  of  the  New  York  Colonial  Documents  notices  the  fact  alluded  to  above, 
that,  “  On  comparing  the  extracts  now  printed  with  the  corresponding  portions  in  Hutchinson, 
some  omissions  and  differences  will  be  discovered  in  the  latter.”  There  were  probably  several 
transcripts  of  the  original  paper  sent  over  to  England.  Mr.  Randolph’s  zeal  would  not  be 
likely  to  suffer  him  to  hazard  the  loss  of  so  important  a  document  for  want  of  a  sufficient  num¬ 
ber  of  copies  thereof. 

The  copyist  who  transcribed  the  MS.  examined  by  the  late  Rev.  Dr.  Hawks,  which  we  have 
followed  in  this  volume,  has  either  failed  to  decipher  certain  names  (as,  for  example,  that  of 
“Gooken,”  on  p.  6,  and  “Ipswich,”  on  p.  17),  or,  as  is  quite  likely,  the  manuscript  itself  was 
faulty  in  this  respect.  Similar  errors  appear  in  the  other  copies.  These  variations  are,  however, 
trifling,  and  in  no  respect  render  the  statements  ambiguous. 

pP-  25-3x- 

The  “  Short  Narrative”  referred  to  on  p.  24,  and  annexed  by  Randolph  to  his  “Present 
State  of  New  England,”  is  also  printed  in  Hutchinson’s  Original  Papers  (pp.  503-51 1,  edition 
of  1769;  pp.  240-248  of  vol.  ii.  of  the  Prince  Society  reprint). 

81 


642 


Pp-  3I_33- 

To  this  petition,  a  copy  of  which,  by  Secretary  Rawson,  is  in  the  library  of  the  Massa¬ 
chusetts  Historical  Society,  Hutchinson  appends  the  following  note  : 

“This,  I  have  no  doubt,  is  a  true  copy  of  a  petition,  which  appears  by  the  records  to  have 
been  presented  to  the  General  Court,  and,  if  it  had  been  presented  twenty  years  before,  the 
Court  would  have  made  the  petitioners  smart  for  their  intermeddling,  as  they  did  Child  and 
others.” — See  Mass.  History  [Hutchinson’s],  vol.  i.  p.  147;  Collection  of  Papers,  Original 
Edition,  p.  513;  Reprint,  ii.  251  (foot-note). 

pP-  33-39- 

The  following  papers  are  printed  in  the  order  in  which  they  appear  in  the  Hawks  MSS. 
and  transcripts.  The  heading,  “1676,”  is  retained,  not  as  indicating  their  dates,  which  range 
from  1664  to  1666,  but  as  the  date  of  the  preceding  papers,  to  which  they  were  appended,  and 
which  they'were  designed  to  corroborate  and  illustrate  as  well.  It  may  be  well  to  note  a  cleri¬ 
cal  error  on  p.  39,  where  the  date  in  the  sixth  line  should  be  “1666,”  in  place  of  “1660,”  as 
in  the  text. 

Pp-  39-53- 

The  “Account”  is  undoubtedly  from  the  pen  of  Edmund  Randolph.  It  bears  no  date, 
and  is  filed  among  the  Hawks  MSS.  under  the  year  “1676,”  which  is  the  date  assigned  to 
the  most  prominent  document  preceding  it.  It  was  evidently  written  about  the  close  of  the 
year  1689. 

Pp-  53-64- 

Agreeably  to  the  plan  of  producing  verbatim  et  literatim  the  transcripts  procured  abroad, 
the  chronological  heading  of  the  “Particular  Account,”  as  well  as  that  of  the  preceding  paper, 
has  been  retained,  although  the  document  should  properly  be  dated  “  1689.” 

For  further  accounts  of  this  notable  “revolution,”  and  the  various  statements  of  those 
who  were  favorably  or  unfavorably  disposed  toward  this  popular  rising,  the  reader  is  referred 
to  Hutchinson,  Palfrey,  Barry,  and  other  historians  of  Massachusetts,  and  particularly  to  the 
exhaustive  volume  of  the  “Andros  Tracts,”  published  by  the  Prince  Society,  and  edited,  with 
great  pains  and  impartiality,  by  William  H.  Whitmore,  Esq.  Force’s  Historical  Tracts,  vol. 
iv.,  may  also  be  profitably  consulted,  and,  for  additional  MS.  authorities,  the  New  York  Colo¬ 
nial  Documents,  vol.  iii. 

Before  leaving  this  portion  of  our  work,  it  will  be  well  to  append,  from  transcripts  made 
especially  for  this  volume,  from  the  original  MSS.  in  the  Bodleian  Library  at  Oxford,  additional 
papers  from  the  pen  of  the  indefatigable  Randolph,  which  cover  an  important  period  of  his 
residence  in  New  England,  and  illustrate  with  much  fulness  his  remarkable  career.  These 
MSS.,  which  incidentally  illustrate  the  early  history  of  the  Church  in  Boston,  contain  abundant 
evidences  of  the  bitterness  of  the  struggle  which  preceded  and  attended  the  “Revolution,” 
which  forms  so  important  an  epoch  in  the  annals  of  Massachusetts.  Even  when  not  directly 
bearing  upon  ecclesiastical  matters,  they  serve  to  throw  no  little  light  on  the  men  and  manners 
of  this  unquiet  time. 


643 


l 

[Tanner  MS.  xxxv.  f.  140.] 


Boston,  Decembr  11th,  1682. 

May  it  please  yob  Grace  : 

When  I  was  last  to  pay  my  duty  to  yor  grace,  I  did  promise  to  give  you  an  acc'  of  yc  genius 
&  Temper  of  yc  People  as  to  matters  of  Religion ;  &  I  find  not  only  in  this  Province,  but  also 
in  the  Massachusetts  governin'  where  I  have  had  opportunity  to  make  observations,  that  they 
are  wholly  averse  to  ye  discipline  of  ye  Church  of  England,  tho  it  hath  been  otherwise  repre¬ 
sented  by  Mr.  Mason,  who  hath  brought  over  Common-prayer  Bookes  from  my  Ld  Bishop  of 
London,  so  y'  I  can  give  no  Incouragem'  to  invite  an^Orthodox  Divine  to  come  Hither,  where 
both  maintenance  will  be  wanting,  and  he  would  be  otherwise  uneasy.  I  am  sorry  y'  I  am  able 
to  give  yor  Ldship  no  more  pleasing  an  acco'  concerning  them  ;  but  this  is  the  truth  of  ye  matter 
so  farre  as  I  can  Learn. 

I  am, 

Yor  Grace’s  most  Humble  &  obed'  servt, 

(No  Signature). 


[Tanner  MS.  xxxii.  f.  5.] 

A  short  account  of  present  state  of  New  Engd  : 

By  seuerall  grants  of  tracts  of  Land,  some  from  a  great  councill  appointed  by  King  James 
for  planting  and  setting  colonyes  in  New  Engd,  others  by  private  grants  ffrom  ye  Earle  of  War¬ 
wick  in  1643,  most  of  which  haue  a  confirmation  vnder  ye  great  Seale  in  King  Charles  y°  first  & 
this  Kings  Reigne,  New  Engd  is  devided  into  7  small  colonyes  or  Gouernm'8,  at  present  man¬ 
aged  by  men  of  weake  &  inconsiderable  parts :  most  of  them  hauing  different  Lawes  &  methods 
of  executing  them.  They  are  devided  into  Presbyterians,  independants,  anabptists,  quakers, 
seauenth  day  men  :  who  are  some  of  them  in  all  goverm'8 :  such  of  the  Church  of  England  tho 
the  cheife  men  and  of  good  parts  not  appearing  soe  till  a  regulation  in  governm*  from  hence 
directed.  Our  cheife  colony  is  that  of  Boston,  made  so  by  a  continuall  concourse  of  people 
from  all  parts ;  they  driue  a  great  trade  in  ye  world,  and  in  deed  give  Lawes  to  all  the  rest  : 
here  all  is  managed  by  their  clergye,  without  whom  the  magistrates  venture  not  to  act,  as  in  the 
late  example  of  this  gov'  upon  receipt  of  his  ma'ies  letter,  etc. 

Here  noe  children  are  baptized  but  the  children  of  Church  members  :  some  give  a  larger 
latitude  and  admitt  the  gran-children  of  C.  members,  others  the  children  of  such  who  own  the 
church  and  promise  to  Hue  vnder  their  watch. 

But  none  in  any  of  the  colonyes  are  admitted  to  the  Eucharist  but  as  are  in  full  communion. 

All  are  obliged,  by  one  way  or  other  to  maintaine  the  ministry :  some  by  weekly  contribu¬ 
tion  in  their  meeting  houses :  Anabaptists  and  Quakers  pay  not  vnder  that  notion  but  are  rated 
in  towne  rates,  which  also  is  really  for  that  intent. 


A  letter  from  Edmund  Randolph  to  the  Lord  Bishop  of  London,  under  date  of  May  29,  1682,  and  alluding 
to  the  want  of  ministers  “  to  perform  the  offices  of  the  Church  with  us,”  will  be  found  in  Hutchinson’s  Collec¬ 
tion  of  papers  (pp.  531-534,  Org.  Ed.;  pp.  271-274  of  vol.  ii.  of  the  Prince  Society’s  reprint).  Another,  dated 
July  14th  of  the  same  year,  alludes  to  the  report  that  “  his  lordship  hath  remembered  us,”  as  giving  “  great  satisfac¬ 
tion  to  many  hundreds  whose  children  are  not  baptized,  and  to  as  many  who  never,  since  they  came  out  of  England, 
received  the  sacrament  ”  (Ibid.  p.  539;  Reprint,  ii.  p.  2S0). 


644 


In  Road  Island  is  noe  meeting  house  built  noe  children  baptized,  nor  indeed  any  governP : 
Juries  in  civill  affaires,  not  swearing  but  professing  to  act  according  to  evidence  &  the  Lawes  of 
the  colony,  and  according  to  the  directions  of  their  own  conscience  (their  Lawes  are  not  printed 
nor  known  to  be  other  then  opportunity  or  interest  allowes).  In  all  the  colonyes  there  are  by  farr 
more  men  women  and  children  unbaptized,  for  ye  reasons  aforesd.  Since  my  being  amongst  them 
of  Boston,  I  find  them  willing  to  admitt  of  a  minister  to  baptize  &  administer  the  sacram1  which 
thing  duly  considered  its  not  in  their  election,  ffor  besides  the  many  forfeitures  of  their  charter 
(granted  by  K.  Charles  the  first)  even  to  this  day  :  their  sitting  and  acting  as  a  governm1  in 
New  Engl4  doth  absolutely  destroy  their  charter :  for  they  were  by  that  constituted  a  body 
Politick  and  to  act  here  in  Engd  (as  for  some  yeares  after  ye  first  charter  they  did),  as  now 
the  African  and  Bermodoe  companyes  now  doe.  All  which  they  now  well  vnderstand  &  expect 
his  Matie  will  exert  his  authority  there  by  his  gouernor  ;  that  power  upon  their  ffailer  being  soly 
invested  in  ye  King.  A  gour  will  be  well  receiued,  and  haue  an  honourable  subsistence  from 
the  country,  and  noe  charge  to  ye  king.  Butt  aboue  all,  its  very  necessary  that  his  Maties  sub¬ 
jects  should  not  be  debarred  the  vse  of  the  sacraments, — which  onely  will  be  supplyed  by 
sending  ouer  disirable  gent,  who  will  find  encouragem1  from  many  by  Baptizing,  Marriing  & 
Burialls,  etc. 

Butt  that  they  may  not  depend  vpon  uncertaintyes  its  to  be  desired  that  his  Matie  in  councill 
would  order  a  survey  of  the  money  gathered  in  ye  yeare  1642  by  a  patent,  and  now  managed 
by  the  HonWe  Mr.  Boyle,  Ld  Alglicye,  etc,  which  did  before  the  fire  in  London  amount  to 
yearely  nigh  1000  £  p  an.  but  since  to  5  or  600 This  is  called  the  stock  for  evangelizing 
Indians.  But  in  truth  the  money  is  bestowed  upon  some  in  ye  magistracy,  others  in  ye  min¬ 
istry,  rather  as  pension  then  any  other  publick  good  work  proceeding  from  that  charge  Chris¬ 
tians  becoming  heathens,  whilst  endeavours  are  pretended  to  convert  ye  Infidells. 

Its  therefore  for  rectifiing  so  notorious  an  errour,  humbly  prayd  that  ye  Ld  Anglycy  etc.  doe 
approve  of  &  allow  two  able  gent,  at  least  recommended  by  my  Lord  of  London  to  be  sent 
over,  and  to  have  100^  a  year  paid  out  of  that  stock. 

And  that  Mr.  Thomas  Graves,  formerly  fellow*  of  their  colledge  in  Cambridge  (a  man  of 
great  Learning  &  worth),  putt  out  because  he  would  not  publickly  disown  the  Church  of  Engd  be 
againe  restored  by  his  Ma“es  Mandamus,  and  that  an  exhibition  of  2>°£  be  yearely  paid  him 
(with  the  character  of  his  MaUes  Divinity  lecturer)  out  of  Ld  Anglices  stock,  etc. 

ED.  RANDOLPH. 

If  it  be  directed  from  his  Matie  in  Councill  that  none  shall  pay  by  rate  or  otherwise  to  their 
minister,  who  will  not  at  least  baptize  their  children,  it  will  bring  many  about  in  remote 
places  where  their  maintenance  doth  yearely  arise  by  rate  or  composition.  As  to  reducing  the 
Boston  Gov1  to  his  Malies  obedience  a  writt  of  Quo  Warrt0  brought  agst  them  by  ye  atturney 
gen11  will  soon  bring  them  all  to  a  full  complyance.  If  that  will  not  doe  his  Maties  declaring 
them  to  be  out  of  his  protection  will  bring  them  in  with  a  witnes. 


*  Thomas  Graves,  A.M.,  was  graduated  in  the  year  1656,  and  in  the  College  Triennials  he  is  noted  as  “  Socius.” 
“  For  more  than  half  a  century,  the  tutors,  who  with  the  President,  conducted  the  instruction  and  immediate  gov¬ 
ernment,  were  called  ‘Fellows  of  the  College’  ”  (Constitution  of  the  University,  quoted  in  Pierce’s  Hist,  of  Har¬ 
vard  University,  p.  25).  Neither  Quincy  nor  Pierce  allude  to  the  dismissal  of  Mr.  Graves. 


645 

[Tanner  MS.  xxxii.  f.  4.] 

March  26th,  1684. 

My  Lord  : 

I  humbly  remind  yr  grace  to  speak  to  Mr.  Soliciter  Gen"  about  ye  Patent  for  evangelizing 
Indians,  some  tyme  since  left  with  him  by  your  grace  and  my  L.  of  London  to  have  his 
opinion  vpon  it.  Its  questioned  by  some  wheither  the  Commissioners  for  inspecting  money 
giuen  for  charitable  vses  may  not  require  an  account  how  that  Company  haue  for  these  many 
yeares  last  past  disposed  of  that  publick  stock.  I  am, 

Your  Graces 

most  dutyfull  servt, 

ED.  RANDOLPH. 


[Tanner  MS.  xxxii.  ff.  1,  2.] 

A  generall  account  granted  to  ye  govr  &  company  erected  in  Enga  for  evangelizing  Indians  in 
New  Engd : 

About  ye  yeare  1643,  letters  patents  were  granted  to  ye  Ld  Warwick,  &  other  factious  lords, 
as  also  to  Hugh  Peters,  Goodwin,  Oliver  Cromwell,  Cornelius  Holland,  &  other  seditious  com¬ 
moners  to  the  number  of  18,  with  power  to  collect  money  all  ouer  England,  &  dispose  of 
y‘  money.  Accordingly  great  sums  of  money  were  collected,  &  imployed  by  Commissioners 
in  New  Engd,  nominated,  placed  &  displaced  by  ye  said  Govr  &  Company.  See  the  ordinance 
of  Parlm*  in  Rushworth’s  Collections,  1643.  Upon  his  late  Maties  Restauration  the  Patent  was 
renewed  with  enlargement  of  powers,  &  some  members  of  the  former  company  kept  in,  Mr. 
Boyle  being  by  ye  late  Lord  Clarendon  made  governr,  etc.,  &  Mr.  Ashirst  made  treasurer. 

By  these  Letters  Patents,  the  Lord  Chancellour  for  ye  tyme  being  has  power  to  inspect  and 
call  to  account  that  Govr  and  Company,  who  are  made  accountable  from  tyme  to  tyme  to  his 
Lords",  for  all  their  revennues,  and  how  employed,  etc.,  as  by  the  Letters  Patents  kept  in  ye  Plan¬ 
tation  office  doe  at  large  appeare. 

There  was  formerly  belonging  to  this  Company  800  or  1000^  p.  and  as  I  have  been  cred¬ 
ibly  informed.  They  were  wont  to  send  the  yearely  produce  of  this  estate  to  New  Engd,  to 
be  disposed  of  as  their  trustees  there  thought  ffitt,  &  to  be  accountable  to  ye  Govr  and  Com¬ 
pany. 

Great  part  of  this  estate,  as  I  haue  been  told,  was  in  houses  which  were  burnt  down  in  ye 
fire  in  London,  so  that  their  revennue  is  lesned  aboue  halfe,  if  not  more. 

Now  instead  of  sending  money  to  N.  Engd,  they  draw  money  yearely  from  thence,  wher  tis 
said  they  have  above  2,000^  at  interest. 

I  could  never  inform  myself  of  any  account  that  has  been  given  of  this  money  since  his 
Maj18  restauration  :  the  Ld  ChanclP  Notingham  intended  it,  but  was  prevented  by  the  vnhappy 
troubles  in  Eng4.  I  was  ordered  to  attend  his  Lords"  but  was  hindred  by  a  suddain  voyage  to 
N.  Engd. 


Randolph’s  scheme  for  appropriating  the  funds  collected  for  evangelizing  the  Indians  toward  the  support  of 
Church  of  England  clergy  in  New  England  had  been  suggested  by  him  again  and  again  ( Vide  Hutchinson’s  Col¬ 
lection  of  Papers,  p.  531  (ii.  p.  271),  and  Quincy’s  History  of  Harvard  University,  i.  pp.  353-355). 


646 


It  did  in  former  tymes  cost  y°  Company  yearely  in  money  &  Goods  above  100^  to  translate 
into  ye  Indian  language  some  of  ye  Ranters  pamphlets.  These  are  committed  to  ye  custody  of 
Rigid  Independent  ministers  under  ye  name  of  Indian  ministers,  and  have  a  yearely  salary.  They 
have  the  disposing  these  bookes  to  ye  Indians,  but  the  whole  design  tends  more  to  ye  encourage- 
m*  of  ill  ministers  then  beneficiall  to  ye  poor  Indians. 

Its  humbly  proposed 

That  a  commission  be  directed  to  examine  and  inspect  yc  stock  and  revennue  here  in  Eng4. 

To  be  informed  how  ye  money  drawn  from  N.  Eng4  is  employed  here  at  home. 

To  know  what  stock  they  have  in  N.  Eng4,  to  inspect  the  accounts  of  their  Trustees  there, 
and  to  know  in  whose  hands  it  now  is  lodg4. 

Names  of  gent,  in  New  Eng4  to  be  putt  into  the  Commission  of  Enquiry : 

Fitz-John  Winthrop,  Waite  Winthrop,  Richard  Wharton,  Sammuell  Shrimpton,  John  Vsher, 
Nicholas  Paige,  Sampson  Sheafe,  Humphry  Lyscomb,  ffrancis  Brenley,  Benjamin  Church,  and 
Thomas  Savage,  or  any  7,  to  sitt  in  Boston  ;  power  to  send  for  all  persons  concernd  and  their 
books  ;  to  administer  oathes,  etc. 

And  if  the  act  for  charitable  uses  may  extend  to  N.  Eng4  ’twere  fitt  they  were  likewise 
impowerd  to  examine  and  report  the  foundation  of  Harvard  Colledg  in  Cambridg,  in  New 
Eng4,*  and  to  call  to  account  Mr.  Thomas  Danforth,  now  or  lately  treasurer  of  that  Colledge, 
and  other  preceding  treasurers  &  Trustees  for  that  Colledge. 

All  which  is  humbly  submitted  by 

E.  R. 

[Tanner  MS.  xlviii.  ff.  98,  99.] 

An  Abstract  of  the  Patent  for  propagation  of  the  Gospell  in  New  England. 
Charles  the  24,  &c. 

To  all  whom,  &c. 

Whereas,  by  the  Industry  of  severall  Ministers  residing  in  New  England, 
who  haue  attained  the  knowledge  of  the  Indian  Language,  Many  of  the 
Natiues  haue  beene  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  the  true  God  and  the  profes¬ 
sion  of  the  Protestant  Religion.  And  to  the  end  prouission  may  bee  made 
for  the  educating,  cloathing,  and  Instructing  the  Natiues,  &  for  Support  of 
Ministers,  Schoole-Masters,  &c.,  for  that  purpose, 

And  that  our  Subjects  there  may  haue  power  to  order  and  dispose  of 
money,  goods,  Lands,  etc.,  to  that  use, 

Know  yee  that  wee  doe  ordaine  that  there  bee,  and  shall  bee  ever  here¬ 
after  Resident  here  in  England,  a  Company  for  the  Propagation  of  the 
Gospell  in  New  England  and  parts  adjacent  in  America.  And  wee  do  appoint 
Edward,  Earl  of  Clarendon,  Lord  Chancel1  of  England,  Thomas,  Earl  of 


*  Fears  of  a  manipulation  of  the  Puritan  College  of  New  England,  so  as  to  make  it  auxiliary  to  the  growth  of 
the  Church  of  England,  were  possibly  the  occasion  of  the  discourtesy  shown  to  the  Rev.  Robert  Ratcliffe,  on  his 
attendance  at  Commencement  in  1686  (Quincy’s  Hist.  i.  58,  59),  and  are  again  and  again  referred  to  in  the  history 
of  the  College  already  quoted  [Ibid.  pp.  154,  155). 


Preamble. 


A  company  to  re¬ 
side  in  Eng™  for  y* 
propagat"  of  yc  Gos¬ 
pell  in  N.  England. 

Members.  The 
Company’s  names. 


647 


Southampton,  Lord  High  Treasurer  of  England,  John,  Ld  Roberts,  Ld  Privy 
seal,  &c.,  to  be  memb™  of  the  said  Company. 

And  that  the  said  Edward,  Earl  of  Clarendon,  &c,  &  their  success™  chosen 
vnto  the  said  Company  in  such  manner  as  is  hereafter  directed,  shall  be  a 
body  corporate  and  Politick  for  ever,  by  the  name  of  the  Company  for 
propagating  the  Gospell  in  New  England,  and  the  parts  adjacent  in  New 
England,  America,  To  meet  together  within  the  Citty  of  London  as  occasion 
shall  require  for  the  ends  aforesaid. 

And  they  haue  power  by  that  name  to  purchase  or  receive  Lands  in  flee 
or  for  other  Estate  in  England,  or  elsewhere  within  our  Dominions  (the 
Statute  of  Mortmaine  notwithstanding),  to  the  cleare  yearly  vallue  of  two 
thousand  pound. 

And  also  all  goods,  chatties,  moneys,  etc”.  And  also  to  giue,  grant,  etc”, 
any  of  the  Lords,  etc”,  &  all  personne,  any  other  Lawful  acts,  etc”.  And 
further  to  plead  and  bee  impleaded,  etc”. 

And  they  shall  haue  a  comon  seal  to  use  for  all  causes,  matters,  etc”,  which 
any  13  of  them,  the  Governour  being  one,  may  alter  and  make  new,  as  they 
shall  think  fitt. 

And  one  of  the  Members  of  the  said  Company  shall  be  Governour  thereof, 
so  Long  as  hee  shall  behaue  himselfe  well. 

And  hee  shall  summons  them  to  meet  as  oft  as  occasion  shall  require. 

And  wee  appoint  Robert  Boyle  to  bee  the  present  GovQr. 

And  upon  death  or  removall  of  the  Governour  for  the  time  being,  by  any 
13  of  them,  Any  13  of  the  said  Comp7  may  ellect  another  into  the  place  of 
the  said  Governr  so  remoued. 

In  the  Governour’s  absence,  the  Treasurer  may  sumons  the  Company,  any 

5  whereof  may  appoint  one  of  their  members  to  preside  in  that  said  meeting. 

Any  13  of  the  Company  (the  Governour  being  one)  may  discharge  or 
remoue  any  member,  as  also  they  may  admitt  any  Member,  prouided  the 
number  of  the  Members  of  the  said  Company  exceed  not  45  in  all. 

Any  13  of  the  said  Company  (the  Gouernour  being  one)  may  ellect  one  of 
their  Members  to  bee  Treasr.  They  may  also  ellect  a  fitt  person  to  bee  their 
Clerk,  and  they  may  appoint  other  such  officers  as  they  shall  think  conue- 
nient,  and  appoint  them  such  reasonable  salaries  as  they  shall  think  fitt.  And 
the  said  Treasurer,  Clerk,  &  other  Officers  may  be  removed,  and  others  chosen 
by  any  9  of  the  Company. 

Any  9  of  the  said  Company  (the  Govern1'  being  one)  may  make  such  Acts, 
Orders,  Instructions,  and  Constitutions  as  they  shall  think  fitt,  for  the  Regula¬ 
tion  of  the  said  Comp7  and  the  perticuler  officers  thereof,  &  the  same  may  alter 

6  make  new  as  they  shall  think  meete,  prouided  the  same  bee  conformable  to 
the  Lawes  of  England. 

Neuertheless,  the  Gouernr  &  any  fiue  haue  power  upon  any  vrgent  occa¬ 
sions  to  allow  of  any  expences  for  the  meeting  of  the  said  Company. 


Company  Consti¬ 
tuted. 


To  meet  in  Lon¬ 
don. 


By  their  name, 
Receiue  grant, 
plead  &  be  implead¬ 
ed. 


A  Seal.  Thirteen 
a  Quorum. 


A  Gouernour. 


To  call  them  to¬ 
gether. 

Name. 

Removall  &  El- 
lection  of  Gov™  in 
any  13  of  ye  Com- 
Pr- 


Treasr  to  sumons 
in  the  Gov™  ab¬ 
sence.  Five  may 
Ellect  a  Govr  pro 
tempore. 

They  may  re¬ 
moue,  discharge,  or 
admitt  Memb™,  the 
number  not  to  ex¬ 
ceed  45. 

A  Quorum  may 
Elect  a  Treasr,  A 
Clerk,  &  other  of¬ 
ficers,  and  appoint 
salarys ;  may  dis 
place  y6  Treasr, 
Clerk,  &  officers, 
and  appoint  others. 


Nine  may  make 
laws  for  y®  Comp. 
&  particul'  officers 
thereof,  &  alter  y* 
same,provided  they 
bee  conformable  to 
y*  Laws  of  Eng¬ 
land. 


648 


To  impow'  com- 
iss,s  to  agree  for 
salaries  &  allow¬ 
ances  to  Minist., 
school  mast'8,  etc». 


To  buy  Bookes, 
tooles,  &c. 


To  obserue  or¬ 
ders  from  the  Gov' 
and  9  of  the  Com- 
isr". 

And  give  account 
of  their  proceedings 
as  required  by  the 
Gov'  &  9  of  y® 
Compr. 

To  transport  each 
year  i,ooo">  in  for- 
reign  coine,  pro- 
uida  it  be  first  en- 
terd  in  y®  Custom 
house  book.  The 
Ld  Chancel',  Ld 
Treas',  &  Cheif 
Baron  to  call  the 
Compr  to  account 
yearly,  the  account 
to  be  allowed  by 
any  two. 


To  remaine  in  ye 
Excheq'.  No  fee 
to  officer  of  ye  Ex¬ 
cheq'. 


The  Gouernour,  or  any  13  of  the  said  Company,  may  vnder  their  seal 
appoint  Comissrs  resideing  in  the  said  Colonyes,  or  parts  adjacent  in  America, 
for  them  to  treat  and  agree  with  Ministers,  Schoole  Masters,  etc.a,  to  recide  in 
the  parts  aforesaid,  for  such  Salaries  and  allowances  to  bee  paid  them  for 
their  paines,  etc%  in  the  Ciuilizeing,  teaching,  and  instructing  the  Natiues  in 
the  true  Religion  &  Morality,  in  the  English  toung,  and  in  the  liberall  Arts 
&  Sciences,  as  also  in  educating  &  placeing  their  children  in  some  trade  or 
Lawfull  calling,  and  also  to  buy  Books,  Tooles,  and  other  Implements  neces¬ 
sary  for  the  same,  And  for  payments  of  such  sallaryes,  allowances,  and  expences 
aforesaid,  And  to  do  any  other  acts  according  to  the  orders  or  Instructions  of 
their  said  Commissions  or  orders,  from  time  to  time  sent  from  the  Governr  or 
any  nine  of  the  said  Company,  which  said  Commissrs  shall  from  time  to  time 
give  an  account  of  their  proceedings,  as  they  shall  be  required  from  the  said 
Governr  or  any  nine  of  the  said  Company. 

The  Company  haue  power  to  transport  yearly  the  sume  of  i,ooolb  in 
forreign  Coine  to  New  England,  from  any  Ports  in  England,  prouided  the 
seuerall  sums  bee  first  enterd  in  the  Custome  house  bookes. 

And  the  said  Company  shall  yearly  (if  thereunto  required  by  the  Ld  Chan¬ 
cell1'  or  Ld  Keeper,  the  Ld  Treasurer  and  the  Cheife  Baron  of  the  Excheq., 
or  any  two  of  them)  giue  a  true  and  perfect  account  att  Westminster  to  them, 
or  any  two  of  them,  of  the  goods,  chattells,  Stock,  and  Reuenue  of  the  said 
Compy ;  which  said  account,  as  also  the  Accounts  of  persons  heretofore 
imployed  for  propagating  the  Gospell  in  N.  England,  The  Ld  Chancellr,  &c., 
haue  power  to  alio-  .  .  .  [mutilated]  .  .  .  &c.,  vnder  the  hands  of 
them,  or  any  of  them,  to  bee  deliuered,  to  remaine  as  of  Record  in  our 
Excheq.,  without  any  fee  to  bee  paid  for  ye  same,  except  for  the  Entry 
writing  thereof. 

That  this  Patent  shall  bee  good  in  Law,  &  taken  beneficially  for  the 
Comp7  in  all  our  Courts,  &c. 

Giuen,  &c.,  7  febr.,  1662. 


[Tanner  MS.  xxxiv.  f.  82.] 

May  it  please  your  Grace, 

Forasmuch  as  vpon  the  newes  of  the  Quo  Warrt0  against  New  England,  some  malicious 
people  may  be  apt  to  infuse  false  &  seditious  insinuations  into  the  minds  of  the  people  touching 
His  Maties  Pleasure  of  the  necessary  settlements  of  that  Country,  and  bringing  the  people  to  an 
imediate  dependence  vpon  the  Crown. 

It’s  humbly  proposed  that  some  Declaration  from  His  Maty  of  their  liberties  and  properties 
being  preserved  vnto  them  vpon  this  change  of  governmt,  whereby  the  people  will  be  easily 
induced  to  surrender  their  Charter,  or  to  submit  to  such  regulations  &  limitations  of  their 
Charter  as  His  Maty  shall  prescribe,  &  that  in  order  herevnto  some  person  may  be  imediately 
appointed  to  carry  over  such  Declaration,  woh  the  Quo  Warrt0  (as  hath  been  formerly  done  vpon 


649 


vacating  the  Originall  Charter),  and  that  some  small  Frigott  may  be  ordered  to  attend  that 
Service.  I  am  certainly  informed  that  ye  “Maremaid”  Frigott  is  suddainly  bound  for 
Barbados.  It  will  not  bee  above  a  fortnight’s  sayle  out  of  her  way  to  touch  at  Boston  &  carry 
over  the  person  appointed  by  his  Maty,  wch  will  give  a  great  credit  to  the  whole  business. 

July  ii,  1683. 


[Tanner  MS.  xxxii.  f.  122.] 

Aug‘  23,  1684. 

May  it  please  your  Grace, 

Such  has  been  my  continued  zeale  to  settle  his  Matie's  affaires  in  N.  Engd,  that  I  haue  thereby 
raised  myselfe  many  enemys  here  in  London,  who,  by  their  false  reports,  that  I  haue  gott  a 
great  estate  in  his  Matie’3  Seruice,  haue  invited  an  Anabaptist  at  Deale  to  bring  an  Action  of 
125^  principle  money  ag‘  me:  for  which  I  was  engaged  nigh  14  yeares  ago  :  and  the  plaintiffe 
knew  that  by  force  I  had  lost  aboue  1,000^,  and  had  the  remainder  of  my  estate,  nigh  1,130^ 
more,  swepd  away  by  being  further  engaged  for  a  very  vnjust  brother-in-law,  &  neuer  intended 
to  sue  me  for  it.  It  is  not  vnknown  to  your  Grace  that  I  was  sent  for  by  an  Order  of  the  Lords 
of  ye  Committee  for  Trade  (your  Grace  being  present,  as  I  remember)  to  prosecute  a  Quo 
Warrt0  ag‘  ye  Boston  charter :  that  immediately  I  exposed  myself  to  ye  Dangers  of  ye  seas, 
leaving  my  family  &  small  estate  in  Boston  to  attend  here  his  Matie’s  Commands.  I  haue 
remaining  due  to  me  aboue  400^  vpon  account  in  ye  Treasury,  and  hoped  vpon  my  petition  to 
haue  some  money  allowed  me :  but  wanting  that  supply,  I  still  lye  vnder  a  very  chargeable 
confinement,  which  will  speedily  ruine  me  &  overthrow  his  Matie's  intentions  to  reduce  that 
whole  plantation  to  the  rules  of  governm4 ;  in  regard  I  have  no  visible  estate  in  Engd,  &  so 
cannot  procure  Baile  to  the  Action,  as  is  expected. 

Yesterday  a  Gent,  condoling  my  unhappy  condition,  offered  me  50^,  to  be  deposited  in 
the  hand  of  the  Sheri  ffe,  as  Caution  for  my  liberty  till  ye  next  Term  begins,  and  that  loan  will 
be  then  duely  returned  to  those  concernd.  I  humbly  submitt  myselfe  to  your  Grace’s  favour, 
intreating  that  your  Grace  will  please  to  promote  so  Christian  a  proposall,  that  others  of  the 
Lords  of  his  MatIes  Councill  being  encouraged  by  your  Grace’s  example,  in  a  few  dayes  make 
that  money  vp  220^6,  &  if  your  Grace  think  not  fitt  to  haue  your  money  in  the  Sheriff’s  hands, 
I  shall  desire  Mr.  Povey,  of  the  Plantation  Office,  to  reserue  it  in  Bank  for  my  liberty  &  your 
Grace’s  vse  againe.  My  Lord,  This  present  advance  will  be  of  greater  benefitt  to  me  then 
aboue  twise  as  much  given  me  at  Mich.,  for  this  is  the  tyme  of  my  extreamity,  &  I  shal 
be  thereby  enabled  to  solicite  the  procuring  my  money  in  the  Treasury.  I  haue  desired  Dr. 
Morice  to  lett  me  know  your  Grace’s  intentions  herein,  and  humbly  subscribe,  in  all  Duty, 
your  Grace’s  most  dutyfull  &  most  obedient  seru‘, 


82 


ED.  RANDOLPH. 


650 


[Tanner  MS.  xxxi.  f.  7.] 

Whitehall,  March  28,  1685. 

My  Lord, 

In  obedience  to  your  Lords5’3  desires  I  inclose  abstracts  of  letters  of  lately  receiued  from 
the  cheife  of  late  Magistrates  in  Boston.  They  are  all  of  good  estates  at  home,  &  of  known 
creditt  at  Court,  by  which  you  may  easily  see  the  unhappy  condition  that  country  are  now 
brought  into  by  the  obstinate  resolutions  of  some  few  zealous  persons  who  haue  (by  the  artifice 
of  s  or  6  of  their  high  independent  ministers)  lately  gott  the  sole  manage4  of  their  governm4, 
turning  out  Mr.  Stoughton,  Dudley,  &  Bulkley  (mentioned  in  Mr.  Wharton’s  letter)  for  per- 
swading  ye  people  to  submitt  to  his  Matie’s  Declaration,  etc.,  and  they  most  justly  deserue  to  be 
discountenanced  &  made  vncapable  of  euer  engaging  in  any  publick  busines,  being  so  like  our 
late  sequestrators  in  zeale  and  ignorance,  that  nothing  but  the  tyme  &  place  makes  the  differ¬ 
ence  ;  those  haue  been  so  vilye  arbitrary  in  abusing  the  Inhabitants,  That  the  worse  of  ye  ffrench 
Pesants  haue  in  comparison  liued  easily.  And,  my  Lord,  the  present  state  of  that  Country  is 
in  most  ill  circumstances,  very  like  that  of  England  at  the  tyme  of  his  late  Mat0'3  happy  restaura- 
tion ;  and  I  can  confidently  averr,  That  the  most  &  best  part  of  the  Inhabitants  groaning  vnder 
aboue  30  yeare’s  oppression  will  as  much  rejoice  vpon  ye  hopes  of  liberty  as  wee  did  here.  But 
in  regard  of  the  late  Indian  warr,  &  3  great  fires  in  Boston,  by  which  New  Engd  has  (since  my 
first  going  ouer)  lost  above  50,000^,  &  with  the  decay  of  their  trade  ffurs  &  ffishing  occasioned 
by  the  French  in  our  neighbourhood  they  are  generally  miserably  poor,  so  that  whoeuer  goes  ouer 
gour  with  expectation  to  make  his  ffortunes  will  disserue  his  MaUe,  disappoint  himselfe,  and  vtterly 
ruine  that  country.  My  Lord,  this  I  speak  vpon  my  own  knowledge,  and  offer  it  the  rather 
because  ’tis  the  interest  of  the  Crown  to  keep  vp  those  inhabitants  after  they  haue  submitted  to 
his  matie’s  regulation,  for  they  are  a  great  body  of  people,  sober  &  industrious,  &  in  tyme  of 
warr  able  to  driue  the  French  out  of  all  their  American  dominions,  &  be  a  good  defence  & 
releife  to  all  his  Matie’3  forain  Plantations.  There  is  one  thing  has  fallen  out  lately  amongst  them 
very  unluckely  for  his  Matie’s  seruice,  which  is  the  sending  ouer  Mr.  Cranfield  to  be  gouernor  of 
the  Province  of  New  Hampshire,  who,  by  his  Arbitrary  proceedings,  has  so  harrased  that  poore 
people,  That  altho’  they  had  cause  to  complain  of  the  hard  vsage  of  the  Boston  govr  (vnder 
whom  they  lately  were),  &  prayed  his  Matie  to  take  them  from  that  yoak,  yett  they  haue  greater 
reason  now  to  pray  an  alteration,  &  wish  againe  to  be  vnder  the  Bostoners ;  for  Mr.  Cranfield 
has  quite  ruined  that  place,  &  his  open  immorality,  as  well  in  Boston,  where  he  hired  a  house, 
&  told  them  he  had  assurance  of  that  Gour  vpon  the  vacating  their  charter,  has  rendered  his 
Matie’s  Gouerm*  very  contemptible,  &  was  one  great  reason  why  the  Bostoners  did  not  submitt 
vpon  my  last  going  ouer,  and  should  a  gou1'  go  ouer  who  will  tread  in  Mr.  Cranfield’s  steps,  or 
do  worse  things,  if  possible,  It  will  cool  the  inclinations  of  good  men,  and  make  them  take  the 
first  occasion  to  free  themselves;  besides,  ’twill  aboue  all  greatly  reflect  vpon  our  church  to 
haue  men  of  ill  principles  &  debauch  lives  appeare  as  the  promoters  of  that  religion  they  so 
much  dishonour  in  their  conversations.  I  am  well  assured  that  they  will  easily,  vpon  grant  of 
a  gen11  Pardon,  liberty  of  conscience,  &  confirmation  of  property,  be  ready  to  subscribe  to 
any  conditions  his  Matie  shall  bee  pleased  to  propose ;  and  a  prudent,  sober  Gent,  sent  their 
gour  will  be  very  acceptable  to  the  people,  which  is  the  only  way  to  preserue  them  from  Ruine. 


I  intreat  your  Lordsp  to  pardon  my  hasty  lines,  &  to  giue  me  leaue  to  say  that  I  am,  in  all 
duty, 

Your  Lords'1'8 

most  obedient  & 

most  humble  seru‘, 

ED.  RANDOLPH. 

My  Lord, 

I  yesterday  gaue  my  Ld  Clarendon  an  abstract  of  the  Letters,  with  one  originall,  which  I 
had  not  time  to  transcribe.  I  hope,  when  his  Matie  is  made  sensible  that  there  is  more  need  of 
a  prudent  man  to  reconcile  than  of  a  hott,  heady,  passionate  souldier  to  force,  that  the  Gent, 
vnder  present  thought  may  be  designed  for  a  Service  more  proper  for  his  qualifications.  I 
would  be  glad  I  might  haue  liberty  to  inform  his  Matie  the  truth  &  present  state  of  his  subjects 
in  N.  E. 


My  Lord, 

The  sooner  yr  Lordsp  pleases  to  communicat  the  inclosed  to  ye  Lords  yr  Lordsp  mentioned 
the  better.  It’s  great  pitty,  &  lookes  like  injustice,  that  a  great  country  of  good  subjects 
should  not  haue  some  tyme  of  tryall  before  they  are  all  at  once  condemned  to  the  passione  & 
avarice  of  an  unreasonabl  man. 

To  My  lord  of  St.  Asaph. 


[Tanner  MS.  xxxi.  f.  6.] 

An  abstract  of  Letters  sent  me  from  Boston  since  the  notice  of  the  vacating  of  their 
charter.* 

Lfrom  Symon  Bradstreat,  'i 
Governor  at  Boston,  8  Decl)r,  1684.  ) 

I  am  afraid  (by  what  I  heare)  that,  by  this  tyme,  some  JudgnP  is  passed  against  our  charter, 
but  if  his  Matie  would  be  graciously  pleased,  out  of  his  Princely  clemency,  to  pardon  what  is 
past,  &  to  continue  the  gount  here  in  such  a  way  as  is  intimated  in  his  Maties  gracious 
declaration,  to  which  myselfe  &  seuerall  of  ye  Magistrates  voted  a  submission,  I  doubt  not  but 
it  would  conduce  as  much  to  his  Matie's  honour,  dignity,  profitt  &  satisfaction  as  ye  sending  ouer 
a  gour,  which  would  be  very  chargeable,  &  ye  people  here,  you  know,  are  generally  very  poore, 
vnlesse  some  few  in  Boston,  &  most  of  them  not  so  rich  as  they  are  thought  to  bee.  The  warr 
w*11  the  Indians  &  late  great  fires  haue  much  impoverished  this  country,  &  the  unprofitableness 
of  trade  euerywhere  doth  much  discourage.  ...  I  hope,  amongst  all  the  faults  wee  are  or  may 
be  charged  with,  the  seruice  wee  haue  done  his  Matie  in  subduing  &  securing  with  ye  expence  of 
so  much  bloud  &  treasure,  so  larg  a  tract  of  Land  annexed  to  ye  Crowne  of  Enga  will  not  be 
wholy  forgotten.  It  is  no  small  griefe  to  see  &  heare  the  miserable  condition  of  our  neighbors 
of  New  Hampshire,  some  tyme  a  hopefull  &  flourishing  plantation,  but  now  in  a  manner 
vndone,  no  law  of  trade,  nor  much  care  of  anything  else,  their  own  vessells  being  afraid  to 


*  The  enclosure  referred  to  at  the  beginning  of  the  preceding  letter. 


652 


come  into  their  own  port  from  whence  soeuer  they  come,  as  some  of  them  haue  declared  to  my 
selfe  3  but  enough  of  this,  I  suppose  you  will  heare  more  from  others.  This  makes  our  people 
dread  the  like  condition. 


S.  BRADSTREET. 


Ffrom  Mr.  Dudley,  one  of  their  cheife  1 
Magistrates  turned  out  last  election.  J 

Janry  28,  1684. — Sr,  yours  by  Jenner  containes  nothing  other  as  to  ye  euent  of  ye  scire 
facias  then  what  euery  priuate  man  expected,  &  if  those  things  of  a  Gen11  Pardon,  Indulgence  in 
Religion,  &  Confirmation  of  proprietyes  might  bee,  you  would  highly  deserue  of  this  people, 
who  will  hardly  (if  euer)  be  perswaded  to  apply  for  themselues,  etc. 


JOSEPH  DUDLEY. 


The  people  are  now  vnde- 
ceived,  &  see  his  Matie  in 
Earnest ;  the  Rumors  that 
are  spread  of  some  Regi¬ 
ments  to  come  wth  ye  New 


Boston,  Ffebry  2,  1684: 
From  Mr.  Wharton,  a  great 
Merc4  &  a  greater  sufferer 
by  ye  gount  at  Boston. 


gour  causes  the  old  one  to  call  his  Councill,  &  them  to  summon  a  gen11  Court  to  consult  some 
expedient  for  prevention,  &  to  lay  the  Ship  vnder  an  embargo  for  ye  packett  (which  shee  carryes 
to  Mr.  Humphreys),  lined  with  a  very  thin  addresse  to  his  Matif>,  but  sufficient  to  shew  the  humors 
&  interest  prevalent  in  our  Corporation  Councills,  &  ye  necessity  of  regulation.  The  Court 
sate  from  Wednesday  to  Saterday  in  ye  afternoon,  &  then  comitted  their  result  to  ye  Secretary, 
as  a  grand  Secrett.  M1'.  Stoughton,  M1'.  Dudley,  Mr.  Buckley,  &  all  that  seem  sensible  of  Duty 
or  interest  were  kept  Ignorant  of  ye  Import.  The  stile  is  too  well  known  to  those  gentlemen,  & 
to  many  more  who  would  more  dutyfully  assure  his  Matie  of  the  Loyall  affections  of  most  of  his 
subjects  here,  &  their  readiness  to  submitt  to  such  gount  &  Regulations  as  his  Matie  shall  please 
to  ordaine ;  &  humbly  implore  that  the  errors  or  obstinacyes  of  some  few  (that  haue  cloathed 
themselues  with  his  Maties  authority,  and  therewith  awe  others)  may  not  draw  the  effects  of  his 
Matie’8  displeasure  vpon  so  great  a  body  of  people,  who  will  vndoubtedly  give  ready  obedience  & 
subjection  to  his  Matie’s  Commission  &  fhagg,  and  that  his  Matie  would  graciously  grant  his 
generall  pardon,  Confirmation  of  Propertyes,  &  such  libertyes  in  Ciuill  &  Ecclesiasticall  con- 
cernes  as  may  still  nourish  the  plantation  &  carry  on  ye  Improuements  so  hopefully  begun  vnder 
Royall  &  gracious  Indulgencyes ;  but  since  there  is  not  opportunity  for  such  an  addresse,  I  know 
your  good  disposition  to  his  Mat!e’3  seruice,  your  kindnes  to  ye  Country  in  generall,  &  your 
charity  to  those  that  haue  been  most  injurious,  will  make  the  occasion  very  acceptable  to  you 
thus  to  represent  vs  to  his  Matie.  .  .  . 


RICHARD  WHARTON. 


653 


[Tanner  MS.  xxx.  f.  97.] 

Boston  in  New  England,  Aug* 1  2,  1686. 

May  it  please  your  Grace, 

It’s  long  since  I  receiued  your  Grace’s  Blessing,  and  also  your  Grace’s  noble  gift  of  Dh 
Hammond’s  works  bestowed  on  our  Colledge.  I  intended  long  since  to  giue  yr  Grace  an  account 
of  my  proceedings  therein,  but  I  haue  forborn,  That  I  might  haue  opportunity  to  make  yr  Grace 
some  remarks  vpon  this  new  constitution  of  gount.  At  my  first  landing,  which  was  not  till  the 
14th  of  May  last,  I  was  receiued  by  the  honest  party  very  kindly,  who,  vpon  ye  frigott’s  tedious 
passage,  did  all  feare  that  I  was  cast  away  with  his  Matle's  Commss11 *.  The  factious  party  were  of 
opinion  That  (according  to  their  prayers)  God  would  never  suffer  me  to  land  againe  in  this 
Country,  and  therevpon  began  in  a  most  arbitrary  manner  to  assert  their  power  higher  then  at 
any  tyme  before ;  and,  hauing  made  it  a  capitall  offence  to  say  their  charter  was  vacated,  were 
prosecuting  a  Merc4  in  Boston,  worth  1000^,  to  death  or  Banishment,  for  saying  onely  that  he 
hoped  the  frigott  would  arriue.  And  that  very  morning  I  landed  he  was  to  be  brought  vpon 
his  Tryall,  but  that  was  adjourned  sine  die.  ’Twas  with  great  difficulty  that  wee  obtained 
ye  gount  on  ye  25th  following,  &  then  3  of  y°  Persons  nominated  to  be  of  ye  Councill  refused  to 
accept  &  be  sworn,  vpon  their  fond  opinion  that  their  gou114  is  in  being,  and  that,  altho’  his 
Matie  has  obtained  a  judm4  ag4  their  charter,  yet  they  haue  not  consented,  and  therefore  hope 
some  providence  like  that  of  Munmouth’s  Rebellion  may  fall  out,  woh  will  restore  them  to  their 
former  priveledges  &  enjoyment  of  their  precious  things  (which  God  avert).  However,  That 
they  may  haue  some  footing,  the  late  gour  &  Company,  before  they  broke  vp,  adjournd  them¬ 
selves  to  ye  second  Wednesday  in  Oct.  next,  &  this  is  one  great  reason  which  still  supports 
the  faction.  I  know  yr  grace  may  question  why  this  new  gou114  would  suffer  an  adjournm4  to 
stand  vpon  Record,  but  when  yr  Grace  has  the  account  of  the  persons  now  in  gou114  that  matter 
will  be  easily  answeared.  As  to  Mb  Dudley,  our  Presid4,  he  is  a  N.  Conformist  minister  &  for 
severall  years  preachd  in  New  Engld  till  he  became  a  Magistrate,  &  so  continued  for  many  years, 
but,  finding  his  interest  to  faile  amongst  that  party,  sett  vp  for  a  King’s  man,  and,  when  in 
London,  he  made  his  application  to  my  Lord  of  London,  and  was  well  liked  of  by  some  about 
his  late  Matie,  where  vpon  he  was  appointed  for  this  turn  to  be  president,  who,  at  my  arriuall, 
with  all  outward  expressions  of  duty  &  loyalty,  receiued  his  Matie's  Commission,  Sweetned  with 
liberty  of  conscience.  And  now  we  believed  we  had  gained  the  point,  supposing  the  President 
our  own  for  ye  C.  of  Engd.  At  the  opening  his  Matie's  commission,  I  desired  Mr.  Ratcliffe,  our 
minister,  to  attend  the  ceremony  &  say  grace,  but  was  refused.  I  am  not  to  forgett  That  in  the 
late  Rebellion  of  Munmouth  not  one  Minister  opened  his  lipps  to  pray  for  the  king,  hoping  that 


Notices  of  the  Rev.  Robert  Ratcliffe  will  be  found  in  Hutchinson’s  Hist,  of  the  Colony  of  Massachusetts 
Bay,  Second  Edition,  8vo,  London,  1765,  i.  pp.  355,  356,  357,  363 ;  in  Hutchinson’s  Coll,  of  Papers,  Orig.  Ed.  pp. 
55°,  553 ;  Reprint,  ii.  292,  295 ;  in  Palfrey’s  New  England,  iii.  494,  500  ;  in  Quincy’s  Hist,  of  Harvard  University, 

i.  58;  in  Wisner’s  Hist,  of  the  Old  South  Church,  pp.  17,  93-95;  in  the  Andros  Tracts,  ii.  32,  65,  212;  in 

Drake’s  Hist,  of  Boston,  pp.  36,  468-471;  in  Greenwood’s  King’s  Chapel,  pp.  13,  15,  21-31,  41-44,  50,  209;  in 

the  Geneal.  &  Antiq.  Register,  i.  134,  iii.  206,  vi.  73,  etc. 


654 


the  time  of  their  delivrance  from  monarchy  &  popery  was  at  hand.  Some  tyme  after  the  settle¬ 
ment  of  ye  gount,  I  moued  for  a  place  for  the  C.  of  England  men  to  assemble  in ;  after  many 
delays,  at  last  were  gott  a  small  room  in  ye  town  house,  but  our  company  increasing  beyond  the 
expectation  of  the  gount,  wee  now  use  ye  Exchange,  and  haue  ye  Common  prayer  &  two  sermons 
euery  Sunday,  &  at  7  a  clock  in  ye  morning  on  Wednesdays  &  frydays  the  whole  service  of  ye 
Church;  and  some  Sundays  7  or  8  persons  are  in  one  day  Baptis’d,  and  more  would  dayly  be 
of  our  communion  had  wee  but  the  Company  and  countenance  of  the  President  and  Councill ; 
but  instead  thereof  wee  are  neglected  &  can  obtain  no  maintainance  from  them  to  support  our 
minister.  Butt  had  wee  a  gen11  gour  wee  should  soon  haue  a  larg  congregation  and  also  one  of 
the  Churches  in  Boston,  as  your  Grace  was  pleased  to  propose  when  these  matters  were  debated 
at  ye  Councill  Table.* 

I  humbly  remind  your  Grace  of  the  money  granted  formerly  for  evangelizing  the  Indians  in 
our  Neighbourhood.  It’s  great  pitty  that  there  should  be  a  considerable  stock  in  this  country 
(but  how  imployed  I  know  not),  and  wee  want  7  or  8oo£  to  build  vs  a  Church.  Their  Ministry 
exclaim  against  ye  Common  Prayer,  calling  it  man’s  invention,  &  that  there  is  more  hopes  that 
whoremongers  &  adulterers  will  go  to  heaven  than  those  of  ye  C.  of  Enga.  By  these  wicked 
doctrines  they  poison  the  people,  and  their  ministry  carry  it  as  high  as  ever.  In  regard,  the 
president  &  all  the  Councill,  saue  Mr.  Mason  &  myselfe  are  C.  members,  or  hangers  on,  and 
could  they  but  gett  me  out  of  the  Councill  their  work  was  done  ;  but  now  they  can  passe  no 
orders  without  my  knowledge.  They  give  all  encouragement  to  Phannatticks  of  all  sorts,  & 
receiue  them  from  all  places.  About  2  months  ago  here  arrived  one  Mr.  Mourton,  from 
Newington  Green.  He  was  vnder  excommunication,  yet  treated  by  ye  Presid4  &  some  of  ye 
Councill  with  great  respect,  and  was  designed  to  be  head  of  our  Colledg,  but  that  was  too  larg 
a  step,  and  they  therefore  call  him  to  a  very  good  liuing  at  Charlestown,  neer  Cambridg,  where 
he  is  ready  for  ye  Colledge  preferment. 

The  President  has  often  told  me  that  they  intended  to  receiue  yr  Grace’s  gift  of  Dr. 
Hammond’s  works  with  great  solemnity,  but  both  in  that  and  in  things  of  a  higher  nature 
relating  to  his  Ma1’8  seruice,  I  find  him  very  treacherous.  And  now  my  11  yeare’s  experience 
of  these  people  confirmes  to  me,  That  there  must  be  something  more  then  words  &  parchment 
to  reduce  them  to  their  perfect  duty  and  obedience,  for  altho’  the  old  gount  is  dead  in  Law,  yett 
’tis  revived  in  ye  President  &  Councill,  and  how  can  it  be  otherwise  expected,  when,  as  euery 
C.  member  in  full  Communion  is  obliged  by  Oath  to  obserue  the  orders  of  his  Church  & 
Pastor,  &  liable  to  open  censure  vpon  neglect ;  So  that  I  looke  vpon  what  our  Presid4  now  does 
in  accepting  the  Commission,  is  a  thing  dispensed  with  to  saue  ye  turn  for  the  tyme  he  has 
been  in,  makes  it  his  busines  to  oblige  that  party,  &  so  strongly  driues  on  his  private  interest, 
that  the  members  of  the  Councill  are  vnwilling  to  meet,  So  that  I  feare  the  gount  will  be  lost 
vnless  his  Matie  will  be  pleased  to  send  vs  ouer  a  gen11  gour  with  all  convenient  speed,  other¬ 
wise  both  myself  and  those  of  ye  Church  of  Enga  must  leaue  the  place.  Your  grace  can 
hardly  imagine  the  small  artifices  they  haue  vsed  to  prevent  our  meetings  on  Sundays, 
and  at  all  other  tymes  to  serue  God.  They  haue  libelled  my  wife  &  our  Minister,  and  this  is 


*Vide  Hutchinson’s  Coll,  of  Papers,  pp.  549,  550  of  the  Orig.  Ed.;  vol.  ii.  pp.  291,  292,  of  the  Prince 
Society’s  reprint. 


655 


done  (as  credibly  beleiued)  by  ye  minister  of  the  frigott,*  yett  it’s  countenanced  by  the  faction, 
who  haue  endeavoured  to  make  a  breach  in  my  family  betwixt  me  and  my  wife,  and  haue  accom¬ 
plished  another  design  in  setting  vp  &  supporting  Capt.  Georg,  Commander  of  the  “Rose” 
frigott,  against  me.  This  is  their  master  peece,  for  he,  being  a  stranger,  beleiues  tvhat  they 
say,  when,  at  the  same  tyme,  they  would  rejoice  to  see  vs,  or  any  others  intrusted  by  his  Ma,ie, 
hang’d  at  our  doores. 

Now,  as  to  myselfe,  your  grace  may  please  to  remember  what  complaints  I  haue  justly 
made  of  their  ill  treatment,  woi  I  receiued  at  Boston  for  attending  his  Matie’s  Seruice,  who  would 
haue  questioned,  but  that  my  bringing  ouer  an  Oliue  Branch,  to  witt,  liberty  of  conscience, 
that  I  should  bee  receiued  with  all  respect.  But  the  very  thought  of  change  in  their  gount  makes 
them  much  more  my  enemyes  then  before,  So  that,  from  ye  seuerall  grounds  of  their  irrecon- 
silable  quarrell,  I  am  attackd  from  euery  part ;  the  minister’s  quarrell  for  my  bringing  in  ye 
Common  prayer ;  the  old  magistrates  and  freeman  for  vacating  their  charter ;  the  mobile  are 
troubled  that  the  Lawes  of  Eng4  are  in  force ;  &  the  Mercts  for  putting  the  Acts  of  trade  in  full 
execution,  by  which  they  haue  lost  seueral  ships  &  larg  quantityes  of  goods ;  the  proprietors  of 
Maine,  that  province  is  taken  from  them,  &  is  now  (being  well  stored  with  masts  &  other  Navall 
stores)  become  his  Matie  s ;  the  Tavern  keepers  &  victualling  houses  curse  me  for  advancing  their 
excise,  whereas  ye  Presid*  has  farm4  it  out,  &  his  son  has  one  third  of  ye  profitt ;  the  other 
Colonyes  haue  a  great  charg  ag‘  me  for  seruing  Quo  Warrtos  ag‘  their  charters ;  and  all  are 
highly  incensed  to  see  me  their  enemy,  his  Matie’s  Secretary  of  the  Councill,  here,  but  without 
his  Matie’s  extraordinary  favour  &  protection,  I  am  like  to  expect  Sampson’s  fate  ;  for  such  is 
their  Implacable  malice  that  Oliuer,  the  late  Tyrant,  was  not  more  ungratefull  to  the  Royallists 
than  I  am  to  the  most  of  the  people ;  &  now  nothing  can  settle  this  distracted  country  &  checq 
the  Insolencyes  of  this  people  but  a  sober  &  unbiased  gent,  from  England  to  be  our  gour,  who 
must  hold  the  raines  of  gouQt  in  his  own  hands,  &  restrain  the  liberty  of  Conscience  which  they 
now  grosly  abuse.  It’s  necessary  that  ye  gour  license  all  their  ministers,  &  that  none  be  called 
to  be  a  pastor  of  a  Congregation  without  his  approbation.  By  this  method  alone  the  whole 
Country  will  easily  be  regulated,  and  then  they  will  build  vs  a  church  and  be  willing  to  allow 
our  ministry  an  honorable  maintenance. 

Wee  haue  a  sober,  prudent  gent,  to  be  our  minister,  &  well  approved;  but,  in  case  of 
sicknes  or  other  casualtyes,  if  he  haue  not  one  soul  from  Eng4  to  helpe  him,  our  Church  is  lost. 
’Tis  therefore  necessary  That  another  sober  man  come  ouer  to  assist,  for  some  tymes  ’tis 
requisite  that  one  of  them  visite  the  other  Colonyes  to  baptise  &  administer  the  Sacrament,  and 
in  regard  wee  cannot  make  4olb  a  yeare  start  by  contributions  for  support  of  him  and  his 
assistant,  it  would  be  very  gratefull  to  our  church  affaires  if  his  Matie  would  please  to  grant  vs 
his  Royall  letters,  That  the  3  meeting  houses  in  Boston,  which  seuerally  collect  7  or  8 £  on  a 
Sunday,  do  pay  to  our  Church  Warden  20s  aweeke  for  each  meeting  house,  which  will  be  some 
encouragement  to  our  ministers,  and  then  they  can  but  raile  against  ye  Service  of  ye  Church. 
They  haue  great  Stocks,  &  were  they  directed  to  contribute  to  build  us  a  Church,  or  part  from 


*The  Rev.  Mr.  Buckley  was  the  chaplain  of  the  “Rose”  frigate  (Vide  Greenwood’s  King’s  Chapel,  p.  25- 
Drake’s  Boston,  p.  469;  Anderson’s  Col.  Ch.  ii.  455,  etc.).  The  Rev.  Josias  Clark,  chaplain  of  the  fort  in  New 
York,  appears  to  have  officiated  at  one  of  the  early  services  of  the  Church  in  Boston  ( Vide  Sewall’s  Diary,  quoted 
in  Wisner’s  “  Old  South  Church”). 


656 


one  of  their  meeting  houses,  Such  as  wee  should  approue,  they  would  purchase  that  exemption 
at  a  great  rate,  &  then  they  could  but  call  vs  papists  &  our  Minister  Baal'3  Priests.*  As  to  Dr. 
Hammond’s  works,  they  are  still  with  me,  but  ready  to  be  placed  in  the  library  so  soon  as  the 
Colledge  is  duely  regulated ;  that  matter  also  must  attend  the  sanction  of  a  gen11  gour,  in  which 
I  question  not  but  your  Grace  will  please  to  continue  your  Assistant,  in  regard  the  beginning 
was  promoted  by  your  Grace’s  fauour. 

I  humbly  beg,  in  all  Duty,  your  Grace’s  Blessing,  and  remain, 

Your  Grace’s 

most  obedient  & 

most  humble  serv‘, 

ED.  RANDOLPH. 

By  my  matter  &  ye  length  of  my  discourse,  your  Grace  will  easily  find  I  write  from  New 
England,  of  which  place  Our  Minister  and  myselfe  are  sufficiently  tyred.  I  could  say  more,  etc. 


[Tanner  MS.  xxix.  f.  29.] 

Boston  in  New  England, 

May  28th,  1689. 

May  it  please  your  Grace, 

I  humbly  recommend  to  your  Grace,  by  the  bearer  hereof,  Mr.  Ratcliffe,  our  minister 
above  3  years.  The  sad  &  distracted  condition  of  this  territory  of  New  England,  is  occasioned 
by  a  discontented  party,  who,  on  ye  18  of  Aprill  last,  tooke  armes,  seized  vpon  the  ffort,  castle, 
&  Rose  ffrigott,  at  anchor  in  the  Harbour  in  Boston.  They  haue  imprisoned  ye  gour  in  the 
fort  vnder  a  strict  gard ;  they  keep  me  in  the  common  goal,  giuing  out  he  is  a  Papist,  &  that 
I  haue  committed  treason.  Their  Printed  Papers,  which  Mr.  Ratcliffe  will  present  to  your 
Grace,  will  giue  an  account  of  their  actions,  but  nothing  therein  that’s  justly  charged.  They 


*Vide  Palmer’s  “  Impartial  Account  of  the  State  of  New  England,”  reprinted  in  the  Andros  Tracts,  i.  p.  33. 

Two  letters  from  Mr.  Randolph  to  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  written  this  year,  the  one  apparently  prior  to 
the  date  of  the  above  communication,  and  the  other  under  date  of  October  27th,  give  additional  particulars  respect¬ 
ing  the  introduction  of  the  Church  services  in  Boston.  They  will  be  found  at  length  in  Hutchinson’s  Collection  of 
Papers  (pp.  550-554  of  the  original  edition;  vol.  ii.  pp.  291-296  of  the  Prince  Society’s  reprint).  References  to 
the  Governor’s  course  in  requiring  the  use  of  one  of  the  Congregational  meeting-houses  for  the  temporary  use  of  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Ratcliffe  and  the  Church  congregation  are  to  be  found  in  Drake’s  admirable  History  of  Boston  (pp.  467- 
472),  and  in  every  history  of  the  time.  Greenwood,  in  his  “  History  of  King’s  Chapel,”  can  hardly  find  language 
strong  enough  to  stigmatize  the  Governor’s  conduct.  The  extracts  from  Judge  Sewall’s  Diary,  which  are  appended 
to  Dr.  Wisner’s  “History  of  the  Old  South  Church  in  Boston”  (8vo,  Boston,  1830,  pp.  93-95),  are  curious  and 
instructive.  Mr.  Whitmore,  in  his  brief  but  just  memoir  of  Sir  Edmund  Andros,  prefixed  to  the  Andros  Tracts 
(Prince  Society,  4to,  Boston,  1S68,  i.  pp.  xxv.  xxvi.)  confesses  that  he  “  cannot  greatly  censure  Andros  for  his 
course”  in  this  matter.  Palfrey,  in  his  account  of  these  proceedings  of  the  Governor  (History  of  New  England, 
iii.  521,  522),  notes,  with  commendable  candor,  the  fact  that  the  “  Episcopal  worship”  thus  intruded  was  only  held 
“  at  hours  when  the  building  was  not  occupied  by  the  regular  congregation  ”  (  Vide,  also,  Andros  Tracts,  ii.  45, 
211).  As  in  other  instances,  an  impartial  examination  of  the  matter  might  possibly  shift  the  charge  of  persecution 
from  the  Church  party  to  that  opposed  to  it,  and  ready  to  support  that  opposition  by  measures  as  intolerant  as  they 
were  ill-advised. 


657 


had  a  desire  to  return  to  their  former  gount,  and  proposed  this  as  the  only  meanes,  which  they 
haue  so  vnhappily  accomplished  that  they  haue  endangered  the  losse  of  the  whole  country ;  for 
the  French,  our  neighbours,  haue  aboue  4000  able  Souldiers,  with  the  Indians,  now  in  open 
warrs  against  vs,  sett  on  by  ye  ffrench,  &  haue  onely  waited  for  an  opportunity  to  enter  vpon  a 
large  part  of  this  Colony,  included  in  their  Grant  from  ye  ffrench  king,  who  now  proposes  to 
make  himselfe  master  of  the  Beaver  Trade  &  of  all  the  fishery  vpon  ye  coast  of  Nova  Scotia. 

I  heare  Mr.  Mather,  a  Minister  in  Boston,  &  others,  are  soliciting  hard  for  a  New  Charter, 
hauing  applyed  to  Mr.  Brent  &  Sr  Thomas  Powis,  late  Atturney  Gen11,  &  had  then  by  them  the 
promise  of  it,  but  I  hope  I  may  haue  his  Matie's  Commands  to  come  for  England,  and  shew  the 
Reasons  why  their  former  was  vacated,  &  shew  the  great  &  irrepairable  losse  that  will  attend  the 
Crown  vpon  granting  it ;  not  but  that  such  greivances  as  they  complaine  of  may  &  ought  to  be 
redressed,  when  sufficiently  proved  before  ye  gour,  who  can  make  his  defence  for  what  they  haue 
charged  vpon  him  as  male  administration.  It’s  true  he  has  endeavoured  to  haue  the  acts  of 
Parlm*  relating  to  trade  &  navigation  duely  observed,  &  prevented  their  going  out  to  Rob  in  the 
Spannish  W.  Indies  &  harbour  pyrates  as  formerly.  This  is  the  bottome  &  ground  of  all  their 
Complaints,  &  this  liberty  they  court  and  sue  for  vnder  the  name  of  a  charter.  They  haue  sett 
at  Liberty  7  pyrates,  in  the  goal  for  murther  &  destroying  8  Spaniards,  &  taking  their  ship  & 
loading,  worth  7000^,  &  haue  sold  lately  powder  &  ammunition  to  the  ffrench  &  Indians  in  warr 
with  vs,  who  are  come  into  the  province  of  Maine,  &  kill,  destroy,  &  burn  what  they  left  standing 
last  winter,  the  present  gount  hauing  withdrawn  all  the  forces  left  there  in  very  good  forts,  well 
mand  by  the  gour,  Sr  Edma  Andros,  &  kept  them  vnder  such  restraint  &  want  that  the  Indians 
would  haue  been  forcd  to  sue  for  peace  vpon  any  termes  before  this  tyme.  This  I  humbly 
submitt  to  your  grace’s  consideration,  humbly  intreating  the  fauour  that  I  may  be  sent  for  home 
to  answeare  the  crimes  laid  to  my  charge,  &  my  accusers  to  come  &  prosecute  me  in  any  of  the 
Courts  in  England,  that  I  may  not,  after  all  my  difficultyes  &  hardships,  rott  to  death  in  a 
nasty  goal  for  my  faithfull  seruice  to  the  Crown.  I  intreat  your  grace’s  pardon  for  this  hasty 
paper,  and  am,  in  all  Duty, 

Your  grace’s  most  humble 

&  most  obedient  seru*, 

ED.  RANDOLPH. 

I  haue  to  ad  that  Mr.  Mather  has  published  here  a  booke,  called  the  Idolatry  of  ye  Common 
prayer  worship,  which  renders  all  of  vs  of  that  church  obnoxious  to  the  common  people,  who 
account  vs  Popish,  &  treat  vs  accordingly.  Mr.  Ratcliffe  can  say  more  of  it.  I  intended  to 
present  one  of  those  books  to  yr  grace,  but  my  books  &  papers  &  writings  are  all  seized  vpon  in 
hopes  to  discouer  a  popish  plott.  E.  R. 


Pp.  64-71. 

The  petition  of  the  celebrated  Thomas  Coram,  the  founder  of  the  “Foundling  Hospital,” 
which  is  without  date,  is  inserted  here  as  giving  information  of  the  state  of  the  Church  in 


Further  notices  of  the  outrages  committed  by  the  mob  in  breaking  the  windows  of  the  church,  and  in  defiling 
the  doors  and  walls,  will  be  found  on  page  10  of  a  rare  tract,  entitled  “New  England’s  Faction  Discovered,”  etc., 
83 


658 


Massachusetts,  and,  in  fact,  in  the  greater  part  of  North  America,  at  the  close  of  the  seventeenth 
century.  The  effort  of  the  Church  of  England  party  in  Boston  to  secure  even  a  share  in  the 
overseership  of  Harvard  College,  belongs  to  a  much  later  period  ;  and,  together  with  the  “  Act  ” 
which  follows  this  petition,  and  which,  doubtless,  gave  occasion  by  its  date  to  the  anachronism 
of  the  copyist  abroad  in  placing  the  petition  a  half  century  earlier  than  its  real  date  would 
warrant,  will  be  referred  to  again  and  again  below. 

Pp-  72,  73- 

The  story  of  this  dispute  will  be  found  more  fully  in  Keith’s  Journal  of  his  “  Travels  from 
New  Hampshire  to  Caratuck.”  London,  8vo,  1706  (reprinted  in  the  Coll,  of  the  Prot.  Epis. 
Hist.  Soc.  i.  pp.  6,  7,  52). 

p-  73* 

The  Rev.  William  Barclay,  the  first  missionary  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the 
Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts  at  Braintree,  appears  to  have  been  discouraged  with  his  field  at  the 
outset,  and  to  have  soon  returned  to  England.  References  to  him  will  be  found  in  the  Coll,  of 
the  Prot.  Epis.  Hist.  Society,  i.  p.  xlii.,  and  in  “An  Account  of  the  Society  for  Propagating 
the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts,  printed  by  order  of  the  Society  ;  John  Chamberlayne,  Secretary.” 
4to,  London,  1706.  He  is  not  to  be  confounded  with  the  Rev.  Thomas  Barclay,  who  was  sent 
in  1 709  as  missionary  to  the  Indians  about  Albany,  and  of  whom  frequent  mention  will  occur 
in  the  “  Papers  relating  to  the  History  of  the  Church  in  New  York.” 

The  Rev.  Samuel  Myles,  M.A.,  a  graduate  of  Harvard  in  the  year  1684,  was  a  son  of  the 
Rev.  John  Myles,  of  Swansey,  Mass.,  who,  according  to  Savage  (Geneal.  Dictionary),  came 
from  Swansea,  Wales,  about  1662.  He  was  inducted  as  rector  of  the  King’s  Chapel,  in 
Boston,  June  29,  1689,  succeeding  the  Rev.  Robert  Ratcliffe.  He  visited  England  in  July, 
1692,  received  the  degree  of  M.A.  from  Oxford  the  following  year,  and  returned  in  July,  1696. 
His  death  occurred  in  March,  1723.  Notices  of  his  life  and  ministrations  will  be  found 
frequently  in  these  papers,  and  references  to  him  occur  in  the  Andros  Tracts,  ii.  25,  28-32,  39, 
63,  68,  69;  in  Keith’s  Journal,  reprinted  in  the  Coll,  of  the  Prot.  Epis.  Hist.  Soc.  i.  pp.  5,  13, 
4,69;  in  Greenwood’s  King’s  Chapel,  pp.  50-70,  82-87,  104,  153,  156,  166,  167-170,  209; 
v  in  Updike’s  Narragansett  Church,  pp.  38,  88-90 ;  in  Sprague’s  Annals  of  Epis.  Clergy, 

PP-  *3>  14,  7°,  71  >  in  Quincy’s  Hist,  of  Harvard  Univ.  i.  365-371,  374,  376,  493,  560,  563, 
566,  572  ;  ii.  74;  in  the  N.  E.  Hist.  Geneal.  Register,  i.  134;  xv.  198;  in  the  Doc.  Hist,  of 
New  York,  iii.  213  ;  in  the  N.  Y.  Col.  Docs.,  iv.  582  ;  in  Drake’s  History  of  Boston,  pp.  471, 
567;  in  the  Hist.  Coll.  Am.  Col.  Church  (Virginia),  i.  121,  etc. 


by  C.  D.,  reprinted  in  the  “Andros  Tracts”  (ii.  pp.  203-221)  from  a  copy  in  the  library  of  John  Carter  Brown, 
Esq.,  of  Providence,  R.  I.,  and  attributed  by  Mr.  Whitmore  to  Colonel  Dudley  (C.  D.)  (  Vide,  also,  in  the  same 
volume  of  the  “Andros  Tracts,”  the  explanatory  statements  of  those  on  the  other  side,  pp.  63-66). 

In  passing,  attention  may  properly  be  called  to  the  interesting  “  Petition  to  the  King,”  from  the  Rev.  Samuel 
Myles,  M.A.,  who  succeeded  Ratcliffe  as  rector  of  the  King’s  Chapel,  in  1689.  This  is  printed  in  the  “Andros 
Tracts”  (ii.  pp.  28-32)  in  connection  with  Increase  Mather’s  trenchant  “Vindication  of  New  England.”  A 
perusal  of  Mather’s  comments  on  Church  affairs  in  Massachusetts  will  prove  interesting  and  suggestive. 


659 


P.  74- 

Notices  of  the  Rev.  Christopher  Bridge  will  be  found  in  Anderson’s  Col.  Church,  ii.  458, 
iii.  447,  457;  in  Bolton’s  History  of  the  County  of  Westchester,  ii.  33,  60-62;  in  Bolton’s 
History  of  the  Westchester  Church,  pp.  189,  190-216,  221,  225,  244,  246,  261,  347,  350,  416, 
530;  in  Updike’s  Narragansett  Church,  pp.  35,  36,  38,  39;  in  the  N.  Y.  Col.  Docs.  iv.  582; 
v.  316,  326,  354;  in  the  Doc.  Hist,  of  New  York,  iii.  130,  213,  256,  281,  943,  945?  946;  in 
Greenwood’s  King’s  Chapel,  pp.  57-59,  61-72,  166,  209,  etc.  Frequent  references  to  Mr. 
Bridge  occur  in  the  New  York  MS.  volumes. 

P-  75* 

The  Rev.  James  Honeyman  will  be  noticed  in  connection  with  the  Rhode  Island  Papers. 

Pp.  80,  81. 

The  Rev.  Peter  Daill6  came  to  New  England  in  1686,  and  died  May  21,  17x5,  at  the  age 
of  65.  Allen,  in  his  Biographical  Dictionary,  characterizes  him  as  “of  great  piety,  charitable, 
courteous,  exemplary”  ( Vide  Mass.  Hist.  Soc.  Coll.  3d  Series,  ii.  p.  52;  N.  Y.  Doc.  Hist.  ii. 
432,  iii.  678,  1167;  N.  Y.  Col.  Docs.  iii.  651  ;  Mather’s  Magnalia,  i.  87). 

P.  84. 

A  Rev.  Mr.  Bartlett,  doubtless  the  one  referred  to  in  connection  with  the  Rev.  Messrs. 
Bridge,  Talbot,  and  Barclay,  is  mentioned  by  Cutler  in  his  Century  Sermon  (8vo,  Cambridge, 
1828)  as  laboring  as  missionary  in  Braintree  early  in  the  eighteenth  century.  No  further 
allusion  to  him  has  attracted  our  notice,  and  it  is  probable  that  he  returned  to  England  shortly 
after  entering  upon  his  mission. 

Of  the  Rev.  William  Vesey,  for  many  years  rector  of  the  Church  in  New  York,  mention 
will  be  made  in  connection  with  the  New  York  Papers. 

P.  86. 

The  story  of  the  introduction  of  the  Church  in  Newbury,  and  the  agency  of  Mr.  John 
Bridger  in  the  same,  will  be  found  at  length  in  Coffin’s  History  of  Newbury  (8vo,  Boston,  1845), 
pp.  175-184.  A  Centennial  Sermon,  by  the  Rev.  James  Morss,  D.D.,  in  1837,  furnishes  further 
details. 

By  a  clerical  error,  the  name  Bridger  is  frequently  given  in  these  and  subsequent  pages  as 
Bridge  or  Bridges. 

Joseph  Amis,  a  name  which  appears  among  the  signers  of  this  petition,  is  a  clerical  error  for 
Joseph  Annis. 

Pp.  87,  88. 

Very  little  is  known  of  the  Rev.  John  Lambton  (or  Lampton,  as  the  name  is  written  by 
Humphrey,  in  his  History  of  the  Ven.  Society,  and  by  Coffin,  in  his  History  of  Newbury).  A 
letter,  addressed  to  the  celebrated  Cotton  Mather  by  Christopher  Toppan,  under  date  of  Nov. 
28,  1712,  and  still  preserved  in  the  library  of  the  Am.  Antiquarian  Society,  is  quoted  by  Coffin 
(p.  184)  as  follows  : 


66o 


“  Perceiving  that  some  of  the  ceremonies  were  camels  too  big  for  them  at  first  to  swallow, 
he  (Mr.  Lampton)  told  them  they  should  be  left  to  their  liberty  as  to  kneeling  at  the  Sacrament, 
baptising  with  the  sign  of  the  Cross,  and  so  forth.  This  has  been  wonderfully  taking  with 
them,  and  a  great  means  to  encourage  them  in  their  factious  proceedings.” 

Dr.  Morss,  in  his  “Sermon  preached  in  St.  Paul’s  Church,  Newburyport,  a.d.  1837,  to 
which  is  added,  A  succinct  History  of  the  Episcopal  Church  in  this  Town  and  Vicinity”  (8vo, 
pp.  44,  Newburyport,  1838),  says:  “There  are  a  few  records  supposed  to  have  been  made  by 
him,  ranging  from  1711  to  1714.  The  precise  duration  of  his  ministry  cannot  be  ascertained.” 
Humphrey,  in  his  History  of  the  Ven.  Society  (p.  327),  says  that  “he  staid  not  long,  having 
contracted  a  bad  State  of  Health.”  The  few  facts  of  his  ministerial  career,  other  than  those 
spread  upon  the  pages  of  this  volume,  appear  in  Dr.  Morss’s  Sermon  and  in  Coffin’s  Newbury. 

P.  90. 

The  name  of  the  Rev.  Henry  Harris  will  be  found  again  and  again  in  this  volume,  and 
requires  but  little  further  notice  than  the  indication  of  the  additional  sources  of  information 
respecting  his  career.  These  are,  in  part,  as  follows;  Greenwood’s  Hist,  of  King’s  Chapel, 
pp.  69-71,  82-84,  87,  90-93,  153,  155,  167-170,  209;  Quincy’s  Hist,  of  Harvard  University, 
i.  367,  561;  Drake’s  Hist,  of  Boston,  471  ;  N.  Y.  Col.  Documents,  v.  466;  Doc.  Hist,  of  New 
York,  iii.  213;  Coll.  Prot.  Epis.  Hist.  Soc.  i.  127;  Anderson’s  Col.  Ch.  iii.  407;  Sprague’s 
Annals  Am.  Epis.  Pulpit,  70,  71;  Bolton’s  Hist.  Westchester  Ch.  189;  N.  E.  Hist.  Geneal. 
Register,  xv.  198,  etc. 

P.  91. 

The  Rev.  Dudley  Bradstreet  was  graduated  at  Harvard  College  in  1698;  married  Mary 
Wainwright  May  4,  1704;  ordained  at  Groton,  June  16,  1706,  having  taught  the  Grammar 
School  at  Andover  during  the  intervening  time ;  went  to  England  for  Holy  Orders,  and  died 
there  of  the  small-pox  “ quickly  after  he  had  received  Orders”  (Vide  pp.  98,  99 ,  post,  for  a 
touching  letter  from  the  Rev.  Gershom  Rawlins  [Harvard  College,  1705]  respecting  his  burial). 

Mr.  Bradstreet  was  a  son  of  Col.  Dudley  Bradstreet,  a  magistrate  of  the  Colony  of  Massa¬ 
chusetts  Bay,  and  a  grandson  of  Gov.  Simon  Bradstreet  ( Vide  the  Bradstreet  pedigree  in  the 
N.  E.  Hist.  Geneal.  Register,  viii.  pp.  31 2-321).  Abbott’s  Hist,  of  Andover,  p.  132,  and 
Butler’s  Hist,  of  Groton,  pp.  165-170,  390,  have  brief  notices  of  this  unfortunate  convert  to 
the  Church. 

Gov.  Dudley  and  Gov.  Francis  Nicholson  signed  his  recommendation  to  the  Ven.  Society, 
designating  him  for  the  Church  at  Narragansett  (Vide  the  Gen.  Conv.  MSS.  1713). 

Pp.  91-93. 

Extracts  from  a  letter  from  Gov.  Francis  Nicholson,  under  date  of  “Boston  in  New 
England,  December  1,  1713,”  furnish  additional  particulars  with  respect  to  the  ministrations  of 
the  worthless  man  whose  residence  in  Braintree  was  fortunately  of  brief  duration.  They  are  as 
follows : 

“  I  find  there  was  a  library  brought  by  the  Reverend  Mr.  Barclay  to  Braintree  before  that 
by  Mr.  Eager,  the  copies  of  the  catalogues  of  both  which,  with  what  was  done  therein,  are  on 


66i 


the  paper  [enclosed].  One  of  these  libraries  may  serve  for  Naraganset,  to  which  place  I  don’t 
find  the  Society  ever  sent  a  Library ;  but  they  will  want  the  Five  pounds’  worth  of  small  tracts, 
Mr.  Eager  saying  he  hath  disposed  of  them. 

“The  Society  was  very  unfortunate,  as  they  may  please  to  see  by  the  papers  [enclosed],  in 
sending  over  the  said  Mr.  Eager  to  Braintry,  but  I  am  glad  they  have  got  quit  of  him.  I  told 
him  he  could  not  expect  the  Society  to  pay  him  any  longer  than  Christmas  next,  and  he  hath 
given  me  his  power  from  the  Society  for  being  Missionary.*  It  hath  cost  me  some  money  and 
pains  to  accomplish  this  affair,  but  I  am  very  glad  to  be  any  ways  instrumental  in  serving  the 
Society.  .  .  . 

“The  Ministers!  and  Vestry  here  have  agreed  upon  addresses,  &c.,  which  you  will  receive 
from  Sir  Charles  Hobby  (Chief  Church  Warden];),  whom,  I  suppose,  will  give  them  to  the 
Mr.  Harrison.  .  .  . 

“I  herewith  send  you  the  address  of  the  Minister,  etc.,  of  the  Church  of  England  in  the 
west  precinct  of  Newberry,  in  New  England,  to  Her  Majesty,  with  their  address  to  the  Society 
and  Letter  of  the  Church  Wardens  to  me,  put  up  in  a  paper  [enclosed],  and  beg  the  Society 
will  please  to  give  directions  about  the  said  Address  to  Her  Majesty  as  they  shall  think  proper, 
and  ’ tis  my  humble  opinion  it  would  be  very  much  for  the  interest  of  Religion  and  the  Honor 
of  the  Society  if  they  would  be  pleased  to  confirm  the  Rev4  Mr.  Lambton  Missionary  there.  He 
is  a  Gentleman  of  a  very  good  character,  and  who  I  got  Captain  Blackett  (Son  of  Sir  Edward 
Blackett  of  Yorkshire,  and  Commander  of  Her  Majesty’s  Ship  “Phoenix,”  of  which  the  said 
Mr.  Lambton  was  Champlain)  to  let  him  go  to  officiate  there.  If  we  had  not  found  this  expe¬ 
dient,  I  fear  we  might  have  lost  an  opportunity  of  promoting  the  interest  of  the  Church  of 
England  there,  as  we  did  at  Swanzey,  Little  Compton,  and  Brantry,  the  particulars  reasons  of 
which  Mr.  Harrison  hath  been  informed  of. 

“In  my  humble  opinion,  if  there  could  be  ways  and  means  found  to  maintain  two  or 
three  Missionaries  in  these  parts  as  travelling  ones,  it  might  very  much  promote  the  increase  of 
the  Church  of  England,  and  that,  when  any  place  offered  to  have  a  Minister,  one  of  them 
might  immediately  supply  it,  for  want  of  which  such  opportunities  may  be  lost ;  for  these 
Country  Ministers  are  very  dilligent  on  such  occasions  to  perswade  them  from  it,  and  to  supply 
them  with  one  of  their  own  perswasion. 

“I  shall  (God  willing)  endeavor  to  promote  (as  in  duty  bound)  the  interest  of  our  Holy 
Mother  the  Church  of  England  in  General,  and  of  the  Society  in  particular,  and  as  occasion  and 
opportunity  offers  shall  give  you  an  account  whereof. 

“  When  you  write,  direct  for  me  at  the  Rev4  Mr.  Sam1  Myles’  here,  and,  if  I  should  not  be 
here,  he  will  know  where  to  send  it  to 

Your  affectionate  friend 

and  humble  Servant, 

FRANCIS  NICHOLSON.” 


*A  notice  of  this  exercise  of  commissarial  power  by  Gov.  Nicholson  will  be  found  in  Greenwood’s  King’s 
Chapel,  pp.  77,  78. 

■j-  Rev.  Messrs.  Samuel  Myles  and  Henry  Harris. 

J  Sir  Charles  Hobby  was  Warden  at  King’s  Chapel,  1713,  1714. 


662 


Pp.  99-106. 

The  writer  of  this  “Memorial,”  etc.,  it  should  be  borne  in  mind,  is  John  Bridger, 
referred  to  before. 

P.  115. 

The  Rev.  Henry  Lucas  succeeded  the  Rev.  John  Lambton  in  the  summer  of  1715.  Accord¬ 
ing  to  Dr.  Morss  he  was  “an  ardent  man,  of  quick  sensibility,  but  of  a  morbid  temperament, 
and  liable  to  deep  depression.”  .  .  .  “  He  died  suddenly  23d  August,  1720,  said  to  have  been 
occasioned  by  suicide  in  a  fit  of  derangement.”  An  unfeeling  notice  of  this  sad  event  is  quoted 
by  Coffin  in  his  History  of  Newbury  (p.  191),  from  Judge  Sewall’s  diary.  Humphrey,  in  his 
Hist,  of  the  Ven.  Society,  speaks  favorably  of  his  life  and  labors. 

Pp.  xi6,  117. 

Of  the  Rev.  William  Shaw  nothing  is  known  beyond  a  paragraph  in  Humphrey’s  Hist,  of 
the  Ven.  Society  (p.  329):  “The  Rev.  Mr.  Shaw  was  sent  Missionary  there,  but  he  did  not 
continue  long.  He  wrote  Word,  he  had  fallen  into  many  Indispositions  by  the  Change  of 
Climate  and  the  Severity  of  the  Seasons  sometimes  there,  and  he  removed.” 

P.  129. 

Notice  of  the  Rev.  William  Guy  will  more  appropriately  find  place  in  connection  with  the 
Rhode  Island  Papers. 

pP-  134,  I35- 

The  Rev.  David  Mossom  remained  at  Marblehead  from  1719  to  1725.  Humphrey  charac¬ 
terizes  him  as  diligent  and  successful,  and  his  ministerial  career  in  Massachusetts  and  Virginia, 
falling  short  only  two  years  of  reaching  a  half  century,  was  highly  creditable  to  his  earnestness 
and  zeal.  Up  to  the  period  of  his  removal  to  Virginia,  the  yearly  proceedings  of  the  Venerable 
Society  give  interesting  particulars  of  his  labors.  For  the  remainder  of  his  ministry  we  have 
only  the  occasional  notices  in  Meade’s  Old  Churches,  etc.,  of  Va.  (i.  386,  430;  ii.  460),  and  the 
Hist.  Col.  of  the  Am.  Col.  Ch.  i.  (Virginia),  pp.  383,  411,  430,  414,  418,  426.  Mr.  Mossom 
will  be  remembered  as  having  officiated  at  the  marriage  of  George  Washington. 

P-  135- 

The  Rev.  John  Usher  was  graduated  at  Harvard  College  in  1719,  his  name  appearing 
second  on  the  list  of  his  class  of  twenty-three,  at  a  time  when  the  names  were  arranged  in  the 
order  of  social  or  civic  precedence.  His  ministry,  of  over  fifty  years’  duration,  will  receive 
notice  in  connection  with  the  Rhode  Island  Papers. 

P.  136. 

For  full  notices  of  the  life  of  the  Rev.  James  Macsparran,  D.D.,  the  reader  is  referred  to 
Updike’s  History  of  the  Narragansett  Church.  Frequent  reference  to  his  long  and  faithful 
ministry  will  be  found  in  the  Papers  relating  to  the  Church  in  Rhode  Island. 


663 


P.  138. 

The  Rev.  John  Checkley’s  name  will  occur  again  and  again  in  the  following  pages,  and  is 
found  in  connection  with  every  aggressive  movement  of  the  Church  in  Massachusetts  during  the 
years  of  his  busy  career.  The  references  to  his  efforts  which  this  volume  affords  serve  to  throw 
fresh  light  upon  the  biography  of  this  indomitable  man,  whose  life  was  a  continued  struggle  for 
the  propagation  of  Church  principles.  We  give  in  this  connection,  from  Nichols’s  Illustrations 
of  the  Literary  History  of  the  Eighteenth  Century  (8  vols.  8vo,  London,  1817-1858),  vol.  iv. 
pp.  268-304,  several  letters  and  papers  from  the  Rev.  Dr.  Timothy  Cutler  and  Mr.  Checkley 
to  the  celebrated  Rev.  Dr.  Zachary  Grey,  the  annotator  of  “Hudibras.”  They  at  least  serve 
to  illustrate  a  number  of  else  obscure  allusions  and  references  in  the  text  of  this  volume. 
They  appear  in  their  chronological  order,  and  thus  necessarily  anticipate  matters  which  will 
be  referred  to  in  different  parts  of  this  volume. 


Letters  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Timothy  Cutler,  and  others,  on  Church  Affairs  in  New  England. 

Boston,  New  England,  April  2,  1725. 

Rev.  and  Dear  Sir, 

Your  very  kind  and  valuable  packet  lodged  in  this  town  two  months,  in  the  bottom  of  a  Dissenter’s  chest, 
before  ever  it  came  into  my  hands  or  knowledge.  .  .  . 

As  to  the  disposal  of  your  “Answers  to  Peirce,”  I  refer  you  wholly  to  Mr.  Checkley’s  letter,  as  also  about  the 
state  of  his  own  affairs.  Some  good  friends  in  town  have  made  his  fines  easy  to  him,  and,  whatever  his  sufferings 
have  been,  we  reap  this  advantage  by  it,  that  we  have  an  instance  of  a  bare-faced  persecution,  for,  by  the  verdict  of 
a  Jury,  he  is  acquitted  from  anything  seditious  relating  to  the  Civil  Government,  and  is  only  punished  for  detecting 
their  schism,  when  the  blackest  and  most  hellish  things  are  here  vented  against  the  Church  with  commendation.  I 
rejoice  in  the  growing  greatness  of  Cambridge,  and  pray  God  favour  it.  .  .  .  In  the  mean  time  I  cannot  help  envy¬ 
ing  you,  when  here  is  a  paltry  town  of  the  same  name,  where  there  are  near  300  scholars,  among  whom  a  Church¬ 
man  durst  hardly  say  his  soul  is  his  own ;  and,  I  think,  it  will  never  be  well  till  that  College  become  an  Episcopal 
College,  or  we  have  one  founded  with  us.  ...  I  have  sent  you  two  of  Mr.  Honyman’s  pieces  (which  he  modestly 
desires  I  would  apologise  for),  with  some  more  wretched  trumpery  that,  I  fear,  nobody  will  find  time  to  answer.  I 
am  oppressed  with  the  labour  of  making  and  preaching  two  or  more  Sermons  a  week,  as  I  would  enter  the  lists 
with  them.  I  find  that,  in  spite  of  malice  and  the  basest  arts  our  godly  enemies  can  easily  stoop  to,  that  the  interest 
of  the  Church  grows  and  penetrates  into  the  veiy  heart  of  this  country.  Within  eight  miles  of  good  Mr.  Johnson, 
of  whose  welfare  I  have  lately  heard,  there  is  a  considerable  congregation  of  Churchmen,  and  it  will  not  be  long 
before  they  petition  the  Society  for  a  missionary.  Mr.  Johnson’s  reputation  grows,  and  good  success  attends  him. 
This  great  town  swarms  with  them,  and  we  are  so  confident  of  our  power  and  interest  that,  out  of  four  Parliament- 
men  which  this  town  sends  to  our  General  Assembly,  the  Church  intends  to  put  up  for  two,  though  I  am  not  very 
sanguine  about  our  success  in  it.  However,  it  is  worth  trying :  and,  could  we  fill  our  lower  House  with  Churchmen, 
we  might  get  repealed  some  cruel  Acts,  which  bring  Churchmen  under  a  double  charge, — to  maintain  a  Dissenting 
teacher  and  the  Church  too.  My  Church  grows  faster  than  I  expected,  and,  while  it  doth  so,  I  will  not  be  mortified 
by  all  the  lies  and  affronts  they  pelt  me  with.  My  greatest  difficulty  ariseth  from  another  quarter,  and  is  owing  to 
the  covetous  and  malicious  spirit  of  a  clergyman  in  this  town,  who,  in  lying  and  villany,  is  a  perfect  overmatch  for 
any  Dissenter  that  I  know ;  and,  after  all  the  odium  that  he  contracted  heretofore  among  them,  is  fully  reconciled 
and  endeared  to  them  by  his  falsehood  to  the  Church ;  and,  spite  of  me,  I  have  a  clear  conscience  towards  him,  and 
have  tried  to  gain  him,  and,  for  the  peace  of  the  Church,  have  passed  over  many  affronts  that  everybody  would 
not  have  thought  supportable,  and  have  not  stirred  till  he  gave  such  a  vent  to  his  furious  malice  that  none  but  an  ass 
would  bear ;  upon  which,  I  have  made  my  complaint,  which  I  need  not  be  particular  in,  because  I  doubt  not  the 
Dean  of  Ely  hath  related  it  to  you. 


664 


It  is  now  above  a  year  since  a  Society  of  Churchmen  hath  been  established,  to  make  provision  for  the  necessity 
of  any  of  its  members;  for  the  assistance  of  any  person  who  may  go  off  in  the  Church’s  service;  for  a  good  Library, 
etc.,  the  stock  is  already  130/.,  and  it  will  not  be  long  before  we  are  considerable.  We  hope  many  good  gentle¬ 
men  in  England  will  countenance  the  design  of  a  Public  Library,  much  needed  among  us.  I  am  impatient  to  see 
your  “Answer  to  Calamy,”  which  you  promise  me  some  of. 

We  are  told  Colonel  Shute  is  to  come  again  over  to  us,  which,  surely,  will  be  much  better  than  if  our  Fanatic 
country  prevailed  in  their  cause  against  him  ;  and,  certainly,  if  he  hath  any  sense  in  him,  he  will  not  think  our 
Fanaticks  worthy  of  any  more  of  his  favour.  .  .  . 

TIM.  CCUTLER. 


Boston,  New  England,  June  21,  1725. 

Rev.  Sir, 

I  have  received  your  kind  Letter,  dated  at  Cambridge,  Aug.  7,  1724,  for  which  I  return  you  my  hearty 
thanks. 

The  manuscript  with  which  you  were  pleased  to  oblige  us  shall  be  printed  as  soon  as  we  can  bring  the  Printers 
to  any  temper,  who  have  been  so  much  menaced  by  the  Teachers,  that  we  have  found  it  very  difficult  to  get  anything 
printed  in  defence  of  the  Church.  The  inclosed  pamphlets,  which  I  desire  you  to  accept,  I  printed  by  stealth,  at 
the  time  of  my  first  trial.  Had  the  Judges  known  of  it,  they  would  have  made  it  a  forfeiture  of  my  bonds  (for,  you 
must  know,  my  countrymen  think  it  treason  to  write  in  defence  of  the  Church) ;  and,  indeed,  I  had  not  run  such  a 
risque,  had  there  not  been  a  necessity  for  it.  There  was  at  that  time  a  great  dispute  betwixt  two  leaders  of  the  sub¬ 
divisions  of  the  schism,  a  Baptist,  and  a  Quaker  lately  a  Baptist,  with  both  whom  I  conferred  when  I  fled  from  the 
moderation  of  the  Independent  into  the  Narragansett  country,  the  seat  of  the  Quakers  and  Baptists. 

Five  hundred  have  been  dispersed  in  those  parts,  and  have  done  a  great  deal  of  service  already. 

You  must  excuse  the  lowness  of  the  diction,  though,  by  the  good  it  has  already  done,  I  would  flatter  myself 
that  it  is  not  ill  suited  to  the  end  proposed,  viz.,  demonstrating  to  either  party  the  inconsistency  of  their  respective 
schemes  in  their  own  dialect ;  to  keep  close  to  which,  and  to  write  with  perspicuity,  I  assure  you  is  not  very  easy. 

I  have  made  enquiry  for  that  Fanatical  Collection  [part  of  a  Register],  but  cannot  yet  find  it. 

If  your  Bookseller  will  send  twenty  of  your  excellent  book  against  Peirce,  bound  in  calf  and  filleted  with  gold, 
at  35.  gd.,  he  running  the  risque,  I  believe  I  can  sell  them.  If  I  cannot  sell  them  all,  I  will  carefully  return  the 
remainder ;  but  I  make  no  question  of  it,  if  they  be  well  bound,  and  at  that  price. 

Reverend  Sir,  the  severe  persecutions  I  have  been  under  from  the  Independents,  since  my  arrival,  obliged  me 
to  make  application  to  some  of  my  friends  in  England,  hoping  they  would  have  been  able  to  have  procured  for  me 
the  favour  of  my  Lord  of  London,*  or  a  noli  prosequi ;  and  though,  I  fear,  they  have  not  succeeded,  yet  the  readi¬ 
ness  which  (I  am  informed)  those  worthy  gentlemen  express,  as  to  have  procured  what  might  have  screened  me 
from  the  fury  of  these  Independent  zealots,  I  must  acknowledge  has  afforded  me  a  pleasure  next  to  that  of  their 
being  successful  in  it.  I  acknowledge  it  a  great  favour  to  be  thought  worthy  of  their  notice ;  and  I  assure  you,  Sir, 
that  the  friendly  letters  from  the  reverend  gentlemen  to  whom  I  had  the  honour  to  be  known  in  England,  have 
been,  in  my  distress  and  trouble,  a  great  consolation  to  me. 

I  shall  not  tire  you  with  a  long  narrative  of  my  sufferings  from  the  Dissenters,  but  beg  leave  to  entertain  you 
with  the  joyful  news  of  the  increase  of  the  Church. 

Last  month  the  frame  of  a  Church  was  raised  at  Fairfield,  a  flourishing  county  town  in  Connecticut,  but  10  miles 
from  Mr.  Johnson.1* 

The  people  at  Newport,  in  Rhode  Island,  are  building  a  spacious  and  beautiful  Church  of  timber,  designing  to 
give  the  frame  of  the  old  one  to  the  people  of  Westerley,  a  town  in  the  Narraganset,  who  are  desirous  of  a  Church, 
but  fifteen  miles  from  the  reverend  Mr.  McSparran,  who  preached  last  week  at  New  London,  in  Connecticut,  forty 
miles  distant  from  his  own  parish,  a  place  of  great  trade,  the  seat  of  the  late  Governor,  and  where  the  King’s 
Collector  always  resides,  at  which  time  there  was  130/.  subscribed  towards  the  building  of  a  Church  there. 


*  Dr.  Edmund  Gibson. 


665 

This  week  I  accompany  Dr.  Cutler  to  Braintry,  io  miles  from  Boston,  who  goes  thither  at  the  desire  of  some 
of  the  inhabitants,  to  administer  the  Sacrament. 

The  Church-People  in  this  last-mentioned  town  are  very  poor,  but  they  are  raising  what  they  can  in  order  to  build 
a  small  church ;  and  I  design  my  brother-in-law,  who  is  an  ingenious  young  gentleman,  taking  the  degree  of  Master 
this  next  July,  and  a  sincere  convert  to  the  Church,  shall  act  what  a  Layman  may  act  among  them,  that  is,  read  the 
service  of  the  Church  (excepting  the  absolution),  and  some  good  Sermons,  to  keep  the  people  in  heart,  who  are 
much  discouraged  and  distressed  for  want  of  a  minister  upon  the  spot ;  Dr.  Cutler  engaging  to  preach  there  once 
a  month,  until  they  shall  be  provided  with  a  missionary. 

This,  Sir,  is  the  promising  prospect  of  the  increase  of  the  Church  here ;  of  which  the  Dissenters  are  so  sens¬ 
ible,  that  they  make  use  of  all  the  methods  that  envy,  spite,  and  malice  can  suggest  to  hinder  the  growth  of  it ; 
one  of  which  was  the  late  Memorial  of  Dr.  Cotton  Mather,  in  the  name  of  the  Dissenting  Teachers  here,  to  the 
General  Court,  that  they  might  have  liberty  to  convene  a  Synod.  Had  they  succeeded,  we  have  reason  to  fear  that 
they  would  have  invented  something  like  the  Solemn  League  and  Covenant  to  prejudice  the  rising  generation 
against  the  Church. 

Dr.  Cutler  and  Mr.  Myles  put  in  a  Memorial  against  it  (Mr.  Harris  refusing  to  join  with  them  against  his  dear 
brethren  the  Dissenters !),  in  which  the  following  paragraph  proved,  what  I  foretold  it  would  prove,  a  Remora  to 
the  Schismatical  Convention,  which  made  me  the  more  urgent  to  have  it  inserted.  It  is  in  the  following  words, 
viz. : 

“  Whereas,  by  Royal  Authority,  the  Colonies  in  America  are  annexed  to  the  Diocese  of  London ;  and,  inasmuch 
as  nothing  can  be  done  in  Ecclesiastical  matters  without  the  cognizance  of  the  Bishop;  We  are  therefore  humbly  of 
opinion  that  it  will  neither  be  dutiful  to  his  most  sacred  Majesty  King  George,  nor  consistent  with  the  Rights  of  our 
Right  Reverend  Diocesan,  to  call  or  encourage  the  said  Synod,  until  the  pleasure  of  his  Majesty  shall  be  known 
therein.” 

This  puzzled  the  Lower  House;  wherefore,  after  reading  this  clause  several  times  over,  and  a  short  debate 
upon  it,  they  unanimously  voted  to  defer  the  affair  of  the  Synod  until  their  Session  in  the  fall. 

I  hope  my  Lord  of  London  will  defend  his  own  Rights,  and  at  the  same  time  see  the  necessity  of  a  Bishop  in 
these  parts.  I  pray  God,  in  mercy  to  His  Church,  to  send  us  that  one  thing  necessary,  not  only  to  the  well-being, 
but  to  the  very  being  of  a  Church, — I  mean  a  Bishop,  a  principle  of  unity  upon  the  spot,  to  heal  those  disorders 
which  neither  the  vigilance  nor  wisdom  of  that  great  Prelate,  our  right  reverend  Diocesan,  at  so  great  a  distance, 
can  foresee  or,  I  fear,  prevent. 

In  a  short  time  I  propose  to  send  you  an  account  of  the  Charitable  Society  of  the  Church  of  England,  and  of 
the  Public  Library  erected  here ;  the  laying  the  foundation  of  both  which  I  have  been  (thanks  to  my  good  God)  the 
happy  though  unworthy  instrument. 

Reverend  Sir,  I  beg  pardon  for  this  long  letter,  and  shall  now  conclude  with  assuring  you  that,  by  God’s  assist¬ 
ance,  no  threats  nor  sufferings  shall  prevent  me  from  prosecuting  that  glorious  cause,  to  which  for  many  years  I  have 
been  devoted ;  always  bearing  in  my  mind  the  paternal  advice  and  blessing  of  that  consummate  Prelate,  the  late 
good  Archbishop  of  York,*  which  I  received  from  him  the  last  time  I  had  the  honor  to  pay  my  duty  to  him  in  private, 
and  represent  the  slate  of  the  Church  in  New  England,  viz.,  “Arm  yourself  with  the  humility  and  courage  of  a 
Christian ;  and  when  God  shall  suffer  the  enemies  of  his  Church  to  afflict  you,  receive  it  with  patience  and  cheerful¬ 
ness,  praying  for  your  persecutors;”  which  good  advice  I  have  endeavored  to  follow,  and  still  trust  in  God  that 
I  shall  survive  the  storms  that  have  hitherto  afflicted  me,  and  live  to  see  the  happy  arrival  of  a  Bishop,  at  which  time 
I  am  well  assured  the  Church,  like  an  irresistible  torrent,  though  not  with  the  like  ruinous  effects,  but  with  salvation 
and  healing  under  its  wings,  will  bear  down  all  before  it.  Which  that  God  may  grant,  is  the  hearty  prayer  of, 
Reverend  Sir, 

Your  very  much  obliged,  humble  servant, 

JOHN  CHECKLEY. 

P.  S. — Pray  give  my  duty  to  that  great  and  good  man,  the  reverend  Dean  of  Ely,  and  my  hearty  service  to  all 


84 


*  Dr.  Lancelot  Blackburn. 


666 


the  reverend  gentlemen  in  London  of  your  acquaintance,  to  whom  I  have  the  honour  to  be  known ;  and,  when 
you  shall  revisit 

“ - the  pleasing  banks  of  Cam, 

(Where  Abraham  Cowley  sweetly  sigh’d  his  flame),”' 

pray  give  my  very  humble  service  and  respects  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Lany  and  Professor  Dickins,  from  whom  I  received 
a  great  deal  of  civility. 


The  following  paragraphs  are  taken  from  a  letter  dated  the  28th  of  January  last  [1724-5],  from  Boston  in  New 
England  : 

The  late  commitment  of  Mr.  Gershom  Wodell,  and  his  being  expelled  the  House  of  Representatives,  hath 
made  a  great  talk  here.  The  fact  is  this  : 

Mr.  Wodell  was  a  Member  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  and,  hearing  the  Letter  of  their  Excellencies  the 
Lords  Justices  read  in  the  Lower  House,  and  observing  how  much  it  condemned  the  intended  Convocation  of  Dissenting 
Teachers  in  this  country,  and  knowing  how  much  some  people  were  bent  upon  the  holding  a  Synod,  he  thought  it 
would  be  highly  proper  that  the  people  might  know  his  Majesty’s  pleasure,  and,  by  such  a  knowledge,  act  more 
dutifully  for  the  future.  The  Lieutenant-Governor  had  lodged  the  Letter  in  the  Secretary’s  office,  an  Office  of 
Record,  where  Mr.  Wodell  demanded  a  copy  of  it,  which  was  delivered  him  by  the  Secretary’s  clerk,  who  received 
10 s.  of  Mr.  Wodell  for  the  said  copy.  Mr.  Wodell  carried  the  copy  to  Mr.  John  Checkley,  who  transcribed  it,  and 
shewed  it  to  several  gentlemen  of  the  Church  of  England,  by  which  means  the  Independents  here  came  to  the  knowl¬ 
edge  of  the  contents  of  the  Letter.^ 

This  is  the  whole  offence  of  Mr.  Wodell  respecting  the  procuring  a  copy  of  the  Letter  from  their  Excellencies  ; 
for  which  he  is  committed  to  custody,  and  a  copy  of  his  mittimus  absolutely  denied  him.  He  lays  a  Memorial 
before  the  House,  denying  the  charge  of  clandestinely  obtaining  the  copy,  desiring  to  be  heard  by  Counsel  at  the  Bar 
of  the  said  House,  which  is  not  granted  (nor  any  notice  taken  of  this  Memorial  in  the  Votes),  and,  at  length, 
expelled  the  Idouse  of  Representatives. 

In  the  printed  votes  of  the  said  House,  p.  102,  there  is  something  very  remarkable  at  the  end  of  the  preamble 
to  Mr.  Wodell’s  mittimus ;  for  there  they  say  “  that  the  spreading  about  copies  of  their  Excellencies’  Letter  is  to  the 
disturbance  of  his  Majesty  s  subjects .”  Some  people  think  that  this  looks  like  making  a  Libel  of  their  Excellencies’ 
Letter. 

In  p.  103,  upon  Greenleaf’s  Examination,  may  be  seen  how  angry  they  were  that  his  Majesty  came  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  designed  Synod,  and  what  pains  they  took  to  hinder  it,  the  Secretary  refusing  (as  the  Votes  say) 
to  give  a  copy  of  the  proceedings  respecting  that  affair.  They  make  that  crime  enough  to  turn  a  man  out  of  his 
office,  viz.,  his  delivering  a  copy  of  the  Dissenting  Ministers’  Address  for  holding  a  Synod,  &c.,  to  John  Checkley, 
of  Boston,  some  time  in  the  month  of  June  last,  which  was  sent  to  England.  This  they  make  the  chief  cause  for 
turning  Greenleaf  out  of  his  office,  his  being  instrumental  only  in  the  communication  of  the  intended  Synod ;  for  the 
not  communicating  of  which  the  Lieutenant-Governor  is  so  much  blamed  by  their  Excellencies  the  Lords  Justices. 
The  late  attempt  of  Mr.  Checkley  to  bring  the  Eastern  Indians  into  the  Communion  of  the  Church  of  England,  and 
the  opposition  he  hath  met  with,  hath  been  the  cause  of  much  speculation  likewise.  Some  late  proceedings  here 
would  almost  make  men  believe  that  many  in  this  country  would  chuse  that  the  Eastern  Indians  should  remain 
buried  in  the  Roman  superstitions  and  idolatry,  nay,  that  they  should  even  return  to  their  antient  Paganism,  rather 
than  be  brought  into  the  Communion  of  the  Church  of  England. 


Mr.  John  Checkley  to  Dr.  Z.  Grey. 

Boston,  New  England,  Dec.  10,  1725. 

Dear  Sir, 

The  bearer  of  thisVLetter,  Captain  Foster,  is  a  gentleman  who  hath  been  some  time  in  this  country,  and  can 
give  you  a  good  account  of  the  posture  of  affairs  here,  as  well  ecclesiastical  as  civil.  I  believe  you  will  like  his 
conversation. 


<1 


667 


Some  time  past  I  sent  you  the  book  called,  “  A  Part  of  a  Register,”  which  you  desired  me  to  procure  for  you. 
I  hope  you  have  received  it. 

I  am  now  writing  upon  a  very  arduous  enterprize,  viz.,  an  attempt  to  persuade  the  most  powerful  tribe  of  the 
Eastern  Indians  to  embrace  the  Communion  of  the  Church  of  England,  and  I  am  not  without  some  hopes  of  success, 
having  lately  had  a  conference  in  private  with  four  of  their  chief  Sagamores,  now  at  Boston  upon  a  treaty  of 
peace.  This  warlike  tribe  hath  waged  continual  war  with  the  English,  being  fast  friends  to  the  French,  on  account 
of  their  religion,  who  are  all  to  a  man  of  the  Roman  Communion,  having  a  French  Jesuit  among  them. 

I  have  not  communicated  this  to  any  person,  knowing  that  my  friends  would  endeavour  to  dissuade  me  from  an 
undertaking,  likely  to  be  accompanied  with  so  great  difficulties  and  so  many  hazards.  And  should  the  Independents 
know  it,  they  would  use  all  possible  methods  to  render  such  a  design  abortive,  chusing  rather  that  the  Indians  should 
continue  Romans,  or  even  return  to  their  antient  Paganism,  than  be  reconciled  to  the  Church  of  England ;  to 
which  truly  Apostolic  Church  (notwithstanding  all  opposition)  the  acquisitions  are  so  frequent  and  so  numerous, 
that  the  Independents  are  almost  at  their  wits’  end. 

The  tour  I  propose  to  take  will  not  be  finished  under  three  months;  and  out  and  home  will  consist  of  about 
fifteen  hundred  miles,  some  of  which  I  shall  go  by  water. 

Your  much  obliged  and  very  humble  Servant, 

J.  CHECKLEY. 


Boston,  N.  E.,  Jan.  28,  172^. 

Rev.  sir, 

I  wrote  some  time  past,  giving  you  an  account  of  my  designed  expedition  among  the  Indians,  and  of  what 
consequence  it  was  to  keep  it  from  the  knowledge  of  the  Independents,  lest  they  should  hinder  it. 

A  Late  proceeding  of  theirs  hath  demonstrated  how  much  they  love  me  and  the  Church  of  England,  a  full 
narrative  of  which  I  have  not  now  time  to  transmit,  but  have  already  sent  it  to  General  Nicholson,  who  will  readily 
communicate  it  to  you,  or  any  gentlemen  desirous  to  see  it. 

I  have  sent  you  the  votes  of  the  House  of  Representatives  respecting  Mr.  Wodell  and  myself,  in  relation  to  the 
Ministers’  Memorial  for  holding  a  Synod,  and  procuring  a  copy  of  their  Excellencies  the  Lords  Justices’  Letter,  in 
consequence  of  their  being  informed  of  the  intended  Convocation. 

The  Vote  containing  the  order  which  relates  to  me  and  the  Indian  hostage  I  could  not  procure.  General 
Nicholson  hath  a  complete  set  of  the  Votes,  and  I  have  entreated  his  Excellency  to  communicate  them,  with  what  I 
have  written  relating  to  them,  to  the  Reverend  Dean  of  Ely,  and  to  Dr.  Marshall,  junr. 

I  should  be  very  glad  if  you  would  cause  the  inclosed  to  be  printed,  soon  after  the  reception  of  this  Letter,  in 
some  one  of  the  public  papers  of  good  repute.  I  understand  the  Votes  are  sent  home,  and  several  entire  sets  of 
them  will  be  in  the  coffee-houses  in  London ;  therefore,  it  will  be  highly  proper  that  something  should  be  printed 
in  relation  to  those  Votes  that  mention  me,  lest  my  friends  should  think  that  it  was  a  contrivance  of  the  said  Check- 
ley,  and  a  designed  imposition  upon  the  Court,  according  to  the  language  of  the  Votes. 

Dr.  Cutler  is  very  well.  Mr.  Johnson  is  married.  Pray  give  my  service  to  all  my  friends  in  England.  I  have 
heard  nothing  from  them  a  great  while.  I  hope  they  will  not  forget  me. 

I  am.  Sir,  your  very  much  obliged  and  very  humble  servant, 

JOHN  CHECKLEY. 


To  the  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler,  at  Boston. 

Boston,  May  5,  1726. 

Rev.  Sir, 

I  am  a  poor  woman  of  the  other  Church  at  Boston,  and  have  been  sundry  times  to  hear  you,  and  should  go  very 
often,  but  I  find  you  preach  up  morality  and  little  of  Christ  in  your  Sermons.  I  wish  you  would  peruse  Dr.  Beverege,* 
more  especially  those  parts  on  Christ’s  merits.  I  pray  preach  more  on  true  conversion  and  the  life  of  Christianity, 


*  Bishop  of  St.  Asaph  from  1704  to  1708. 


668 


and  not  so  much  on  passive  obedience  and  non-resistance.  Pray,  in  your  little  prayer  before  the  Sermon,  for  King 
George  and  Royal  Family,  and  for  the  Governor,  as  our  Ministers  do,  and  I  will  come  often.  I  know  many  others 
of  my  mind,  and  I  am  sure  your  Church  will  be  full. 

Pray,  Doctor,  excuse  for  being  so  bold. 

•  I  am,  your  real  friend  and  servant, 

Y.  Z. 


The  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Z.  Grey. 

Boston,  New  England,  May  7,  1726. 

Rev.  and  Dear  Sir, 

This  letter  waits  on  you  by  the  assistance  of  Mr.  Eb.  Miller,  who  comes  over  in  hopes  of  a  Mission  to  the  town 
of  Brantree,  for  the  particular  knowledge  of  whose  case  I  beg  leave  to  refer  you  to  Mr.  Miller  himself,  and  the 
letter  I  have  wrote  to  the  Reverend  Dean  of  Ely ;  and  I  cannot  but  flatter  myself  that  you  will  impart  the  same 
respects  and  assistance  to  him  that  you  were  pleased  heretofore  to  countenance  Mr.  Johnson  and  myself  by. 

There  is  also  a  true  son  and  faithful  Presbyter  of  the  Church,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Wetmore,  Catechist  at  New  York, 
who  is  linked  in  with  a  very  useless  mortal,  Mr.  Vesey,  the  Minister  of  Place,  by  whom  he  is  very  scurvily  treated, 
and  where  he  hath  but  little  advantage  to  exert  that  zeal,  industry,  and  courage  that  is  so  peculiar  to  him.  Him  I 
have  also  presumed  to  recommend  to  the  compassion  of  the  Dean,  and  entreat  your  good  offices  also  to  him,  as 
far  as  they  may  reach. 

I  may  glory  in  being  instrumental  to  the  promising  circumstances  wherein  Braintry  now  is  ;  and  if  it  be  reputed 
now-a-days  any  merit  to  serve  the  Church,  should  be  thankful  if  the  Society  would  encourage  me  to  persevere,  and 
hope,  Sir,  that  you  candidly  interpret  such  a  motion  as  this  is ;  and  I  do  assure  you  I  have  better  considerations  to 
attatch  me,  how  slender  soever  my  successes  are  in  this  world. 

Here  are  also  five  places  more  that  promise  the  settlement  of  the  Church  of  England  in,  and  I  think  they  can¬ 
not  all  fail.  My  own  Church  is  so  numerous  that  it  is  the  envy  rather  than  the  scorn  of  Dissenters ;  and,  according 
to  present  views,  we  shall  want  a  third  Church  in  a  very  short  time.  We  are  not  very  well  pleased  with  the  views 
of  a  return  of  our  old  Governor.  Might  Col.  Nicholson,  the  late  Governor  of  Carolina,  visit  us,  the  Church  here 
would  glory  and  triumph  in  him.  However,  now,  though  our  Head  Officers  keep  out  of  Church,  and  with  the 
greatest  industry  promote  schism  among  us,  yet  we  grow,  and  we  trust  the  gates  of  Hell  shall  not  prevail  against  us. 

If  Mr.  Miller*  should  incline  to  visit  the  Universities,  I  would  also.  Sir,  lay  in  for  your  assistance  therein. 

I  shall  shortly  be  impatient  for  a  letter  from  you.  May  you  and  your  family  be  rewarded  here  and  hereafter 
for  all  the  learning  and  courage  you  have  improved  in  the  Church’s  cause ;  and  may  I  constantly  reap  the  benefit  of 
your  prayers  and  friendship !  I  long  to  see  you,  but  I  fear  that  nothing  but  death  will  give  me  that  happiness. 

Sir,  your  unfailing  friend  and  servant, 

TIM.  CUTLER. 

Since  the  writing  of  this  letter,  I  received  a  salutation,  whereof,  for  your  entertainment,  you  have  a  copy. 
[The  short  letter  Preceeding.] 


Mr.  John  Checkley  to  Dr.  Z.  Grey. 

Boston,  May  9,  1726.' 

Rev.  Sir, 

The  bearer  of  this  letter,  Mr.  Ebenezer  Miller,  who  is  my  brother-in-law,  goes  home  very  well  recommended  to 
my  Lord  of  London,  to  the  Hon.  Society,  and  to  many  worthy  persons  in  London.  When  he  arrives  in  London,  as 
he  is  a  stranger,  he  will  want  the  advice  of  some  good  friend.  I  hope,  Sir,  you  will  condescend  to  be  such  to  him. 
If  the  Bishop  should  not  dispense  with  his  age  (he  not  being  24  years  old),  so  as  to  send  him  over  this  fall,  I  would 
have  him  spend  (if  his  money  will  hold  out)  some  months  at  Oxford,  and  after  that  to  visit  Cambridge,  at  both  which 


*  Ebenezer  Miller  of  N.  E.  was  created  M.A.  at  Oxford,  July  16,  1726,  and  (as  Missionary)  D.D.  by  Diploma, 
December  1,  1747. 


669 


places,  I  believe,  you  have  many  friends ;  and,  if  you  will  honour  my  brother  with  letters  to  them,  it  will  be  a  greats 
favour  done  to  him,  and  an  obligation  upon.  Rev.  Sir,  your  already  much  obliged  and  very  humble  servant, 

JNO.  CHECKLEY. 


Extracts  from  Letters  of  Dr.  Cutler  to  Dr.  Z.  Grey. 

Sept.  30,  1726. 

*  *  Several  letters  have  come  here  from  my  Lord,*  but  none  to  me ;  by  consequence,  nothing  is  found 

in  me  worthy  of  death  or  of  bonds,  and  this  must  comfort  me  upon  the  neglect  of  so  many  important  letters  that  I 
have  written.  In  his  last  letters  to  some,  he  tells  us  the  advice  he  hath  received  of  Mr.  Checkley’s  going  up  to  the 
Clergy’s  meeting  at  Rhode  Island,  and  being  a  great  adviser  in  all  our  affairs ;  and,  though  his  Lordship  much  dis¬ 
relishes,  notwithstanding  he  sent  our  Address  to  the  King  to  Hanover,  and  thanks  us  for  our  respectful  letter  to  him. 
Mr.  Checkley  was  only  transiently  in  that  place,  without  any  concern  in  our  affairs,  which  we  shall  try  to  make  his 
Lordship  believe.  For  this  we  must  thank  some  of  our  own  order,  who  are  properly  devils, — accusers  of  the 
brethren.  .  .  . 

*  I  forgot  to  tell  you  the  Bishop  encourages  us  to  hope  for  his  interest  to  get  repealed  such  laws  as 
the  Church  here  suffers  by.  It  is  an  article  of  great  importance,  and  we  pray  for  his  Lordship’s  success  in  it,  which 
we  must  esteem  a  compensation  for  our  own  particular  misfortunes. 

*  A  Fanatic  Minister  of  this  town  hath  desired  an  epistolary  conference  with  Mr.  Johnson,  and  he 
hath  handsomely  begun  it,  but  is  meanly  returned  upon  by  his  aggressor.  It  will  not  be  in  print,  except  the  latter’s 
humour  should  bring  it  out. 


Oct.  22,  1726. 

This  is  only  to  please  myself  by  perpetuating  in  your  mind  the  remembrance  of  me.  I  have  since  read  your 
Remarks  on  the  “  Critical  History”  with  a  great  deal  of  pleasure.  I  hear  the  author  of  that  book  was  Oldmixon, 
wherein  I  am  confirmed  by  some  slants  in  yours.  This  Oldmixon  did  heretofore  pass  some  bitter  reflections  on  Dr. 
Mather’s  “History  of  New  England,”  which  Dr.  Mather  hath  sufficiently  resented;  and  it  is  pleasant  to  observe 
that  Dr.  Mather,  in  a  late  book  called  “  Manductio,”  &c.,  which  by  my  next  I  may  send  to  you,  hath  highly  extolled 
this  “Critical  History,”  and  hath  lately  had  the  pleasure  to  know  the  author  of  it. 

The  books  we  put  forth  are  unworthy  our  reading ;  but  the  books  we  have  might  teach  us  better,  as  you  may 
see  by  the  enclosed  Catalogue.  It  is  a  pity  that  the  College  is  in  such  hands ;  but  our  Dissenters  are  more  careful 
to  preserve  it  so  than  we  are  that  it  should  be  otherwise !  As  a  Minister  of  this  town,  the  College  Charter  makes 
me  an  Overseer  of  this  College ;  but  their  spite  hath  admitted  me  to  be  cited  never  but  one  time  out  of  100  meetings 
which  they  have  had.  I  have  now  entered  a  complaint,  but  how  it  will  work,  the  Lieutenant-Governor  being  a 
Dissenter,  I  know  not ;  but  I  am  sure  a  man  may  write  home  to  eternity,  and  be  neglected. 

Mr.  Harris  is  a  sore  mortification  to  us  in  every  good  design,  so  that,  I  fear,  we  shall  be  hindered  from  printing 
your  worthy  Answer  to  Dr.  Mather.  That  person  refused  reading  prayers  but  last  Sunday  for  Miles,  who  is  greatly 
indisposed ;  and  this  is  but  one  out  of  a  thousand  instances  of  the  beastliness  of  the  man.  A  good-for-nothing 
Clergyman,  one  of  his  great  abettors,  is  now,  I  hope,  taking  his  final  leave  of  us. 


May  18,  1727. 

Mr.  Caner  is  the  bearer  of  it,  a  person  who  hath  deserved  well  of  the  Church,  and  now  goes  over  to  receive 
orders  from  my  Lord,  and  a  Mission  from  the  Society  to  the  town  of  Fairfield  in  Connecticut,  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  Mr.  Johnson ;  and  since  this  worthy  friend  of  ours  hath  wrote  to  you  in  his  behalf,  it  may  supersede  what  I  should 
have  said  in  his  recommendation  to  you,  having  had  a  personal  knowledge  of  him  in  Yale  College,  and  since  I  left 
it.  I  only,  therefore,  join  with  Mr.  Johnson  in  desiring  for  him  the  benefit  of  your  countenance  and  good  councils, 
a  favour  to  myself  which  I  cannot  otherwise  acknowledge  than  by  seeking  a  share  in  it  for  those  who  are  more 
deserving.  .  .  . 


*  Dr.  Edmund  Gibson,  Bishop  of  London. 


6jo 


The  Church  grows  everywhere,  how  unhandsome  soever  our  treatment  is  from  schism  and  the  secular  arm.  We 
are  threatened  with  another  visit  from  our  mighty  Governor,  who,  I  fear,  will  not  care  to  mend  the  matter.  The 
Society  promises  us  their  interest  to  deliver  us  from  schismatic  taxes,  which  some  places  groan  and  are  in  danger  of 
fainting  under ;  and  I  pray  God  give  success  to  your  affectionate  concern  about  us.  By  my  character  of  Minister 
in  this  town,  I  am  one  of  the  Overseers  of  Harvard  College,  a  right  which  I  had  rather  die  than  give  up;  and  yet, 
after  all  my  complaints,  am  shuffled  off  from  sitting  with  that  body,  whereof  I  intend  shortly  to  complain  to  my  Lord 
and  the  Society;  and,  when  I  have  done  all,  I  shall  content  myself  to  have  wished  well  to  the  Church  of  England. 
Mr.  Checldey  (whom  God  prosper)  can  give  you  a  full  understanding  of  this  case. 

TIM.  CUTLER. 

Boston,  April  7,  1728. 

Rev.  and  Dear  Sir, 

I  proposed  yours  as  the  next  letter  to  have  crossed  the  Ocean,  but  an  opportunity  presenting  by  Mr.  Rufus 
Green,  who  has  thought  of  seeing  Cambridge,  I  have  prevented  you.  He  is  a  young  man  of  great  sobriety, 
and  strongly  attached  to  the  Church,  who,  with  sundry  of  the  rising  generation,  promises  to  be  the  Church’s  glory 
in  the  next  age ;  and  if  you  could  gain  him  a  little  sight  of  some  remarkables  in  your  University,  I  should  take  it  as 
a  particular  favour  to  me.  .  .  . 

It  hath  pleased  God  to  make  sundry  breaches  in  my  Church.  One  remarkable  one  of  late  is  the  death  of  a 
young  man  of  great  sobriety,  discretion,  and  zeal  for  the  Church,  for  which  he  left  the  Dissenters  after  the  conviction 
of  his  riper  years.  He  was  brought  up  at  our  College,  and  carried  from  it  a  strong  relish  of  polite  learning  and 
divinity,  and  lived  and  died  with  the  respect  of  all  that  knew  him.  In  his  will  he  gave  my  Church  130/.,  whereof 
30/.  is  for  the  poor  of  it ;  and,  after  the  discharge  of  sundry  legacies  and  the  death  of  his  mother,  the  residue  of  the 
estate,  computed  at  800/.  or  1,000/.,  to  be  equally  divided  between  my  Church  and  the  College,  the  interest  of  the 
latter  half  for  the  education  of  Episcopal  scholars ;  and  this  mars  all  the  glory  of  the  benefaction,  and  it  is  said  the 
College  will  reject  the  gift,  as  they  did  once  an  organ  willed  them  for  the  service  of  Almighty  God.  These  things 
are  a  plain  evidence  that  our  College  should  be  under  the  management  of  better  hands,  and  make  me  wish  more 
earnestly  a  good  success  in  the  present  case  depending.  But  since  General  Nicholson,  our  great  patron  and  solicitor, 
is  dead,  our  spirits  are  much  damped.  However,  for  my  part,  I  have  done  my  utmost,  and  whatever  others  can,  I 
can  sit  down  with  a  good  conscience ;  and  I  hope  in  God  I  shall  have  no  occasion  for  such  embroilments  for  the 
time  to  come. 

We  are  all  attentive  to  the  effects  of  the  present  Convocation,  and  are  sanguine  enough  in  our  hopes  from  it; 
and  surely  it  must  be  for  the  better,  and  there  must  be  such  a  catholic  spirit  in  the  Clergy  of  England  as  to  extend 
your  thoughts  to  this  side  of  the  water,  that  we  may  not  always  be  as  sheep  without  a  shepherd,  eternally  exposed  to 
the  violence  of  these  wolves. 

Mr.  Johnson  has  preached  in  Newhaven,  where  there  is  a  College,  and  seems  to  hope  they  may  have  a  Church 
there.  He  deserves  a  better  character  than  some  in  an  higher  station. 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


Boston,  New  England,  Oct.  10,  1728. 

*  *  *  It  is  an  awful  thing  that  Infidelity  lifts  its  head  so  high.  I  hoped  to  have  heard  some  noble 

efforts  against  it  by  the  Convocation;  instead  of  that  I  find  the  Sermon  printed,  “Jussu  Reverendissimi,”  soothing 
all  mortals  in  their  blindness  and  errors,  and  labouring  to  extinguish  all  the  zeal  that  our  holy  Religion  is  worthy  to 
be  treated  with. 

*  *  I  have  also  given  your  service  to  Mr.  Checkley  and  Mr.  Johnson,  who  are  both  well.  The 

latter,  I  believe,  intends  to  print  a  Seimon  against  Calvin’s  “  Horribile  Decretum,”  occasioned  by  a  confounded  one 
of  my  successor,  the  Rector  of  Yale  College.  I  have  seen  Mr.  Johnson’s  performance,  and  I  believe  it  will  give 
him  credit  where  he  dwells.  I  inclose  to  you  an  honest  effort  of  my  good  brother,  who  will  blush  when  he  knows 
it  is  going  into  your  hands.  You  may  find  some  inaccuracies  in  it,  but.  Sir,  I  know  your  candour,  and  believe  you 
will  find  it  the  solid  and  useful  Christian.  I  inclose  another,  unworthy  of  its  company,  occasioned  by  a  duel  of  two 
young  men,  who  left  the  Meeting  for  the  Church.  There  you  will  see,  Sir,  that  though  Dr.  Mather  is  dead,  Schism 
is  not,  and  that  we  want  not  canting  fellows  to  dress  up  slander  and  ill-nature  against  us. 


671 


As  to  the  affair  of  the  College,  I  have  rid  my  hands  and  my  conscience  of  it,  by  all  possible  labour  to  get  justice  in 
what,  I  think,  is  of  vast  importance  to  the  felicity  of  the  Church  here.  H  is  Lordship  and  the  Society  have  had  every  paper 
out  of  our  Records,  and  well-attested,  relating  to  it,  and  as  pressing  a  representation  of  the  case  as  I  could  make  to  them. 
I  have  had  no  return  from  either,  saving  a  verbal  one  from  the  former ;  and  it  seems  I  must  yet  send  the  pleas  of  the 
case,  and  clear  up  the  matter  of  our  being  Teaching  Elders,  and  show  the  benefit  and  advantage  that  would  arise  to 
the  Church  from  our  sitting  among  the  Overseers  of  the  College.  The  Lord  give  us  eyes  to  see,  and  ears  to  hear ! 
The  poor  Church  is,  in  some  places,  squeezing  to  death  under  the  weight  of  the  Dissenters’  loins;  and  neither 
Bishops,  nor  the  son  *  of  a  Bishop  now  at  the  head  of  us,  give  us  any  relief.  The  latter  is  vigorously  pursuing  his 
own  interest,  to  get  a  fixed  salary  on  a  Governor,  and  our  House  of  Commons  as  obstinately  opposing  it.  If 
he  carries  our  compliment  home,  and  the  Court  be  provoked  to  abolish  our  Charter,  he  will  prove  the  greatest 
blessing  that  ever  we  had.  Our  only  consolation  at  present  is,  that  good  may  come  out  of  evil.  It  cannot  be  other¬ 
wise,  when  our  great  man  shall  never  come  within  the  walls  of  a  Church  for  a  month  together,  and  shall  be  so  free 
as  to  tell  two  Clergymen  that  he  refused  Priest’s  Orders  because  he  could  not  assent  to  the  Athanasian  Creed ;  and 
they  so  complaisant  as  to  show  no  uneasiness  at  such  awful  conversation.  I  only  wait  for  a  little  more  openness  in 
such  talk,  and  then  my  pulpit  shall  ring ;  and  I  believe  I  shall  by  that  means  become  popular  among  the  Dissenters, 
who,  as  well  as  the  Church,  do  greatly  dislike  his  principles  and  practice. 

TIM.  CUTLER. 


July  17,  1729. 

Arianism  and  every  bad  principle  would  here  take  deep  root  and  thrive  apace,  were  it  not  for  the  dissentions 
in  our  Civil  Government,  which  have  so  prejudiced  us  against  a  certain  Heresiarch,  that  he  can  blunder  none  of  his 
notions  upon  us.  Our  comfort  is  that,  while  he  is  striving  with  the  people,  he  has  but  little  time  to  attempt  upon 
Religion  and  the  Church.  If  the  people  conquer  him,  his  opportunities  for  mischief  are  over ;  if  he  conquers  them, 
we  think  our  Charter  goes,  which  has  always  been  a  nuisance  to  us. 

*  *  *  Dean  Berkeley  j-  is  at  Rhode  Island,  highly  honoured  by  the  whole  Church  and  Dissenters  of 

all  denominations.  He  will  pass  the  next  Winter  there,  and  we  promise  ourselves  he  will  use  his  interest  to  place 
his  College  in  these  parts,  and  this  will  be  some  compensation  for  the  loss  the  Church  has  sustained  as  to  Harvard 
College.  Notwithstanding  my  struggles  about  it,  I  have  been  forced  to  put  my  son  under  Dissenting  tuition;  but  I 
must  do  them  the  justice  to  say  that  I  know  not  that  he  suffers  for  my  sake.  Mr.  Checkley  and  Mr.  Johnson  are 
well,  and  never  mention  you  without  honour ;  so  is  Mr.  Miller  and  his  lady.  .  .  . 


May  9,  1730. 

*  *  *  Dean  Berkeley  leads  a  private  life  at  Rhode  Island,  and  I  have  yet  wanted  the  happiness  of 
paying  my  respects  to  him.  Some  say  his  designs  will  come  to  nothing;  and  I  fear  they  guess  right.  The  melan¬ 
choly  accounts  from  you  and  my  other  worthy  friends  of  the  State  of  Britain,  confirm  our  ideas  of  everything  that  is 
sorrowful.  God  give  us,  on  both  sides  of  the  water,  the  advantage  of  better  times !  It  plainly  appears  that  we  must 
rise  and  fall  with  you,  by  that  surprizing  overture ;  and  very  mortifying  to  the  Church  here  is  the  Governor,  whom 
we  expect  every  day,  Jonathan  Belcher,  Esq.  Not  long  ago  this  gentleman  married  his  daughter  here  to  a  person 
baptised  and  brought  up  in  the  Church ;  but  not  before  he  had  strictly  obliged  him  entirely  to  forsake  the  Church, 
which  the  booby  has  faithfully  done.  Upon  the  first  news  about  our  Governor,  a  gentleman  here  from  whom  I  have 
received  many  favours,  compelled  me  to  give  my  sense  of  it  to  our  Diocesan,  and  enclosed  it  in  a  letter  of  his  own 
to  the  same  purpose.  Perhaps  his  Excellency  may  be  furnished  with  the  copy  or  the  original  of  that  letter,  but  I 
am  very  little  concerned  at  the  use  he  may  make  of  it.  I  believe  our  Churches  grow  everywhere,  but  it  is  a  sad 
damp  that  the  Philistines  are  Lords  over  us.  Now  we  may  be  hanged  or  imprisoned  as  many  as  please;  and  the 
Society  do  well  to  allow  us  (as  we  hear)  no  more  missions,  since  they  cannot  defend  those  we  have  already. 

*  *  *  The  small-pox  is  now  overspreading  this  town,  and  strikes  a  terror  into  the  whole  country.  The 

contagion  has  proved  mortal  to  many,  and  has  therefore  inclined  great  numbers  to  venture  upon  inoculation,  which 


*  William  Burnet,  Esq.,  eldest  son  of  Bishop  Burnet. 
J  Dr.  George  Berkeley,  afterwards  Bishop  of  Cloyne. 


6J2 


has  been  attended  with  great  success.  I  have  submitted  my  wife  and  seven  children  and  a  servant  to  the  practice  : 
and  they  have  all  gone  through  it  in  a  very  easy  manner,  saving  my  wife  and  eldest  daughter,  who  have  been  in  a 
dangerous  condition,  and  are  now  weak,  but  recovering.  The  most  visible  effect  of  this  affliction  is  to  set  us  in 
parties.  The  main  of  the  Church  are  against  it;  and  it  seems  that  he  is  no  Churchman  or  Christian  who  is  for  it. 
The  Clamours  of  men  are  an  affliction  to  me ;  but  a  good  conscience  and  good  success  are  an  ample  com¬ 
pensation.  .  .  . 


April  20,  1731. 

*  *  *  Religion  may  decay  among  us  here,  but  we  are  not  like  to  run  into  such  refined  Atheism  and 

Deism  as  is  among  you ;  for  our  poor  starved  Colleges  here  will  not  afford  us  anything  very  strong  for  or  against 
Religion;  and,  perhaps,  the  Heads  of  the  Colleges  are  the  weakest  tools  there.  We  are  more  likely,  in  time,  to 
resemble  the  troublesome  people  you  have  of  the  other  sort;  for  Faction  prevails,  and  Government  grows  weaker. 

You  doubtless  know.  Sir,  what  attempts  are  made  upon  us  to  fix  a  salary  on  our  Governor,  who  was  the  person 
that  went  over  for  England  to  oppose  a  salary,  but  now  zealous  for  loyalty  and  obedience;  for  which  reason  our 
people  prodigiously  disrelish  him,  and  he  loses  ground  every  day.  However,  he  has  persuaded  some  zealous  stick¬ 
lers  in  our  Assembly  to  tack  about,  but  they  keep  disguised,  for  fear  of  having  their  brains  knocked  out ;  and  what 
the  issue  of  our  approaching  Assembly  will  be  I  cannot  tell.  The  Country  is  also  in  a  dismal  condition  for  want 
of  a  medium  of  trade,  and  we  fear  the  being  obliged  to  barter. 

The  King,  by  his  instructions  to  our  Governor,  demands  a  salary ;  and  if  he  punishes  our  obstinacy  by  vacating 
our  Charter,  I  shall  think  it  an  eminent  blessing  of  his  illustrious  Reign.  The  Governor  aims  at  keeping  in  with  the 
Church,  though  he  has  given  a  spot  of  ground  to  build  a  Conventicle  on,  and  goes  mostly  to  one.  Something  has  lately 
happened  that  will  make  him  go  more  sparingly  than  ever.  The  last  Lady-Day  was  appointed  as  a  day  of  Fast 
throughout  this  Province,  upon  which  the  three  Clergy  of  this  town,  one  whereof  is  Commissary,  went  and  remon¬ 
strated  against  it  to  his  Excellency,  as  contrary  to  the  orders  of  our  Church.  We  were  received  and  treated  with 
good  manners,  and  the  case  excused,  as  done  unwillingly ;  but  the  Commissary  blunders  out  zeal  and  nonsense  and 
rudeness  in  perfection.  The  Governor  resented  it,  but  in  a  decent  manner ;  and,  I  understand,  never  designs  him¬ 
self  the  benefit  of  that  man’s  labours  more. 

I  have  lately  had  the  honour  to  read  our  service  and  to  preach  in  a  village,  among  a  people  entire  strangers  to 
the  Church ;  and  expect  to  see  them  again  shortly,  and  hope  the  issue  may  be  in  a  new  Church. 

Dean  Berkeley  is  coming  home,  to  leave  us  lamenting  the  loss  of  him.  .  .  . 

TIM.  CUTLER. 


September  4,  1732. 

*  *  *  The  State  of  New  England  is  too  near  that  of  the  barbarous  ages  to  distinguish  itself  much  in 

Infidelity ;  but  we  have  too  many  licentious  half-witted  fellows,  who  are  well  pleased  with  anything  that  pleases  the 
Devil ;  and  none  of  the  Teachers  here,  and  but  few  of  the  English  clergy  that  are  sent  among  us,  are  able  to  make 
opposition  to  them.  ...  By  the  worthy  Mr.  Beach,  late  Dissenting  Teacher,  now  a  proselyte  to  our  Church,  and 
gone  for  Orders,  I  sent  you  a  letter,  in  hopes  he  would  have  the  pleasure  of  presenting  it  to  you,  but  he  has  been 
deprived  of  that,  if  it  be  as  I  hear,  that  his  return  to  us  may  be  expected  every  day.  By  him  I  told  you  of  the 
scurvy'  repulse  we  had  from  our  General  Court  in  our  application  to  be  freed  from  taxes  to  the  Dissenters,  as  the 
Quakers  are,  and  that  we  had  complained  of  it  at  home.  As  yet  we  knew  not  the  success,  but  we  hear  the  Bishop 
of  London  encourages  our  complaints,  and  we  hope  to  hear  some  further  good  effect  of  it  by  the  next  vessel  that 
arrives  from  London. 

We  have  several  new  Churches  building,  and  we  hope  one  will  shortly  send  for  a  Minister,  and  not  be  denied. 
Mr.  Johnson  has  the  pleasure  of  bettering  the  College  in  his  neighbourhood,  and  seeing  several  of  the  Regents  and 
Students  advancing  towards  the  Church  of  England,  insomuch  that  the  Rector,  who  would  save  his  bacon  while 
he  is  getting  light,  is  in  danger  of  having  his  public  salary  taken  from  him  whilst  he  is  dodging  about ;  and  nothing 
keeps  the  brightest  of  our  youth  from  coming  into  the  Church  but  courage  enough  to  starve;  and  when  Great 
Britain  will  deliver  us  from  this  necessity,  God  knows. 


TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


673 


Sept.  1 8. — The  vessel  by  which  I  designed  this  letter  slipping  away  before  I  was  aware  of  it,  I  have  the  oppor¬ 
tunity  of  letting  you  know  that  Mr.  Beach  is  arrived  here  with  a  Mission  from  the  Society  to  the  place  of  which  he 
was  Dissenting  Teacher.  The  Bishop  of  London  receives  our  complaints  of  the  Dissenters’  treatment  with  due 
tenderness  and  concern ;  and  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  are  prosecuting  the  affair,  and  the 
Bishop  has  some  hopes  of  it,  though  not  without  a  mixture  of  fear  and  doubt.  .  .  . 


To  Dr.  Z.  Grey. 

November  8,  1734. 

*  I  have  ventured  to  send  you  a  cargo  (mostly  of  trumpery)  in  acknowledgment.  “The  Divine 
Right  of  Presbyterian  Ordination”  was  put  forth  by  one  Jon.  Dickinson,  an  insolent  fellow  whom  Mr.  Honyman 
chastised,  in  a  book  I  sent  you  some  years  ago.  The  Answerers  of  it  were  unacquainted  with  one  another’s  designs, 
or  one  Answer  had  sufficed.  “  The  Scripture  Bishop”  was  written  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Browne,  of  Providence;  the 
other  by  Mr.  Wetmore,  in  concert  with  Mr.  Johnson.  The  letters  in  the  end  of  it  are  Mr.  Johnson’s,  written  in  the 
name  and  at  the  desire  of  a  Layman,  whom  Dickinson  challenged.  The  bound  book  is,  in  the  first  part,  Dickin¬ 
son’s  “Reply  to  Mr.  Browne,”  who  is  preparing  a  Defence;  in  the  second  part,  a  product  of  Tom  Foxcroft,  a 
bitter  creature,  son  of  a  Churchman,  and  baptized  in  the  Church.  To  him  Mr.  Johnson  replies,  as  far  as  concerns 
the  two  letters,  in  a  Postscript  to  what  he  calls  “  A  Second  Letter,”  etc.  The  former  part  is  occasioned  by  the 
Remarks  of  one  J.  G.,  one  Graham,  an  Irish  teacher  in  his  neighborhood,  a  fellow  who,  a  while  ago,  encouraged  a 
Churchman  in  the  place  where  he  dwelt  to  promote  that  interest.  I  could  have  shewed  it  in  his  own  handwriting, 
if  a  knavish  fellow  had  not  cheated  me  of  it.  This  Graham  remarks  on  a  former  letter  of  Mr.  Johnson’s,  written 
with  very  good  temper  and  effect ;  but  the  impression  is  all  disposed  of,  and  I  have  not  one.  I  send  you  John 
White’s  book  for  sport,  and  nothing  else,  though  you  will  see  it  recommended  by  some  famous  Teachers  of  this 
town.  The  Proposals  are  from  Charles  Chauncy,  a  Teacher  of  this  town,  who  has  but  a  little  time  ago  begun  his 
enquiries,  and,  not  above  a  month  before  the  publication  of  his  Proposals,  professed  himself  to  a  Churchman  as  an 
Enquirer  then.  In  a  newspaper  it  is  called,  “An  Answer  to  a  Confident  Pretence,”  and,  as  they  say,  by  the  assist¬ 
ance  of  that  modest  man,  T.  Foxcroft.  I  suppose  no  thinking  person  will  be  shocked  by  the  doughty  performance 
of  this  insidious  person ;  and,  if  my  outward  circumstances  did  not  keep  my  mind  uneasy,  I  would  be  ready  to  address 
him,  if  nobody  else  appeared.  However,  I  am  heartily  glad  that  subscriptions  do  not  come  in,  near  enough ;  for, 
what,  through  the  inability  and  indisposition  of  the  Laity  here,  we  should  not  defray  the  charge  of  an  Answer,  and 
so  our  Adversaries  would  triumph. 

Excuse  my  sending  you  the  paltry  Theses  and  performances  of  our  Commencement,  in  one  of  which  you  will 
see  my  youngest  son’s  name;  and  that  of  my  eldest  in  the  Catalogue,  which  comes  in  company  of  Yale  College 
Catalogue;  and  I  mention  my  two  sons  for  the  benefit  of  your  good  wishes  and  prayers. 

Since  Mr.  Beach,  whom  you  mention  in  your  letter,  there  have  gone  four  from  us  to  obtain  orders ;  but  none  of 
them  were  so  happy  as  to  visit  the  Universities,  excepting  Mr.  Davenport,  who  only  went  to  Oxford.  The  last  is 
just  returned,  and  brings  us  the  sad  news  of  the  uncertainty  of  the  Society’s  countenancing  any  more  new  Missions. 
When  this  takes  air,  it  will  give  a  sad  damp  to  the  Church  among  us.  We  have  five  Churches  already  built  that  are 
empty,  and  sundry  more  Societies  that  will,  ere  long,  be  ready  to  receive  ministers ;  and  what  shall  we  do  without 
help,  when  we  have  no  Bishop,  while  all  preferments  are  denied  us,  and  all  hardships  put  upon  us  ?  I  wish  that 
yourself  and  many  more  such  gentlemen  were  at  the  Board  of  the  Society,  to  encourage  us  under  these  dark  views. 
Two  places  are  under  my  care;  one  is  38  miles  off,  which  I  have  visited  twice  this  Summer,  where  I  had  an 
audience  of  100  people  in  a  Quaker  Meeting-house,  many  of  the  Friends  being  present.  At  the  conclusion  of 
service  one  of  them,  having  desired  and  obtained  liberty,  made  truly  a  very  handsome  speech,  both  for  matter 
and  phrase,  in  vindication  of  their  reception  of  us  into  their  house.  He  said,  “The  Church  had  been  always  kind 
to  them,  and  as  thfy  ( the  Church )  had  been  merciful,  he  hoped  they  would  obtain  mercy.” 

Mr.  Arnold,  a  Dissenting  teacher,  has  quitted  his  business,  and  will  go  for  England,  if  he  may  be  received ;  if 
not,  perhaps  that  worthy  man  may  break  his  heart.  We  are  now  applying  to  England  for  redress  in  the  form  our 
8s 


674 


Diocesan  has  prescribed  us.  If  we  must  not  be  relieved,  Anabaptists  and  Quakers  are  in  better  circumstances 
than  we  are.  Our  Lieutenant-Governor’s  lady,  a  sober,  virtuous  woman,  has,  after  mature  consideration,  come  into 
the  communion  of  our  Church,  and  so  possesses  those  honours  that  her  husband  seems  not  fond  of.  .  .  . 

TIM.  CUTLER. 


June  5,  1735. 

Rev.  Sir, 

It  is  now  a  long  time  that  I  have  promised  myself  a  letter  from  you ;  but  I  will  not  despair,  if  Dr.  Grey  be 
alive,  as  long  as  I  know  how  good  a  man  he  is,  and  how  disinterested  in  his  favours. 

Mr.  Johnson  is  so  modest  that  he  cannot  tender  his  performance  to  so  good  a  judge  as  you  are,  and  imposes 
that  work  on  me,  and  I  the  readier  do  it  that  I  may  therewith  slide  into  your  hands  a  worthless  sheet  of  my  own,  for 
which  I  ask  your  pardon  and  your  candour.  I  would  also  remember  some  other  friends,  but  I  cannot  be  so  very 
free  with  so  poor  a  token. 

We  hear  of  the  sad  progress  of  Infidelity,  and  feel  too  much  of  its  effects  with  us.  .  .  . 

As  I  said.  Infidelity  prevails  also  among  us.  Chubb’s  and  Dr.  Clarke’s  works,  etc.,  do  much  mischief  among 
us.  One  Kent,  a  Dissenting  Teacher,  is  now  suspended  by  a  Council  for  Arianism  and  Arminianism,  though  the 
latter  is  grown  so  venial  that  it  would  have  been  hushed  had  it  not  been  for  the  former.  It  is  expected  he  will 
entirely  be  laid  aside ;  however,  that  he  will  find  friends  enough  to  make  him  a  new  congregation  and  support  him. 
A  French  convert  among  the  Dissenters  now  resides  at  our  College  in  Cambridge,  to  teach  the  Students  French. 
He  is  pretty  open  in  avowing  Arianism,  and,  withal,  sets  himself  up  for  an  inspired  dreamer,  and  says  he  has  in 
dreams  been  checked  for  many  miscarriages  and  errors  in  his  life,  but  never  for  this.  Ergo,  he  with  his  proselytes 
(one  of  whom  is  a  Fellow  of  the  College),  is  shortly  to  work  Miracles.  He  expects  a  Millenium  in  1736,  and  a 
Messiah,  Ben  Ephraim,  to  appear.  How  far  we  may  be  corrupted  I  cannot  tell. 

The  News-Letter  will  let  you  into  a  sad  squabble  at  the  Anniversary  Meeting  of  our  Teachers.  One  Fisk,  the 
subject  of  it,  has  a-long  teazed  his  people,  by  charming  some  and  exasperating  others.  At  length,  after  several  of  our 
Fanatical  Councils  appearing  against  him,  a  strong  party  voted  him  out  of  his  pulpit.  He  offering  to  enter  it  has 
been  repulsed,  and  bound  over  to  the  Quarter  Sessions,  where  there  will  be  a  fine  bull -baiting.  You  will  see 
a  great  many  Teachers  take  his  part,  and  it  is  likely  to  prove  a  country  quarrel;  and  so,  indeed,  do  most  of  our 
Ecclesiastical  Controversies,  but  this  is  an  eminent  one.  He,  good  man,  cares  to  be  judged  by  none  but  Christ 
Jesus;  but,  I  believe,  has  no  good  reason  to  be  sanguine  there. 

The  Calvinist! cal  scheme  is  in  perfection  about  100  miles  from  this  place.  Conversions  are  talked  of  ad  nau¬ 
seam  usque.  Sixty  in  a  place  undergo  the  work  at  once.  Sadness  and  horror  seize  them,  and  hold  them  some  days; 
then  they  feel  an  inward  joy,  and  it  first  shows  itself  in  laughing  at  Meeting.  Others  are  sad  for  want  of  experi¬ 
encing  this  work ;  and  this  takes  up  for  the  present  the  thoughts  and  talk  of  the  country ;  and  the  canting  question 
trumped  about  it  is,  “Are  you  gone  through  ?”  i.  e.,  Conversion. 

These  are  too  mean  things  to  trouble  a  gentleman  of  Cambridge  with ;  but,  Sir,  you  that  have  given  yourself  the 
trouble  to  look  into  the  whimsies  of  us,  will  the  readier  forgive  me  in  these  narratives,  especially  as  Fanaticism  must 
overdo  itself  by  the  nonsence  and  confusion  it  clothes  itself  in,  and  hereby  pave  the  way  to  sobriety  and  sound  faith 
and  order ;  and,  indeed,  it  has  this  effect  upon  many,  and  nothing  keeps  down  the  numbers  of  our  Church  but  want 
of  opportunity  and  fear  of  starving.  .  .  . 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


July  2,  1735. 

Dear  Sir, 

By  Mr.  Arnold’s  return  I  have  the  great  satisfaction  of  a  letter  from  you,  dated  April  2d.  He  has  returned 
from  England,  laden  with  the  civilities  of  good  men  there ;  and,  had  he  gone  to  Cambridge,  I  doubt  not  he  had 
felt  a  humanity  and  goodness  peculiar  to  Dr.  Grey.  He  is  gone  home,  and  carried  with  him  the  best  disposition  to 
serve  the  Church;  and  I  hope  he  will  plant  his  Church  within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  Yale  College,  and  be  very 
instrumental  to  ferret  schism  out  of  that  nest  of  it.  The  misery  is,  the  Society  is  at  present  too  poor  to  afford  him 
more  than  30/.  per  annum  sterling,  which  will  oblige  him  to  too  many  secular  avocations  from  his  studies. 


675 


*  *  *  Nor,  Sir,  need  any  wonder  that  Daniel  Neal  is  in  request  with  the  Dissenters  in  New 

England ;  the  more  venomous  a  book  is,  the  more  sweetly  do  Dissenters  suck  at  it.  I  now  enclose  you  a  specimen 
in  one  Graham,  as  vile  a  fellow  as  ever  breathed.  He  formerly  conspired  with  one  of  his  parishioners  to  promote 
the  Church  of  England,  and  with  his  own  hand  wrote  for  him  a  letter  to  me,  subscribed  with  his  parishioner’s 
name,  and  it  is  now  in  the  custody  of  Mr.  Johnson,  for  what  use  he  pleases.  I  hope,  if  he  replies  to  the  book, 
he  will  not  think  himself  obliged  to  expatiate  in  proportion  to  the  many  reveries  contained  in  it.  Daniel  Neal  was 
never  in  New  England,  but,  having  written  an  History  of  it,  was  complimented  with  the  degree  of  Master  of  Arts 
by  Harvard  College,  though,  not  having  at  hand  the  catalogue  of  its  scholars,  I  cannot  say  whether  he  be 
taken  into  it. 

I  am  glad  Bishop  Hoadly’s  “Treatise  on  the  Sacrament”  has  received  its  due  chastisement,  and  that  good  men 
continue  to  do  him  that  justice.  .  .  . 

In  the  mean  time  I  wish  the  bearer  of  this,  the  Rev.  Mr.  James  McSparran,  may  be  so  happy  as  to  see  you  in 
England.  He  has  had  a  good  character  established  among  us  for  many  years,  is  of  sound  principles  and  a  good 
life,  of  great  usefulness  in  his  Mission  at  the  Narragansetts,  and  highly  respected  among  his  brethren  of  the  Clergy, 
and,  indeed,  among  all  save  his  fanatic  adversaries.  There  is  a  tract  of  land  in  the  bounds  of  his  parish,  to  the  sum 
of  300  acres,  claimed  by  the  Church  of  England,  in  opposition  to  the  Saints  here,  who  would  inherit  the  earth ;  but 
all  our  Courts  have  given  against  him,  and  he  is  going  to  seek  for  justice  on  your  side  of  the  water.  The  case  has 
already  been  very  expensive  to  him,  and  will  be  more  so ;  success  would  pay  him  for  all,  for  he  has  no  prospect  for 
reparation  or  personal  advantage.  All  I  fear  is,  that  the  money  he  has  raised  of  his  own,  and  that  his  friends  have 
raised  for  him,  to  carry  on  his  cause,  will  fall  short  of  what  he  wants.  Perhaps,  Sir,  it  may  be  in  your  power  to  do 
him  some  good  offices.  .  ,  , 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


Oct.  8,  1736. 

After  referring  to  the  departure  of  his  own  son  for  orders,  he  adds : 

And  pray,  Sir,  bestow  a  share  of  your  goodness  on  a  deserving  young  man  in  his  company,  going  over  with  him 
for  Holy  Orders.  His  name  is  Christopher  Bridge,  son  of  a  late  worthy  Missionary  in  these  parts,  who  was  formerly 
educated  in  your  Cambridge.  He  has  been  an  orphan  for  many  years,  educated  by  Dissenting  friends,  and  gradu¬ 
ated  Master  of  Arts  in  Harvard  College ;  and  is  now  upon  conviction  recovered  into  the  bosom  of  our  Church ;  and 
from  a  man  of  his  abilities  and  very  good  life,  we  promise  much  advantage  to  our  poor  Church,  if  he  may  but  succeed 
in  his  desires  to  serve  her.  What  friends  you  have  belonging  to  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  are 
most  capable  of  assisting  him,  and  I  humbly  hope  for  your  intercessions  to  that  purpose. 

On  many  accounts  we  in  New  England  should  lament  the  languishing  state  of  Religion  in  Old.  This  is  the 
reason  why  we  are  so  little  cherished  in  our  infant-growing  state,  so  little  protected  from  schismatical  ill-will,  so 
little  heard  in  our  just  complaints;  why  we  have  no  resident  Bishop,  and  why  so  much  Heresy  and  Infidelity  are 
imported,  likely,  I  fear,  to  spread,  we  wanting  that  noble  strength  to  oppose  it,  which  is  the  glory  of  our  original 
country.  But  I  stop.  God  be  thanked  things  are  not  worse  than  they  are ! 

T.  CUTLER. 


Sept.  24,  1743. 

*  Whitefield  has  plagued  us  with  a  witness,  especially  his  friends  and  followers,  who  themselves 
are  like  to  be  battered  to  pieces  by  that  battering-ram  they  had  provided  against  our  Church  here.  It  would  be  an 
endless  attempt  to  describe  that  scene  of  confusion  and  disturbance  occasioned  by  him, — the  divisions  of  families, 
neighborhoods,  and  towns,  the  contrariety  of  husbands  and  wives,  the  undutifulness  of  children  and  servants,  the 
quarrels  among  the  teachers,  the  disorders  of  the  night,  the  intermission  of  labour  and  business,  the  neglect 
of  husbandry  and  of  gathering  the  harvest.  Our  presses  are  for  ever  teeming  with  books,  and  our  women  with 
bastards,  though  regeneration  and  conversion  is  the  whole  cry.  The  Teachers  have,  many  of  them,  left  their  par¬ 
ticular  cures,  and  strolled  about  the  country.  Some  have  been  ordained  by  them  Evangelizers,  and  had  their 
Armour-bearers  and  Exhorters ;  and  in  many  Conventicles  and  places  of  rendezvous  there  has  been  checquered  work 


6  76 


indeed,  several  preaching,  and  several  exhorting  or  praying  at  the  same  time,  the  rest  crying  or  laughing,  yelping, 
sprawling,  fainting,  and  this  revel  maintained,  in  some  places,  many  days  and  nights  together,  without  intermission ; 
and  then  there  were  the  blessed  outpourings  of  the  Spirit !  The  New  Lights  have  some  overdone  themselves  by 
ranting  and  blaspheming,  and  are  quite  demolished ;  others  have  extremely  weakened  their  interests,  and  others 
are  terrified  from  going  the  lengths  they  incline  to.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Old  Lights  (thus  are  they  distinguished) 
have  been,  many  of  them,  forced  to  trim,  and  some  have  lost  their  congregations,  for  they  will  soon  raise  up  a  new 
Conventicle  in  any  new  town  where  they  are  opposed ;  and  I  do  not  know  but  we  have  fifty  in  one  place  or  other, 
and  some  of  them  large  and  much  frequented. 

When  Mr.  Whitefield  first  arrived  here  the  whole  town  was  alarmed.  He  made  his  first  visit  to  Church  on  a 
Friday,  and  conversed  first  with  many  of  our  Clergy  together,  and  belied  them,  me  especially,  when  he  had  done. 
Being  not  invited  into  our  pulpits,  the  Dissenters  were  highly  pleased,  and  engrossed  him ;  and  immediately  the  bells 
rung,  and  all  hands  went  to  lecture ;  and  this  show  kept  on  all  the  while  he  was  here.  The  town  was  ever  alarmed ; 
the  streets  filled  with  people,  with  coaches  and  chaises, — all  for  the  benefit  of  that  holy  man.  The  Conventicles 
were  crowded ;  but  he  chose  rather  our  Common,  where  multitudes  might  see  him  in  all  his  awful  postures ;  besides 
that,  in  one  crowded  Conventicle,  before  he  came  in,  six  were  killed  in  a  fright.  The  fellow  treated  the  most  vener¬ 
able  with  an  air  of  superiority.  But  he  forever  lashed  and  anathematized  the  Church  of  England ;  and  that  was 
enough. 

After  him  came  one  Tennent,  a  monster !  impudent  and  noisy,  and  told  them  all  they  were  damn'd,  damn’d, 
damn’d!*  This  charmed  them,  and  in  the  most  dreadful  winter  that  I  ever  saw,  people  wallowed  in  the  snow 
night  and  day  for  the  benefit  of  his  beastly  brayings ;  and  many  ended  their  days  under  these  fatigues.  Both  of 
them  carried  more  money  out  of  these  parts  than  the  poor  could  be  thankful  for. 

Many  more  visited  us,  but  one  Davenport  was  a  nonpareille, — the  madder  the  better ;  the  less  reason,  the  more 
spiritual.  But,  Sir,  I  stop  here,  and  leave  you  the  trouble  to  find  out  a  little  more  by  what  I  now  send  you.  The 
book  I  have  obtained  for  you  was  a  present  from  my  reverend  brother  Davenport  in  this  town.  The  author,  Dr. 
Chauncy,  told  me  that  he  could  have  printed  more  flagrant  accounts,  if  his  intelligencers  would  have  allowed  him. 
This  has  turned  to  the  growth  of  the  Church  in  many  places,  and  its  reputation  universally ;  and  it  suffers  no  other¬ 
wise  than  as  religion  in  general  does,  and  that  is  sadly  enough.  .  .  . 

TIMOTHY  CUTLER. 


From  the  Rev.  Ebenezer  Miller. 


Braintree,  Oct.  6,  1743. 


Rev.  Sir, 

You  know  by  Mr.  Whitefield’s  Journals  that  he  has  been  here.  The  Clergy  of  the  Church  of  England  were 
unanimous  in  their  resolution  not  to  suffer  him  to  go  into  their  pulpits,  so  that  a  Dissenting  Preacher  of  considerable 
note,  in  a  paragraph  of  a  letter  that  was  printed,  said,  “that  he  came  to  his  own ,  and  his  own  received  him  not ,  but 
we  (the  Dissenters)  received  him  as  an  Angel  of  God.”  The  effects  of  his  and  his  followers’  preaching  in  this 
country  are  extravagant  beyond  description,  and  almost  beyond  belief.  I  think  the  party  is  on  the  decline ;  but 
Whitefield  is  soon  expected  here,  and  how  he  may  revive  the  dying  work  I  cannot  say.  But  I  believe  he  will  not 
be  received  with  the  same  respect  as  formerly  by  the  Dissenters  themselves,  he  having  raised  such  contentions  and 
caused  such  divisions  among  them,  and  inclined  many  of  the  more  wise  and  thinking  among  them  to  the  Church. 

Yours,  etc.. 


EB.  MILLER. 


P.  141. 

The  Rev.  Matthias  Plant’s  long  and  faithful  ministry  finds  fitting  notice  in  Dr.  Morss’s 
Hist.  Sermon  (pp.  20-29).  Further  references  to  his  life  and  labors  may  be  consulted  in  Hum- 


*  See  the  reason  of  this  repetition  in  Chauncy’s  “  Seasonable  Thoughts,”  p.  96. 


677 


phrey’s  Hist,  of  the  Venerable  Society,  pp.  327,  328;  in  Coffin’s  History  of  Newbury,  pp.  183, 
184,  199,  200,  201,  203,  204,  205,  206,  207,  208,  209,  211,  212,  213,  214,  217,  218,  223,  372, 
380-384;  in  Sprague’s  Annals  of  the  Am.  Epis.  Pulpit,  pp.  142,  143;  in  the  Coll,  of  the 
Prot.  Epis.  Hist.  Soc.  i.  127;  ii.  312;  and  in  the  yearly  Abstracts  of  the  Ven.  Society  from 
1720,  1721,  to  the  time  of  his  decease. 


P.  142. 

The  letters  we  have  already  given  from  Nichols’s  Illustrations  have  referred  to  the  volume 
mentioned  on  this  page.  We  give  below  a  bibliographical  list  of  the  various  editions  of  this 
rare  tract  in  our  hands.  It  has,  in  any  of  its  various  forms,  become  a  coveted  possession,  and 
the  earlier  issues  are  among  the  rarest  of  American  books. 

The  religion  of  Jesus  Christ  |  the  only  True  religion  ;  ]  or,  |  A  Short  and  Easie  | 
METHOD  |  with  the  |  DEISTS,  |  Wherein  the  |  certainty  |  of  the  |  Christian  Religion  j 
Is  demonstrated  by  Infallible  Proof  from  |  jfmir  l^ules,  [  which  are  |  Incompatible  to  any 
Imposture  that  ever  yet  |  has  been,  or  that  can  possibly  be.  |  In  a  letter  to  a  Friend.  | 
Sefmttli  ©bifiott.  |  boston  :  Printed  by  Jfierl,  and  are  to  be  |  Sold  by  Sofjti  Cfjecitlcg,  at  the 
Sign  of  the  Crown  |  and  Blue  Gate ,  over  against  the  West  End  of  the  J  Town-House.  1719.  | 

Title;  reverse  blank;  “The  Preface,”  pp.  i.-xii. ;  text,  51  pp.  “The  Epistle  of  St. 
Ignatius  to  the  Trallians,”  pp.  7. 

Stevens,  in  his  “American  Nuggets”  (i.  pp.  136,  137),  erroneously  attributes  “The 
Preface  ’  ’  to  Checkley.  It  is  by  Leslie,  and  to  Checkley  is  only  due  the  publication  of  the 
tract  and  the  addition  of  the  “  Epistle  to  the  Trallians,”  the  whole  forming  a  strong  inferential 
argument  for  Episcopacy. 

A  Short  and  Easie  |  METHOD  |  with  the  |  DEISTS.  |  Wherein  the  |  certainty  |  of 

the  |  Christian  Religion  |  Is  demonstrated,  by  infallible  Proof  from  |  jfcmt  titles, 
|  which  are  I  Incompatible  to  any  Imposture  that  ever  yet  |  has  been,  or  that  can.  possibly  be.  | 
In  a  Letter  to  a  Friend.  |  The  Eighth  Edition.  |  London  :  |  Printed  by  J.  Applebee,  and  Sold 
by  John  Checkley,  |  at  the  Sign  of  the  Crown  and  Blue- Gate,  over-  |  against  the  West-End 
of  the  Town-House  in  |  Boston.  1723.  [8vo,  pp.  132.] 

Pp.  41-127  contain,  without  any  special  title-page,  “A  Discourse  concerning  Episcopacy.” 
Pp.  128-132  are  occupied  with  “The  Epistle  of  St.  Ignatius  to  the  Trallians.” 

“The  Discourse”  is — with  occasional  interpolations  and  additions  of  matter  designed  to 
apply  the  arguments  of  the  author  to  the  peculiar  objections  of  the  New  England  Independents 
—the work  of  Leslie,  and  will  be  found  to  have  been  chiefly  taken  from  “A  Discourse,  shewing 
Who  they  are  that  are  now  qualified  to  administer  Baptism  and  the  Lord’s  Supper :  Wherein 
the  cause  of  Episcopacy  is  briefly  treated,”  Leslie’s  Theological  Works  (8vo,  Oxford,  1832), 
vol.  vii.  pp.  95-183.  The  language  is  occasionally  changed ;  some  strong  expressions  modified; 
references  to  the  Quakers,  against  whom  the  original  work  was  addressed,  made  applicable  to 
the  Independents  and  Presbyterians;  and  the  whole  treatise  adapted  to  the  New  England 
public.  Further  references  to  the  publication  of  this  work  will  be  found  on  pp.  156,  157,  168, 
169. 


678 


the  |  SPEECH  |  of  |  Mr.  John  Checkley  |  upon  his  |  T  R  Y  A  L,  )  At  Boston  in  New- 
England,  I  for  publishing  |  The  Short  and  Easy  Method  with  the  |  Deists :  To  which  was 
added,  A  Discourse  |  concerning  Episcopacy  ;  In  Defence  of  |  Christianity,  and  the  Church  of 
England,  |  against  the  grists  and  the  Jlissnttos.  |  To  which  is  added:  |  The  Jury’s  Verdict; 
His  Plea  in  Arrest  of  j  Judgment ;  and  the  Sentence  of  Court.  |  London  :  |  Printed  for  J. 
Wilford,  behind  the  Chapter-  |  House  in  St.  Paul' s  Church-Yard.  1730.  [8vo,  pp.  40.] 

A  second  edition  of  this  pamphlet  appeared  in  1738,  with  the  following  title: 

the  I  SPEECH  |  of  |  Mr.  John  Checkley,  |  upon  his  |  TRYAL,  J  At  Boston  in  New- 
England,  I  For  Publishing  |  The  Short  and  Easy  Method  with  the  Deists :  |  To  which  was 
added,  A  Discourse  concerning  Epis-  |  copacy  ;  In  Defence  of  Christianity,  and  the  [  Church 
of  England,  against  the  jtaists  and  |  Jlissnrterg.  |  To  which  is  Added,  |  The  Jury’s  Verdict ; 
His  Plea  in  Arrest  of  Judg-  |  ment ;  and  the  Sentence  of  Court.  |  The  Second  Edition.  | 
London:  [  Printed  by  J.  Applebee,  in  Bolt- Court,  Fleet-Street.  |  M.dcc.xxxviii.  ]  [8vo, 
pp.  40.] 

The  “Short  and  Easie  Method”  (pp.  1-42),  together  with  the  Discourse  concerning 
Episcopacy  (pp.  43-139),  the  “Speech”  (pp.  141-168),  and  the  “Specimen”  (pp.  168), 
noticed  below,  were  published  early  the  present  century,  with  the  following  title : 

A  |  SHORT  I  AND  |  EASY  METHOD  |  WITH  THE  |  DEISTS  :  |  WHEREIN  THE  |  CERTAINTY  |  OF 

the  |  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION  |  is  demonstrated,  |  by  |  infallible  proof  |  from  four 

RULES,  WHICH  ARE  INCOMPATIBLE  TO  ANY  IM-  |  POSTURE  THAT  EVER  YET  HAS  BEEN,  OR  |  THAT 

can  possibly  BE.  |  in  A  letter  to  A  friend.  |  First  American,  from  the  Eighth  London  Edition. 

I  WINDSOR  (vT.),  PRINTED  BY  T.  M.  POMROY.  |  l8l2.  |  [Small  8vO,  pp.  l68.] 

The  second  edition  of  the  “Speech”  and  the  “Specimen”  were  privately  reprinted  by 
Henry  B.  Dawson,  Esq.,  with  the  following  title  : 

the  speech  ]  of  |  Mr.  JOHN  CHECKLEY,  |  upon  his  trial  at  boston,  |  in  1724.  | 
With  an  Introduction  by  Rev.  E.  H.  Gillett,  D.D.  |  of  Harlem,  N.  Y.  |  morrisania,  n.  y.  | 
1868.  |  [8vo,  pp.  xx.] 

Fifty  copies  of  this  reprint,  all  on  large  paper,  were  issued  for  private  circulation.  The 
Introduction  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Gillett  is  an  interesting  contribution  to  the  Ecclesiastical 
Annals  of  New  England ;  and  though  access  to  further  sources  of  information  would  have 
prevented  numerous  inaccuracies  in  detail,  the  essay  displays  no  little  familiarity  with  the  history 
of  the  Episcopal  Controversy  at  this  period,  while  the  reissue  of  this  almost-forgotten  tract, 
from  such  a  source,  is  of  itself  significant. 

Appended  sometimes  to  the  second  edition  of  the  “Speech,”  and  sometimes  to  the  “Dis¬ 
course  showing  who  is  a  True  Pastor  in  the  Church,”  noticed  below,  is 

a  |  SPECIMEN  |  Of  a  True  |  Dissenting  Catechism,  |  Upon  Right  True-Blue  | 
Dissenting  principles,  |  with  |  learned  notes,  |  By  Way  of  Explication.  | 

This  is  but  a  single  octavo  page,  and  is  reprinted  in  the  Windsor  edition  of  the  “Short 
and  Easy  Method,”  and  in  Dr.  Gillett’s  pamphlet. 

Checkley,  about  the  time  of  his  trial,  procured  the  appearance  of  two  other  tracts  on  the 
Church,  the  first  with  the  following  title : 


67  9 


a  |  MODEST  PROOF  |  of  the  |  Order  &  Government  |  Settled  by  Christ  and  His 
Apostles  |  in  the  |  CHURCH,  |  by  shewing, 

I.  What  Sacred  Offices  were  Instituted  |  by  them ;  | 

II.  How  those  Offices  were  Distinguished ;  | 

III.  That  they  were  to  be  Perpetual  and  |  Standing  in  the  Church ;  And 

IV.  Who  Succeed  in  them,  and  rightly  |  Execute  them  to  this  Day. 

Recommended  as  proper  to  be  put  into  the  Hands  of  the  Laity.  |  boston  :  |  Re-printed  by  Tho. 
Fleet ,  and  are  to  be  Sold  |  by  Benjamin  Eliot  in  Boston,  Daniel  Aurault  in  |  Newport,  Gabriel 
Bernon  in  Providence,  Mr.  |  Gallop  in  Bristol,  Mr.  Jean  in  Stratford,  and  |  in  most  other 
Towns  within  the  Colonies  of  |  Connecticut  and  Rhode-Island.  1723.  |  [Small  8vo  title; 
reverse  blank  ;  “  The  Publisher  to  the  Reader,”  pp.  i.-v. ;  text,  pp.  63.] 

The  second  of  these  tracts  was  issued  without  title-page  or  imprint,  with  heading  as 
follows : 

a  |  DISCOURSE  |  Shewing  Who  is  a  true  Pastor  of  the  |  Church  of  Christ.  |  [8vo, 

pp.  16,  errata,  1  p.] 

Pp.  12-16  contain  the  “  Epistle  to  the  Trallians.”  In  a  foot-note  on  p.  ii.  the  compiler 
says : 

fiSgg*  Those  who  have  a  Mind  to  see  the  Propositions  in  this  small  Tract  prov’d  beyond  the  Possibility  of  a 
Reply,  are  desir’d  to  read  a  Discourse  concerning  Episcopacy,  which  they  may  have  at  the  Crown  and  Gate, 
opposite  to  the  West  End  of  the  Town-House  in  Boston.  Where  likewise  may  be  had  Barclay's  perswasive, 
printed  in  London,  by  Jonah  Bower,  with  other  Books  of  the  like  Nature. 


Pp.  1 42-1 44. 

The  references  furnished  in  this  text,  and  in  the  additional  letters  and  papers  given  in  the 
preceding  notes,  supply  sufficient  notices  of  the  celebrated  Timothy  Cutler,  D.D.,  who  gave  up 
the  headship  of  Yale  College  for  the  ministry  of  the  Church.  Among  the  numerous  allusions  to 
him  which  abound,  the  following  will  serve  to  indicate  sources  for  further  particulars  of  his 
biography.  Chandler’s  Life  of  Johnson  (i2mo.  New  York,  1805),  pp.  17,  18,  27-39,  150-155, 
169.  Ibid  ( 8vo .  London,  1824),  pp.  16,  17,  27,  30-38,  149,  152,  153,  170;  Trumbull’s  Hist, 
of  Conn.  i.  494;  ii.  32,  33,  34,  36,  530,  534;  Beardsley’s  Conn.  Church,  i.  22,  23,  32,  37-39, 
41,  43,  47,  49,  51,  52,  86,  87,  89,  146,  188,  445,  446;  ii.  4;  Hawks  and  Perry’s  Conn.  Church 
Documents,  i.  50,  53,  54,  55*  57>  6o>  61,  65,  66,  69,  70,  72,  79,  80,  83,  90,  91,  97,  127,  213  ; 
Sprague’s  Annals  of  the  Am.  Episcopal  Pulpit,  pp.  50-54,  63,  109,  149,  227;  Eaton’s  History 
of  Christ  Church,  pp.  7-1 1,  16,  26 ;  Drake’s  Boston,  pp.  614,  657,  691  ;  Coll.  Prot.  Epis.  Hist. 
Soc.  ii.  49,  50,  83,  251,  254;  Greenwood’s  King’s  Chapel,  pp.  84-86,  156,  172,  173;  Updike’s 
Narragansett  Church,  pp.  88-90,  96-99,  102-104,  206,  207,  208,  251;  Quincy’s  Hist,  of  Har¬ 
vard  University,  i.  364-376,  560,  563,  566,  572,  587  ;  ii.  72,  74,  462  ;  N.  E.  Geneal.  and 
Antiq.  Register,  i.  135;  iv.  175;  xiv.  204;  xv.  198,  200,  307;  Anderson’s  Col.  Church,  iii. 
384-395,  405-419;  Hawkins’s  Missions  of  the  Ch.  of  Eng.  pp.  42,  174-179,  186,  234,  387; 
Humphrey’s  Hist.  Acc.  of  the  Ven.  Soc.  pp.  339-342;  Abstracts  of  the  S.  P.  G.  1721-2,  and 
following  years. 

Dr.  Eaton,  in  his  brief  “  Historical  Account  of  Christ  Church,  Boston  ”  (8vo.  Boston,  1824, 


68o 


pp.  39),  gives  the  date  of  the  first  service  referred  to  in  the  letter — Dec.  29,  1723 — and  the  text 
of  the  first  sermon,  Isaiah,  lvi.  7. 

Pp.  170,  1 71. 

A  notice  of  this  successful  opposition  to  the  assembling  of  a  “  Synod  ”  of  the  ministers  of 
the  Province,  will  be  found  in  Hutchinson’s  History  of  Massachusetts,  ii.  pp.  322,  323. 

P.  178. 

The  story  of  Dr.  Welton’s  Episcopate  may  be  found  in  the  Collections  of  the  Prot.  Epis. 
Hist.  Soc.  i.  87-89.  Vide  also  pp.  515-518  Hist.  Coll,  of  the  Am.  Colonial  Church,  vol.  ii. 
(Pennsylvania). 

P.  191. 

The  Rev.  George  Pigot’s  name  will  be  found  again  and  again  in  the  “  Papers  relating  to  the 
History  of  the  Church  in  Rhode  Island,”  and  in  that  connection  will  receive  fuller  notice. 

P.  209. 

The  Rev.  Ebenezer  Miller  has  been  referred  to  in  the  correspondence  given  above,  from 
Nichols’s  Illustrations.  Further  reference  to  his  long  and  faithful  ministry  will  be  found  in 
Sabine’s  American  Loyalists,  ii.  80;  in  Sprague’s  Annals  of  the  Am.  Epis.  Clergy,  pp.  no, 
175;  in  Hawkins’s  Missions  of  the  Church  of  England,  pp.  219,  220 ;  in  Chandler’s  Life  of 
Johnson;  in  Apthorp’s  Considerations,  etc. 

Mr.  Miller  was  graduated  at  Harvard  College  in  1722;  received  an  honorary  M. A.  from 
Oxford  in  1727,  which  was  followed  by  the  bestowal  of  the  degree  of  S.T.D.  from  the  same 
source  in  1747.  He  died  in  1763. 

Pp.  210,  211. 

President  Quincy,  in  his  History  of  Harvard  University,  gives,  in  full,  the  story  of  this 
effort  of  the  clergy  of  the  Church  of  England,  to  secure  .a  foothold  in  the  government  of  the 
college  at  Cambridge.  Vide  i.  350,  365-376,  560-565,  566-571,  572. 

The  charter  referred  to,  as  enclosed,  has  been  given  before,  in  connection  with  the  petition 
of  the  celebrated  Thomas  Coram  for  the  interference  of  the  authorities  at  home  in  behalf  of 
Church  interests  in  this  Institution. 

Pp.  220,  221. 

The  endorsement  of  this,  the  earliest  document  attesting  the  organization  of  the  Church  in 
Braintree  (afterward  Quincy),  indicates  that  the  original,  or  a  certified  copy,  was  doubtless 
placed  on  file  in  the  archives  at  Fulham,  by  the  Rev.  Ebenezer  Miller,  when  he  went  over  for 
orders. 

The  letter  on  page  221  is  evidently  addressed  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Miller,  and  was,  doubtless, 
left  by  him  with  his  Diocesan. 

\ 

P.  222. 

The  Rev.  Henry  Caner  was  graduated  at  Yale  College,  ^1)1724,  taking  his  Master’s  degree 
in  course,  in  1727.  He  received  an  honorary  M.A.  from  the  University  of  Oxford,  in  1735,  to 
which  was  added  the  further  distinction  of  “S.T.D.”  in  1766.  He  died  in  1792. 


68 1 

Few  more  prominent  names  adorn  the  annals  of  our  Colonial  Church.  Notices  of  his  life 
and  labors  will  be  found  in  Hawks  and  Perry’s  Conn.  Church  Documents,  i.  no,  113,  114, 
115-117,  119,  125-6,  127,  128,  132-5,  137,  143-4,  149,  150,  155,  165,  171,  180-1,  182,  193-4, 
20X,  206,  2 ro,  211,  119-20,  223-4,  228,  229,  230-1,  234,  238,  247;  ii.  35,  75,  197;  in  Coll. 
Prot.  Epis.  Hist.  Soc.  i.  149;  ii.  43,  47,  48,  49,  50,  80,  82,  83,  98,  T98,  287,  288,  322,  343; 
in  Sprague’s  Annals  Am.  Epis.  Pulpit,  pp.  52,  61-63,  202  in  Greenwood’s  Hist,  of  King’s 

Chapel,  pp.  ro5-ii2,  118-123,  127-132,  158,  160,  161,  209;  in  Hawkins’s  Missions  of  the 

Church  of  Eng.  pp.  195,  231,  234,  245-247,  250,  37T,  397  ;  in  Beardsley’s  History  of  the 

Church  in  Conn.  i.  60,  64,  66,  69,  73,  101-103,  104,  iro,  129,  139,  143,  153,  154,  169;  in 

Updike’s  Hist,  of  the  Narragansett  Ch.  pp.  317,  354,  356,  413,  417;  in  the  New  York  Col.  Doc¬ 
uments,  vi.  914;  vii.  397,  410,  411,  507,  517,  567,  591,  592;  in  Sabine’s  Am.  Loyalists,  i. 
292,  293  ;  in  Hoppin’s  Sermon  at  the  Reopening  of  Christ  Church,  Cambridge,  Nov.  22, 
1857  (8vo.  Boston,  1858,  pp.  79),  pp.  42,  71-76;  in  Chandler’s  Life  of  President  Samuel 
Johnson  (Am.  Edition),  pp.  62,  112,  i7r  ;  in  the  Abstracts  of  the  Ven.  Soc.,  etc. 

Pp.  229,  230. 

The  “  Prospect  of  Boston,”  referred  to,  may  be  seen  in  Drake’s  History  of  Boston,  pp.  566, 
567.  New  editions  of  this  map  were  issued  by  Mr.  Price,  in  1733  and  1769  (Ibid,  pp.  772, 
820). 

P.  249. 

The  writer  of  this  endorsement  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Harris,  was  the  celebrated  Benjamin  Colman, 
the  story  of  whose  long  and  chequered  ministry  in  Boston  is  detailed  in  Lothrop’s  “  History  of 
the  Church  in  Brattle  Street,  Boston”  (i6mo.  Boston,  1851);  Dr.  Colman’s  life,  written  by 
his  son-in-law,  Ebenezer  Turell  (8vo.  Boston,  1749),  occasionally  throws  light  on  Church 
affairs  at  this  period. 

P.  256. 

The  Rev.  Samuel  Seabury,  father  of  the  first  Bishop  of  Connecticut,  was  graduated  at  Har¬ 
vard  College  in  1724,  received  his  Master’s  degree  in  1727,  and  died  in  1764. 

P.  263. 

There  appears  to  have  been  some  words  omitted  in  the  MS.  on  line  16.  We  judge  from  a 
statement  made  in  the  “  Montague  Papers,”  as  quoted  in  the  foot-note  on  page  5  of  the  Rev. 
Samuel  B.  Babcock’s  “Historical  Discourse,”  delivered  at  the  closing  of  the  Old  Episcopal  (St. 
Paul’s)  Church,  Dedham,  Nov.  30,  1845  (8vo.  Dedham,  1846),  that  the  line  should  read, 
“ Performed  the  rite  of  Baptism,  and  the  service  of  our  Church,”  etc. 

It  was  some  years  before  these  occasional  services  resulted  in  the  erection  of  a  church. 
Vide  the  interesting  sermon  just  named. 

P.  266. 

The  Rev.  Thomas  Harwood  was  the  “Lecturer”  or  “Assistant”  at  King’s  Chapel  from 
1730  till  his  death,  on  the  15th  of  April,  1736.  He  had  been  an  incumbent  for  many  years  in 
Surrey,  in  the  Diocese  of  Winchester,  England,  and  was  well  recommended  to  the  Bishop  of 
86 


682 


London,  by  whom  he  was  sent  to  Boston  to  succeed  the  Rev.  Henry  Harris.  During  Mr.  Har¬ 
wood’s  residence  in  Boston  he  published  the  following  works,  the  titles  of  which  we  transcribe 
from  copies  in  the  library  of  the  Massachusetts  Historical  Society,  Boston  : 

Electuarium  Novum  Alexipharmacum — or,  A  new  Cordial,  Alexiterial  and  Restorative 
ELECTUARY 3  Which  may  serve  for  a  succedaneum  to  the  grand  Theriaca  Andromachi.  The 
Theriaca  examined,  with  Reasons  humbly  offered  why  the  Troches  should  be  ejected,  as  well  as 
a  great  Number  of  the  rest  of  the  Ingredients.  A  New  Correction  of  Theriaca  most  humbly 
proposed,  and,  with  due  Deference,  submitted  to  the  superior  and  impartial  judgment  of  the 
Royal  College  of  Physicians 3  and  dedicated  to  the  most  Honoured  the  President,  the  justly 
Honoured  the  Censors,  with  their  most  worthy  Brethren  the  Elect,  and  the  rest  of  the  Fellows 
of  that  most  Honourable  Society.  By  the  Rev.  Mr.  Harward,  A  Licentiate  of  the  Royal 
College,  and  Lecturer  of  the  Royal  Chappel  at  Boston  in  New-England.  Eo  melius,  quo  commu- 
nius  Bonum. 

8vo,  pp.  26.  BOSTON :  Printed  by  B.  Green,  1732. 

[Price  Two  Shillings .] 

the  Fulness  of  Joy  in  the  Presence  of  God,  Being  the  Substance  of  a  DISCOURSE 
Preach’d  lately  in  the  Royal  Chappel  at  BOSTON  in  Neza- England.  By  the  Reverend  Mr. 
Harward,  Lecturer  at  the  Royal  Chappel. 

8vo,  pp.  23.  BOSTON :  Printed  by  B.  Green,  Sold  by  Gillam  Phillips, 

over  against  the  South  side  of  the  Town-House,  1732. 

Text,  PSALM  XVI.  verse  11. 

Notices  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Harwood’s  ministry  in  Boston  will  be  found  in  Greenwood’s 

History  of  King’s  Chapel  in  Boston,  pp.  93-99,  209.  Drake,  in  his  History  of  Boston,  gives 

his  name  as  “Charles,”  following  an  evident  inaccuracy  in  Greenwood’s  List  of  the  Rectors 
and  Assistants  at  the  Chapel. 

P.  266. 

The  “Mr.  Commissary”  referred  to  was  the  Rev.  Roger  Price,  M.A.  Notices  of  his 
life  and  labors  in  Boston  will  be  found  in  Greenwood,  pp.  89-107,  hi,  156,  157,  158-173,  174, 
176,  177,  179,  209  3  in  Sprague’s  Annals  of  the  Am.  Epis.  Pulpit,  pp.  61,  69-75  3  in  Beardsley’s 
History  of  the  Church  in  Connecticut,  i.  134,  136;  in  Hawks  and  Perry’s  Connecticut  Church 
Documents,  i.  171,  184,  189,  198,  216,  230,  238,  2403  in  Drake’s  Hist,  of  Boston,  pp.  471, 
583,  595>  6143  in  Chandler’s  Life  of  Johnson,  Am.  ed.  p.  196  3  in  Hawkins’s  Missions  of  the 
Ch.  of  Eng.  pp.  216,  2283  in  Whitefield’s  Journal  for  September  19,  17403  in  the  Historical 

Magazine,  v.  244,  viii.  3983  in  Mayhew’s  Defence  of  Observations  on  the  S.  P.  G.  p.  125  3  in 

Gardiner’s  Address  on  Henry  Price,  p.  27  3  in  Updike’s  History  of  the  Narragansett  Church, 
p.  458  3  in  Anderson’s  Colonial  Church,  iii.  407  3  in  Gadsden’s  Life  of  Bishop  Dehon,  p.  23, 
etc. 

P.  266. 

No  other  reference  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Christian  has  come  under  the  writer’s  notice.  In  1773, 
the  Rev.  Nicholas  Christian  was  licensed  by  the  Bishop  of  London  for  North  Carolina,  but 


683 


the  only  letter  from  this  clergyman  which  is  to  be  found  among  the  North  Carolina  MSS.  bears 
evident  traces  of  its  writer’s  being  a  young  man. 

P.  290. 

The  Rev.  Addington  Davenport  was  graduated  at  Harvard  College  in  1719,  his  name 
standing  first  of  his  class  when  the  arrangement  of  the  names  of  the  students  was  made  accord¬ 
ing  to  the  supposed  rank  of  the  families  to  which  they  belonged.  Educated  for  the  law,  and 
representing  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  honored  families  in  the  province,  a  brilliant  future 
opened  before  him  at  his  entrance  upon  his  profession,  but  on  conforming  to  the  Established 
Church,  he  turned  his  thoughts  toward  the  ministry  of  the  Church,  and,  on  his  return  from 
England,  where  he  was  sent  for  Holy  Orders,  he  was  sent  to  Scituate  as  missionary,  where  he 
remained  for  several  years,  assiduously  occupied  in  the  duties  of  his  calling.  Transferred,  first 
to  the  assistantship  of  King’s  Chapel,  and  thence  to  the  rectorship  of  the  new  Trinity  Church, 
he  labored  at  the  latter  post  till  his  decease,  in  1746.  He  received  the  degree  of  M.A.  from 
the  University  of  Oxford,  in  1732.  References  to  him  will  be  found  in  Greenwood’s  King’s 
Chapel,  pp.  98-101,  158,  176-178,  209;  in  Hawks  and  Perry’s  Conn.  Ch.  Documents,  i.  213, 
217;  in  Drake’s  Boston,  pp.  471,  583;  in  Sprague’s  Annals  of  the  Am.  Epis.  Pulpit,  p.  122; 
in  the  N.  E.  Geneal.  and  Antiq.  Register,  i.  135;  iv.  112-115,  116,  119;  in  Cutler’s  Hist. 
Sermon  at  Scituate,  1846,  etc. 

Pp.  290,  291. 

The  Rev.  John  Pierson,  A.M.,  and  the  Rev.  Isaac  Browne,  A.M.,  were  graduated  at  Yale 
College  in  the  year  1729.  The  latter  will  receive  further  notice  in  connection  with  the 
“Papers  relating  to  the  History  of  the  Church  in  Connecticut.”  The  Rev.  Mr.  Pierson’s 
labors  were  confined  to  New  Jersey.  By  an  error  on  the  part  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Venerable 
Society,  a  letter  from  him  from  Salem,  New  Jersey,  was  endorsed  as  written  from  Salem, 
Massachusetts,  and  is  printed  on  pp.  296,  297  of  this  volume. 

Pp.  296,  297. 

The  preceding  note  will  account  for  the  appearance  of  this  letter  in  this  place.  The 
attempt  to  have  corrected  the  various  clerical  errors  in  these  MSS.  might  have  prevented  such 
glaring  inadvertences  as  this,  but  would  have  destroyed  all  reliance  upon  the  integrity  of  the 
documents  themselves  for  purposes  of  reference.  The  mistake  abroad  is,  however,  not  to  be 
wondered  at.  That  it  should  have  escaped  the  notice  of  the  accurate  and  painstaking  Dr. 
Hawks,  in  his  arrangement  of  the  MSS.  of  this  volume,  is  certainly  a  matter  of  surprise.  It  is 
left  as  found,  in  accordance  with  the  design  of  the  present  editor  to  present  the  MS.  volumes 
as  nearly  as  possible  as  they  were  transcribed  and  arranged  by  the  late  historiographer. 

Pp-  3° 4,  3°5- 

The  “Rev.  Mr.  Smith  of  the  Bahamas”  was  a  graduate  of  the  University  of  Dublin,  and 
recommended  to  the  Venerable  Society  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  James  MacSparran,  who  refers  to  him 
in  his  “America  Dissected,”  etc.,  reprinted  in  the  Appendix  to  Updike’s  History  of  the 


684 


Narragansett  Church,  p.  485.  Hawkins,  in  his  Missions  of  the  Church  of  England,  notices 
the  labors  of  this  missionary  (p.  433),  whose  Christian  name  we  have  failed  to  ascertain. 

P.  312. 

The  Rev.  Jonathan  Arnold  was  graduated  at  Yale  College,  in  1723.  In  1736  he  went  to 
England  for  Holy  Orders,  receiving,  while  abroad,  an  ad  eundern  M.A.  from  the  University  of 
Oxford.  On  his  return,  he  was  appointed  to  the  mission  at  West  Haven,  where  he  died  in 
1739.  Vide  Beardsley’s  History  of  the  Church  in  Connecticut,  i.  110-117,  130,  168-171,  227; 
Hawks  and  Perry’s  Conn.  Church  Docs.  i.  156,  166,  168,  169,  171;  the  Church  Review,  x. 
113,  115,  etc. 

Pp-  3X3>  314- 

Updike,  in  his  History  of  the  Narragansett  Church  (pp.  68-82),  gives  an  interesting 
summary  of  this  suit  at  law,  of  which  further  mention  will  be  found  among  the  Rhode  Island 
Papers. 

Pp.  318,  319. 

The  writer  of  this  letter  was,  doubtless,  the  Rev.  Dr.  MacSparran,  of  Narragansett.  An 
interesting  notice  of  the  Auchmuty  family  will  be  found  in  Updike’s  Narragansett  Church, 
pp.  148-153. 

P.  320. 

Notices  of  the  Rev.  Charles  Brockwell  occur  in  Greenwood’s  King’s  Chapel,  pp.  108,  109, 
129,  209;  in  W.  S.  Gardiner’s  Address  on  Henry  Price,  pp.  82,  107,  109;  in  the  N.  E.  Hist, 
and  Antiq.  Register,  i.  136;  iv.  113;  in  the  Coll,  of  the  Prot.  Epis.  Hist.  Soc.  ii.  282;  in 
Chandler’s  Life  of  Johnson,  p.  171  ;  in  Hawkins’s  Missions  of  the  Church  of  England,  pp. 
220,  221,  etc. 

P.  364. 

Coffin’s  History  of  Newbury  gives  several  quotations  from  the  Rev.  Mr.  Plant’s  Church 
Records  noting  the  occurrence  of  earthquakes  in  Newbury.  Vide  pp.  197-206,  208,  21 1-2 14, 
218. 

pP-  3  6  4-3  6  6- 

The  Rev.  Stephen  Roe  had  been  serving  as  a  missionary  in  South  Carolina,  for  which 
province  he  was  licensed  by  the  Bishop  of  London,  March  19,  1736.  Notices  of  his  life  and 
ministry  occur  in  Dalcho’s  History  of  the  Episcopal  Church  in  South  Carolina,  pp.  129,  147, 
348,  349,  433;  in  Greenwood’s  King’s  Chapel,  pp.  102,  108,  178,  209;  in  Sprague’s  Annals  of 
the  Am.  Epis.  Pulpit,  pp.  24,  25  ;  in  Drake’s  Boston,  p.  471,  etc. 

P.  368. 

Line  7  probably  should  read,  “received  as  their  pious  Bounty,”  etc.  The  text,  as  it 
stands,  affords  an  example  of  the  utterly  mechanical,  if  not  blundering,  copying,  which,  it  must 
be  supposed,  has  not  unfrequently  made  nonsense  of  the  originals  of  these  transcripts. 


685 


P-  371- 

The  Rev.  Alexander  Malcom,  after  a  brief  sojourn  at  Marblehead,  Massachusetts,  removed 
to  Maryland.  Vide  Dr.  Ethan  Allen’s  Historical  Notices  of  St.  Ann’s,  pp.  68,  69,  88;  Gardi¬ 
ner’s  Address  on  Henry  Price,  p.  108,  etc. 


P-  374- 

The  difficulty  between  the  Church  at  New  London  and  the  Rev.  Theodore  Morris  is 
detailed  at  length  in  Hawks  and  Perry’s  Conn.  Church  Documents,  i.  pp.  188,  198,  199. 

P.  380. 

The  Rev.  William  Gibbs,  whose  recommendation  is  contained  on  this  page,  was  sent  to 
Simsbury,  Conn. ;  and  notices  of  his  ministry  there  will  be  found  in  Hawks  and  Perry’s  Conn. 
Church  Documents,  i.  pp.  207,  215,  220,  221,  225,  235,  253,  254,  257,  262,  278,  286,  287,  288, 
289,  291. 

P.  384. 

Mr.  Nathan  Prince  was  graduated  at  Harvard,  in  1718,  and  was  subsequently  Tutor  and 
Fellow  of  that  College.  He  was  the  brother  of  the  celebrated  antiquary  and  divine,  Thomas 
Prince,  minister  of  the  “Old  South,”  in  Boston.  Dr.  Allen,  in  his  American  Biographical 
Dictionary,  speaks  of  him  as  follows:  “He  was  a  greater  mathematician  and  philosopher  and 
a  much  better  classical  scholar  and  logician  than  his  brother;  and  is  ranked  among  the  gieat 
men  of  this  country.”  He  died  in  the  West  Indies,  whither  he  was  sent  as  a  missionary  of  the 
Venerable  Society  in  1748.  References  to  his  convefsion  to  the  Church  occur  in  the  Conn. 
Church  Documents,  i.  205,  212,  213,  216. 

P-  395* 

The  Rev.  Arthur  Browne,  of  Portsmouth,  will  receive  notice  in  connection  with  the  “  Papers 
relating  to  the  Church  in  New  Hampshire.” 

P.  398. 

The  Rev.  Wm.  Hopper,  according  to  Dr.  Allen,  in  his  Biographical  Dictionary,  “had 
talents  and  eloquence.”  He  was  a  native  of  Scotland.  His  ten  years’  ministry  among  the  Con- 
gregationalists  was  brilliant  and  acceptable,  and  his  subsequent  services  to  the  Church  were  no 
less  popular  and  noteworthy.  A  sermon  of  his,  entitled,  “The  Apostles  neither  Imposters  nor 
Enthusiasts,”  indicate  the  Whitfieldean  excesses  as  a  probable  reason  for  his  conforming  to  the 
Church.  While  rector  of  Trinity,  Boston,  he  published  a  sermon  on  the  death  of  Thomas 
Greene,  Esq.  Further  notices  of  him  occur  in  Sprague’s  Annals  of  the  Am.  Epis.  Pulpit,  pp. 
122-126,  227,  232,  296;  in  Sabine’s  Am.  Loyalists,  i.  541,  etc. 

P.  401. 

The  Rev.  Stephen  Roe,  or  Rowe,  as  we  have  already  mentioned,  removed  to  Boston  from 
South  Carolina.  Nothing  appears  on  the  records  of  the  King’s  chapel  respecting  his  alleged 
“  disgrace.” 


686 


P.  406. 

Mention  of  the  Rev.  William  McGilchrist  will  be  found  in  Curwen’s  Journals  and  Letters, 
pp.  18,  232,  254,  258,  263  3  in  Sabine’s  Am.  Loyalists,  ii.  62,  63  3  in  Coll.  Prot.  Epis.  Hist.  Soc. 
i.  1 15,  and  in  the  Abstracts  of  the  Ven.  Society. 

P.  410. 

Notices  of  the  Rev.  Ebenezer  Dibble  and  the  Rev.  Richard  Caner  will  appear  in  connection 
with  the  “  Papers  relating  to  the  Church  in  Connecticut.” 

P/42I. 

Notices  of  the  Rev.  Ebenezer  Thompson,  who  was  graduated  at  Yale  College  in  1733,  will 
be  found  in  Anderson’s  Hist,  of  the  Colonial  Church,  iii.  418;  in  Hawkins’s  Missions  of  the 
Church  of  England,  pp.  226,  245,  250,  397  3  in  the  Coll,  of  the  Prot.  Epis.  Hist.  Soc.  ii.  289; 
in  Beardsley’s  Hist,  of  the  Conn.  Ch.  i.  143,  167;  in  Hawks  and  Perry’s  Conn.  Ch.  Docu¬ 
ments,  i.  186,  191,  192,  194,  203,  208,  209,  etc. 

Pp.  423-425. 

Much  light  is  thrown  upon  the  state  of  New  England  Society  a  century  and  more  ago,  by 
the  publication  of  an  interesting  memoir  of  the  author  of  this  letter,  with  the  following  title,  viz.  : 
“Sir  Charles  Henry  Frankland,  Baronet  :  or,  Boston  in  the  Colonial  Times.  By  Elias  Nason, 
M.A.”  Albany,  N.  Y.,  1865,  8vo.  pp.  129. 

P.  426. 

The  Rev.  Matthew  Graves,  for  many  years  missionary  at  New  London,  Conn.,  and  his 
brother,  the  Rev.  John  Graves,  afterwards  of  Providence,  R.  I.,  are  referred  to  in  the  closing 
paragraph  of  this  appeal. 

P.  432. 

This  letter  refers  to  Church  persecution  in  Connecticut.  A  letter  from  the  Rev.  Mr.  Gibbs, 
from  “Hartford  Gaol,”  appears  in  Hawks  and  Perry’s  Conn.  Ch.  Documents,  i.  257. 

P.  441. 

The  “forward  young  man,”  referred  to  in  this  letter,  became  the  first  Bishop  of  Massa¬ 
chusetts.  The  story  of  his  checkered  life  will  be  found  in  Sprague’s  Annals  of  the  Am.  Epis. 
Pulpit,  pp.  78,  79,  142-146,  162,  238,  297,  329,  330,  426,  471,  492  ;  in  Coll.  Prot.  Epis.  Hist. 
Soc.  ii.  112,  114,  190,  201,  202,  203,  204,  207,  221,  222,  224,  294,  312-315,  319,  324,  332,  339, 
347,  353  1  in  Updike’s  Narragansett  Church,  pp.  261,  306,  307,  357,  440,  520;  in  Coffin’s 
Hist,  of  Newbury,  pp.  226,  257,  271,  372,  383,  384;  in  Cushing’s  Hist,  of  Newburyport,  pp. 
41,  45-47  3  in  Sabine’s  Am.  Loyalists,  i.  214,  215  3  in  Hawkins’s  Missions  of  the  Ch.  of  Eng. 
pp.  219,  250,  3973  in  Beardsley’s  Hist,  of  the  Ch.  in  Conn.  i.  393,  403,  410,  4153  ii.  7-9,  71 3 
in  the  Historical  Notes  and  Documents  appended  to  Hawks  and  Perry’s  Reprint  of  the  Journals 


687 


of  Gen.  Conv.  i.  427,  440,  462,  476-7;  in  the  Doc.  Hist,  of  the  Ch.  in  Vermont,  pp.  16,  18, 
19,  20;  in  Morss’s  Century  Sermon,  in  the  Early  Mass.,  R.  I.,  and  Gen.  Conv.  Journals,  and 
in  the  MS.  Journals  of  New  Hampshire,  etc. 

P.  446. 

The  Rev.  Peter  Bours  was  graduated  at  Harvard  College,  1747,  was  licensed  for  New  Eng¬ 
land,  March  18,  1753  (Coll.  Prot.  Epis.  Hist.  Soc.  i.  115),  and  died  in  1762.  Vide  Updike’s 
Narragansett  Church,  pp.  291-293,  294. 


Pp.  448-450. 

The  writer  of  the  letter  given  in  these  pages  was  the  celebrated  antiquary  and  divine  of 
New  England,  whose  collection  of  works  illustrating  New  England  history,  has,  through  many 
vicissitudes,  been  preserved  to  the  present  time,  and  attests  both  his  pains  and  antiquarian  lore. 

Pp-  45 °>  452- 

Dr.  Babcock,  in  his  “Historical  Discourse  ”  (Dedham,  1846),  gives  an  interesting  account 
of  the  circumstances  attending  this  bequest  of  a  landed  estate,  on  which  a  large  portion  of  the 
village  of  Dedham  is  now  built.  Vide  pp.  9,  14,  22. 

P.  452. 

The  establishment  of  the  mission  at  Cambridge,  and  the  settlement  of  the  Rev.  East 
Apthorp,  M.A.,  in  charge  thereof,  occasioned  the  “great  clamor”  of  which  the  Archbishop  was 
apprehensive.  Dr.  Hoppin’s  “  Sermon  on  the  Re-Opening  of  Christ  Church,  Cambridge,  Mass., 
Nov.  22,  1857,  with  a  Historical  Notice  of  the  Church”  (Boston,  1858,  8vo.  pp.  79),  gives  in 
detail  the  history  of  the  introduction  of  the  Church  in  Cambridge ;  and  further  notices  of  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Apthorp’s  labors  appear  in  Sprague’s  Annals,  pp.  xi.  58,  174—180;  in  Quincy’s  Hist, 
of  Harvard  University,  i.  228,  230,  234;  in  Hawks  and  Perry’s  Conn.  Ch.  Doc.  ii.  48,  51, 
139,  166;  in  Sabine’s  Am.  Loyalists,  i.  170,  237;  in  Beardsley’s  Ch.  in  Conn.  i.  228,  320,  234; 
in  Welles’s  Life  and  Public  Service  of  Samuel  Adams,  i.  34-36;  in  N.  Y.  Colonial  Documents, 
vii.  374,  375»  404,  425,  5i8>  536*  591  1  in  Chandler’s  Johnson,  pp.  hi,  114,  etc. 

P.  458. 

The  second  volume  of  the  Coll,  of  the  Prot.  Epis.  Hist.  Soc.  is  devoted  to  the  life  of  this 
amiable  and  devoted  “Frontier  Missionary,”  the  Rev.  Jacob- Bailey,  of  Pownalborough,  Maine. 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Bartlett’s  interesting  biography,  and  numerous  unpublished  letters  of  Mr.  Bailey’s 
in  our  hands,  attest  his  piety  and  earnestness.  His  life  and  labors  receive  proper  notice  in  the 
Coll,  of  the  Maine  Hist.  Soc.  iii.  275,  276,  277 ;  iv.  151  ;  v.  p.  lxi. ;  in  Kidder’s  Eastern  Maine 
and  Nova  Scotia,  pp.  257,  262,  265  ;  in  Sabine’s  Am.  Loyalists,  i.  201-203  5  in  Akin’s  Hist,  of 
the  Provincial  Church,  pp.  26,  29,  48;  in  Hawkins’s  Missions  of  the  Ch.  of  Eng.  pp.  230,  246, 
255>  3!9»  397 »  etc. 


688 


Pp.  471-2,  476-48i,  497* 

The  new  Society,  whose  establishment  excited  such  apprehension,  was  not  sanctioned  by  the 
King.  Vide  “Memoir  of  the  Life  and  Writings  of  the  Rev.  Jonathan  Mayhew,  D.D.”  By 
Alden  Bradford,  LL.D.  (8vo.  Boston,  pp.  iv.  484),  a  volume  interesting  not  only  for  the  docu¬ 
ments  it  presents,  but  for  its  exhibition  of  the  spirit  of  the  biographer,  who  aspired  to  write  the 
history  of  the  State,  and  whose  qualifications,  so  far  as  judicial  impartiality  is  concerned,  this 
volume  plainly  displays. 


P.  465. 

For  “Houghton,”  read  “Stoughton.” 

Pp-  495>  496* 

An  extended  notice  of  Dr.  Stiles’s  celebrated  “  Discourse  on  Christian  Union,”  will  be 
found  in  “The  Life  of  Ezra  Stiles,  D.D.,  LL.D.”  By  Abiel  Holmes,  A.M.  (8vo.  Boston, 
May,  1798,  pp.  404). 

Pp.  88-96. 

The  pamphlet  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Chauncy,  referred  to,  was  his  Dudleian  Lecture  at  Harvard 
College,  on  the  Validity  of  Presbyterian  Ordination,  which  was  published  in  1762.  Vide  Allen’s 
Biographical  Dictionary,  etc. 


P.  497- 

We  give  below  the  titles  of  the  pamphlets  referred  to  in  Mr.  Caner’s  letter,  and  add  a  bibli¬ 
ographical  list  of  the  other  publications  in  this  controversy,  which  raged  for  upwards  of  two 
years.  For  the  Congregationalist  representation  of  this  discussion,  the  Life  of  Dr.  Mayhew, 
referred  to  above,  should  be  consulted. 

Apthorp,  East,  M.A.,  Missionary  at  Cambridge. 

CONSIDERATIONS  on  the  INSTITUTION  and  CONDUCT  of  the  Society  for  the 
Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts. 

8vo,  pp.  24.  Boston,  1763. 

An  edition  of  this  Tract  appeared  in  London  the  same  year  (vide  Rich’s  Supplement  to 
his  Bibliotheca  Americana,  page  450).  It  may  have  been  an  edition  in  separate  form  of  the 
appendix  to  the  London  reprint  of  the  following  Tract  ( vide  below) : 

Mayhew,  Jonathan,  D.D. 

Observations  on  the  Charter  and  Conduct  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel 
in  Foreign  Parts;  Designed  to  shew  their  Nonconformity  to  each  other.  With  Remarks  on  the 
Mistakes  of  East  Apthorp,  M.A.,  Missionary  at  Cambridge,  in  Quoting,  and  Representing  the 
Sense  of  said  Charter,  &c.  As  also  various  incidental  reflections  relative  to  the  Church  of  Eng¬ 
land,  and  the  State  of  Religion  in  North-America,  particularly  in  New-England. 

8vo,  pp.  176.  Boston,  1763. 


689 


The  same  to  which  is  subjoined  Apthorp’s  Consideration. 

8vo,  pp.  164.  London,  1763. 

Browne,  Arthur,  M.A. 

Remarks  on  Dr.  Mayhew’s  Incidental  Reflections,  relative  to  the  Church  of  England,  as 
contained  in  his  Observations  on  the  Charter  and  Conduct  of  the  Society,  &c.  By  a  Son  of  the 
Church  of  England.  Portsmouth,  1763. 

8vo,  pp.  31. 

Caner,  Henry. 

A  CANDID  EXAMINATION  of  Dr.  Mayhew’s  Observations  on  the  CHARTER  and 
CONDUCT  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts.  Interspers’d 
with  a  few  brief  reflections  upon  some  other  of  the  Doctor’s  Writings.  To  which  is  added,  A 
LETTER  to  a  FRIEND,  containing  a  short  Vindication  of  the  said  Society  against  the  Mis¬ 
takes  and  Misrepresentations  of  the  Doctor  in  his  Observations  on  the  Conduct  of  that  Society. 
By  one  of  its  Members. 

8vo,  pp.  93.  Boston,  1763. 

VERSES  on  Doctor  MAYHEW’S  Book  of  OBSERVATIONS  On  the  Charter  and 
Conduct  of  the  SOCIETY  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts  :  With 
notes,  critical  and  explanatory.  By  a  Gentleman  of  Rhode-Island  Colony. 

8vo,  pp.  19.  Providence,  1763. 

De  Laune,  Thomas. 

A  Plea  for  the  Non-Conformists ;  shewing  the  true  State  of  their  Case,  and  how  far  the 
Conformist' s  Separation  from  the  Church  of  Rome,  for  their  Popish  Superstitions,  etc.,  intro¬ 
duc’d  into  the  Service  of  God,  justifies  the  Non-  Conformist' s  Separation  from  them.  In  a  letter 
to  Dr.  Benjamin  Calamy,  on  his  Sermon,  call’d  Scrupulous  Conscience,  inviting  hereto.  To 
which  is  added,  A  Parallel  Scheme  of  the  Pagan,  Papal,  and  Christian  Rites  and  Ceremonies ; 
and  a  Narrative  of  the  Sufferings  underwent.  With  a  Preface  by  the  Author  of  the  Review. 
i2mo,  pp.  xiv.  150.  Boston,  1763. 

This  work,  to  which  reference  is  made  in  the  text,  was  a  reprint  from  the  London  duo¬ 
decimo  edition  of  1712,  which  was  in  turn  a  reprint  of  the  following  tracts,  viz. : 

De  Laune,  Thomas. 

A  Plea  for  the  Non-Conformists,  etc.  (The  first  edition.)  Printed  for  the  Author. 

4to,  pp.  80.  London,  1684. 


ec%ajv  rd>  drjpto) ;  or,  the  Image  of  the  Beast. 

4to,  pp.  6.  - ,  1684. 


A  Narrative  of  the  Sufferings  of —  Printed  for  the  Author. 
4to,  pp.  22. 


87 


1684. 


690 


Mayhew,  Jonathan,  D.D. 

A  Defence  of  the  Observations  on  the  Charter  and  Conduct  of  the  Society  for  the  Propaga¬ 
tion  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts,  against  An  anonymous  Pamphlet  falsly  intitled,  A  Candid 
Examination  of  Dr.  Mayhew’s  Observations,  etc.  And  also  against  the  Letter  to  a  Friend 
annexed  thereto,  said  to  contain  a  short  Vindication  of  said  Society.  By  one  of  its  Members. 
8vo,  pp.  144.  Boston,  1763. 

The  same. 

8vo,  pp.  120.  London,  1764. 

Seeker,  Thomas,  D.D.  LL.D.,  Lord  Archbishop  of  Canterbury. 

An  Answer  to  Dr.  Mayhew’s  Observations  on  the  Charter  and  Conduct  of  the  Society  for 
the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts. 

8vo,  pp.  68.  London,  1764. 

The  same. 

8vo,  pp.  59.  '  Boston,  1764. 

The  Claims  of  the  Church  of  England  seriously  examined.  In  a  Letter  to  the  Author  of  an 
Answer  to  Dr.  Mayhew’s  Observations  on  the  Charter  and  Conduct  of  the  Society  for  Propagat¬ 
ing  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts.  By  a  Protestant  Dissenter  of  Old  England. 

8vo,  pp.  28.  London,  1764. 

Mayhew,  Jonathan,  D.D. 

Remarks  on  an  Anonymous  Tract,  entitled,  An  Answer  to  Dr.  Mayhew’s  Observations  on 
the  Charter  and  Conduct  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts. 
Being  a  Second  Defence  of  the  said  Observations. 

8vo,  pp.  86.  Boston,  1764. 

The  same. 

8vo,  pp.  87.  London,  1765. 

Apthorp,  East,  M.A. 

A  Review  of  Dr.  Mayhew’s  Remarks  on  the  Answer  to  his  Observations  on  the  Charter  and 
Conduct  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts. 

8vo,  pp.  65.  London,  1765. 

This  tract  appears  to  have  closed  this  branch  of  the  Episcopal  controversy.  The  strife  was 
almost  immediately  opened  afresh,  and  this  time  in  New  York  as  well  as  in  New  England,  by 
the  attacks  of  Livingston  and  Chauncy  on  the  Bishop  of  Llandaff’s  sermon  before  the  Ven. 
Society ;  and,  in  one  form  or  another,  the  controversy  was  continued  till  the  breaking  out  of  the 
war  for  independence. 

P.  499. 

The  Rev.  Samuel  Frink  (Harvard  College,  1758)  was  licensed  to  Georgia,  where  he  died 
in  1771. 

pP-  5°6-5°8. 

The  Rev.  William  Walter,  D.D.,  to  whose  character  so  admirable  a  testimony  is  borne  by 
his  Congregationalist  pastor  at  Salem,  was  graduated  at  Harvard  College  in  1756,  received  his 


691 


“S.T.D.”  from  Aberdeen,  was  chaplain  to  a  royalist  regiment  during  the  war,  removed  for  a 
time  to  Nova  Scotia,  but  at  length  returned  to  Boston,  where  he  died  in  the  year  1800.  Vide 
Collections  of  the  Prot.  Epis.  Hist,  Soc.  i.  115  ;  ii.  (saepe) ;  Sabine’s  Am.  Loyalists,  i.  510;  ii. 
394,  395  ;  Hist.  Mag.  iii.  340;  viii.  325  ;  Hill’s  Nova  Scotia  Church,  p.  31  ;  Akin’s  British  No. 
Am.  Ch.  p.  39;  Eaton’s  Hist,  of  Christ  Church,  Boston,  pp.  13-15  ;  Drake’s  Boston,  pp.  583, 
686;  Hoppin’s  Sermon  at  Cambridge,  pp.  39,  59;  Gardner’s  Add.  on  Henry  Price,  p.  100; 
Hawkins’s  Missions  of  the  Ch.  of  Eng.  pp.  250,  339,  etc. 

Pp.  508,  509. 

“  Mandint  ”  is  a  clerical  error  for  “  Maduit,”  as  “Trink,”  on  the  following  page,  is  for 
“Frink.”  For  the  Maduit  letter  referred  to,  vide  Bradford’s  Life  of  Dr.  Mayhew,  pp.  236, 
237- 

P.  511. 

The  Rev.  Joshua  Wingate  Weeks,  a  classmate  of  the  Rev.  Samuel  Frink  at  Harvard,  was 
licensed  to  New  England  in  1763.  Notices  of  his  life  may  be  found  in  Hawkins’s  Missions  of 
the  Ch.  of  Eng.  pp.  245,  246,  255,  397  ;  in  Updike’s  Narragansett  Ch.  pp.  293-295  ;  in  Hill’s 
Review  of  the  Rise  and  Progress  oftheCh.  of  Eng.  in  Nova  Scotia  (121110.  Halifax,  1858,  pp.  33),  p. 
31  ;  in  Akin’s  Sketch  of  the  Ch.  ofEng.  in  the  British  North  Am.  Provinces  (i2mo.  Halifax,  1849, 
pp.  151),  pp.  29,  48,  58;  in  the  Coll,  of  the  Prot.  Epis.  Hist.  Soc.  ii.  84,  107,  108,  109,  no, 
126,  198,  181-183,  I92>  2°l>  203>  2°5>  224-226,  259,  294,  296,  297,  300,  313-318,  320,  331, 
334,  336,  338,  339,  343-345,  347,  349,  35°,  352,  3531  in  Sabine’s  Am.  Loyalists,  ii.  405;  in 
Sprague’s  Annals  of  the  Am.  Epis.  Pulpit,  p.  204,  etc. 

pP-  5l6,  5*7* 

The  Rev.  Edward  Winslow  had  been  curate  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Johnson,  at  Stratford,  Conn., 
and  frequent  references  to  him  appear  in  Hawks  and  Perry’s  Conn.  Ch.  Documents,  i.  312,  315- 
319;  ii.  3-6,  22,  23,  24,  28,  29,  31-33,  34,  35,  37,  46-49,  57,  58.  Further  notices  of  him  appear 
in  Anderson’s  Col.  Ch.  iii.  400,  404,  411,  112,  418;  in  Hawkins’s  Missions,  pp.  198,  245,  250, 
397;  in  Beardsley’s  Conn.  Ch.  i.  188,  189,  193,  206,  209,  2x0,  214,  218,  219,  etc. 

P.  520. 

The  Rev.  James  Greaton  was  graduated  at  Yale  in  1754,  and  received  his  Master’s  degree 
in  1757.  In  1760,  he  took  an  ad  eundem  M.A.  at  Harvard,  having  the  year  before  begun  his 
labors  as  assistant  at  Christ  Church.  In  the  December  following  Dr.  Cutler’s  death  (1765),  a 
committee,  appointed  by  the  proprietors  of  the  Church,  addressed  the  Ven.  Society,  requesting 
the  appointment  of  Mr.  Greaton  as  the  Doctor’s  successor.  After  a  delay  of  two  years,  occa¬ 
sioned  by  the  representations  of  disaffected  members  of  the  parish,  doubtless  such  as  the  text 
furnishes  us  with,  this  request  was  granted ;  but  Mr.  Greaton,  failing  to  unite  the  congregation, 
declined  the  mission  in  a  letter  dated  August  31,  1767.  Vide  Eaton’s  Historical  Account  of 
Christ  Church,  Boston,  pp.  10,  11. 


692 


p.  522. 

The  Rev.  William  Agar’s  brief  ministry  at  Cambridge  is  referred  to  in  Hoppins’s  Sermon, 
pp.  39,  40.  Later,  he  appears  to  have  been  in  Virginia.  Vide  Meade’s  Old  Churches  and 
Families  of  Virginia,  i.  307. 

On  the  same  page,  for  “Taurton,”  read  “Taunton.” 

P.  524. 

For  a  reference  to  this  Convention,  vide  Coll,  of  the  Prot.  Epis.  Hist.  Soc.  ii.  p.  83.  Fur¬ 
ther  notices  of  these  annual  conventions  may  be  found  in  the  Abstracts  of  the  Ven.  Society;  in 
Hoppin’s  Sermon,  p.  41 ;  in  Updike’s  Narragansett  Church,  pp.  343,  355-357;  and  also  in  the 
newspapers  of  the  time,  e.  g.,  the  “Boston  Post  Boy,”  September  26,  1768  ;  the  “  Mass.  Gazette,” 
September  21,  1769;  the  “Post  Boy,”  September  24,  1770;  Ibid.  September  30,  1771;  Ibid. 
September  14,  1772;  Ibid.  September  13,  1773.  As  appears  from  the  Rev.  Mr.  Bartlett’s  inter¬ 
esting  “Memoir  of  the  Rev.  Jacob  Bailey”  (p.  105),  the  Convention  Sermon  in  1774  was 
preached  by  the  Rev.  Winwood  Sergeant,  of  Cambridge.  This  was  the  last  convention  prior  to 
the  breaking  out  of  the  war. 

Notices  of  similar  gatherings  in  other  colonies  will  be  found  in  the  “  Papers  relating  to  the 
History  of  the  Ch.  in  Virginia.;  ”  in  Hawks  and  Perry’s  Conn.  Ch.  Documents;  in  Beardsley’s 
Connecticut  Church ;  in  Hawks  and  Perry’s  Historical  Notes  appended  to  the  reprint  of  the 
Gen.  Conv.  Journals,  i.  pp.  383,  384,  etc. 

p-  53°- 

The  Rev.  Winwood  Sergeant  was  licensed  by  the  Bishop  of  London  to  South  Carolina, 
where  he  ministered  from  1759  to  1767.  Removing  to  Cambridge  in  the  latter  year,  he 
remained  at  his  post  till  the  war  dispersed  his  congregation.  Returning  to  England  in  1778,  he 
died  on  the  20th  of  September,  1780,  at  Bath.  Notices  of  this  amiable  clergyman  are  found  in 
Dalcho’s  Hist,  of  the  Ch.  in  South  Carolina,  pp.  180,  184,  189,  190,  282,  349,  350;  in  Haw¬ 
kins’s  Missions  of  the  Ch.  of  Eng.  pp.  245,  256,  397  ;  in  Hoppin’s  Sermon,  pp.  12-14,  39-45> 
485  73>  741  in  Coll.  Prot.  Epis.  Hist.  Soc.  ii.  105,  288,  322,  350;  in  Sprague’s  Annals,  pp.  78, 
81,  180;  in  Sabine’s  Loyalists,  ii.  255,  274,  etc. 

pP-  53°)  531* 

The  Rev.  John  Lyon  is  "referred  to  in  Meade’s  Old  Churches  and  Families  of  Va.  i.  266, 
267;  in  Sabine’s  Am.  Loyalists,  ii.  40;  in  Updike’s  Narragansett  Church,  pp.  3x8,  319,  etc. 

P-  532- 

The  Rev.  Samuel  Fayerweather  (Harvard  College,  1743)  will  receive  notice  in  connection 
with  the  “  Papers  relating  to  the  Church  in  Rhode  Island.”  The  Rev.  John  Troutbeck’s  twenty 
years’  ministry  is  referred  to  in  Greenwood’s  King’s  Chapel,  pp.  128,  132,  209  ;  in  Updike’s 
Narragansett  Ch.  pp.  343,  357,  412;  in  the  Coll,  of  the  Prot.  Epis.  Hist.  Soc.  ii.  49,  322,  342, 
347  ;  in  Sprague’s  Annals,  pp.  52,  73,  74,  75  ;  in  Curwen’s  Journal  and  Letters,  pp.  48,  448, 
511  ;  in  Am.  Archives,  Series  IV.  vol.  iii.  977;  in  Sabine’s  Am.  Loyalists,  ii.  362,  etc. 


693 


Pp-  5  3  25  533>  S36-538- 

The  Rev.  Mather  Byles,  son  of  the  -witty  Puritan  divine  of  the  same  name,  was  graduated  at 
Harvard  College  in  1751,  taking  his  Master’s  degree  in  course.  He  received  an  ad  eundem 
M.A.  from  Yale  College  in  1757,  and  the  degree  of  “  S.T.D.”  from  the  University  of  Oxford  in 
1770.  His  death  occurred  in  1814.  Notices  of  him  appear  in  the  Coll,  of  the  Prot.  Epis.  Hist. 
Society,  i.  114;  ii.  114,  117,  118,  181-183,  192,  296,  319,  320,  321,  332;  in  Sprague’s  Annals ; 
in  Sabine’s  Am.  Loyalists,  i.  284,  285;  in  Akin’s  Provincial  Church,  pp.  29,  39,  41,  48;  in 
Eaton’s  Hist,  of  Christ  Ch.  pp.  11,  12  ;  in  N.  E.  Geneal.  and  Antiq.  Register,  i.  136 ;  xiv.  233 ; 
in  Curwen’s  Journal  and  Letters,  pp.  439,  494-497  ;  in  Hill’s  Nova  Scotia  Church,  p.  31,  etc. 

P.  541. 

The  ministry  of  the  Rev.  Marmaduke  Browne  and  the  Rev.  Moses  Badger  was  confined  to 
New  Hampshire  and  Rhode  Island.  In  connection  with  the  “  Papers  relating  to  the  Church  ” 
in  these  colonies,  they  will  receive  particular  notice. 

pP-  S5°j  551- 

The  story  of  the  Rev.  William  Clark’s  (Harvard  College,  1759)  ministry  is  told  in  brief  in 
Dr.  Babcock’s  Historical  Discourse  (pp.  12,  13).  Other  references  to  him  occur  in  Sabine’s 
Am.  Loyalists,  i.  3x5  ;  in  Curwen’s  Journal  and  Letters,  pp.  306,  307,  312,  348,  499  ;  in  Haw¬ 
kins’s  Missions  of  the  Ch.  of  Eng.  pp.  245,  256,  261;  in  the  Coll,  of  the  Prot.  Epis.  Hist.  Soc. 
ii.  98,  179,  294,  314,  317,  318,  321,  330,  331,  336;  in  N.  E.  Geneal.  and  Antiq.  Register,  i.  65, 
etc. 

Pp-  552>  553- 

The  Rev.  Thomas  Wood  removed  from  Nova  Scotia  to  New  Jersey.  References  to  him  occur 
in  Haliburton’s  Hist,  of  Nova  Scotia,  i.  250,  251 ;  Akin’s  Ch.  in  the  British  North  American 
Provinces,  pp.  15,  21-25,  341  Hill’s  Nova  Scotia  Church,  pp.  8-10,  16,  31;  Coll.  Prot.  Epis. 
Hist.  Soc.  ii.  181,  193,  209,  211,  2x7;  Sprague’s  Annals,  pp.  328,  329;  Kidder’s  Eastern 
Maine  and  Nova  Scotia,  p.  25,  etc.  Of  his  mission  work  in  Elizabeth,  New  Jersey,  mention 
will  be  made  in  the  “  Papers  relating  to  the  Church  in  New  Jersey.” 

Notices  of  the  Rev.  John  Breynton,  D.D.,  occur  in  Hawkins’s  Missions,  pp.  247,  358,  367, 
369,  371  ;  in  Akin’s  Brit.  Am.  Ch.  pp.  14-19,  24,  34;  in  Hill’s  Nova  Scotia  Ch.  pp.  12,  13,  16, 
17,  31;  in  Coll.  Pr.  Epis.  Hist.  Soc.  ii.  159-162,  168,  169,  176,  177,  205,  225,  226,  316;  in 
Am.  Archives,  Series  IV.  voL  iii.  1601  ;  in  Drake’s  Boston,  p.  594,  etc. 

Pp-  56L  562- 

Further  letters  relating  to  that  portion  of  the  Province  of  Massachusetts  which  is  now  the 
State  of  Maine,  will  be  given  in  the  “  Papers  relating  to  the  Church  in  Maine,  New  Hampshire, 
and  Vermont.” 

P-  5  63- 

The  Rev.  Robert  Boucher  Nicholls,  to  whom  reference  is  made  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  McGil- 
christ,  returned  to  Barbadoes,  and,  by  his  labors  and  writings,  became  one  of  the  most  prom¬ 
inent  of  the  West  Indian  clergy. 


694 


P-  579- 

For  an  account  of  the  popular  visitation  of  the  erratic  clergyman  referred  to  by  Dr.  Caner, 
vide  Beardsley’s  History  of  the  Conn.  Ch.  i.  306,  307. 

P.  581. 

The  Rev.  John  Wiswall,  missionary  at  Falmouth,  will  receive  more  particular  mention  in 
connection  with  the  “  Papers  relating  to  the  Church  in  Maine,”  etc. 

Pp.  584,  585. 

In  connection  with  this  letter  from  the  excellent  missionary  at  Braintree,  we  add,  from  the 
archives  of  the  Yen.  Society,  overlooked  in  the  arrangement  of  the  present  volume,  a  letter  of  a 
later  date,  which  is  well  worthy  of  preservation  : 

The  Rev.  Edward  Winslow  to  the  Secretary. 

Braintree,  August  15,  1776. 

Reverend  Sir, 

The  deplorable  condition  under  which  this  miserably  distracted  continent  is  still  laboring,  must  unavoidably 
prevent  such  regularity  of  address  as  the  duty  of  the  missionaries  of  the  Venerable  Society,  and  the  suffering  circum¬ 
stances  of  our  Churches,  do  at  this  time  render  peculiarly  needful ;  I  have  met  with  only  one  favorable  opportunity 
of  transmitting  my  letters  to  you  since  last  Christmas.  I  then  wrote  at  the  date  of  the  10th  of  April,  by  the  way  of 
Bilboa,  under  some  fear  least  my  letters  should  be  intercepted.  But  having  since  heard  nothing  from  the  gentleman 
to  whom  I  entrusted  them,  and  to  whom  I  sold  the  bills  I  then  drew,  I  am  willing  to  believe  those  letters  may  have 
been  safely  presented  to  you,  though  delayed  here  by  reason  of  the  restraints  we  are  under. 

When  I  wrote  these  letters,  I  was  enjoying  a  sensible  satisfaction  that  in  the  midst  of  the  commotions  then  and 
now  raging,  I  could  acquaint  you  I  had  not  been  molested  in  my  public  duty,  and  that,  excepting  some  small  defec¬ 
tion,  my  congregation  at  Braintree  continued  firm  and  stedfast.  This  I  am  able  now  to  confirm.  I  likewise  informed 
you  of  the  death  of  my  worthy  brother,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Thompson,  of  Scituate,  and  that  at  his  dying  request  and  at  the 
earnest  desire  of  the  mission  under  his  charge  since  his  decease,  with  the  consent  of  my  congregation  at  Braintree,  I 
had  engaged  to  serve  that  mission,  while  destitute,  as  frequently  as  I  could  make  it  convenient.  I  have  accordingly 
attended  the  two  churches  of  Scituate  and  Marshfield  as  often  as  I  could  from  the  time  of  Mr.  Thompson’s  death 
until  Sunday  the  9th  of  June  past,  on  which  Sunday  I  officiated  at  Scituate,  in  the  course  I  had  appointed,  to  a  large 
assembly,  consisting  of  the  members  of  those  two  churches,  and  while  we  were  rejoicing  together,  in  the  appearance 
of  so  many  persons  united  in  a  Christian  fellowship,  and  in  affection  for  their  profession,  and  for  the  national  consti¬ 
tution,  and  while  we  were  indulging  a  pleasing  hope,  that  by  the  method  now  engaged  in,  these  churches  might  be 
kept  together  and  strengthened,  notwithstanding  the  present  disturbances,  on  the  evening  of  this  Sunday  I  was  unex¬ 
pectedly  surprised  by  a  citation  to  appear  the  next  morning  before  a  committee  of  safety  at  two  miles  distance, 
on  a  charge  of  sowing  discord  and  dissension.  I  attended  at  the  time  and  place  I  was  commanded,  taking  with 
me  one  of  the  wardens  of  Scituate  Church.  When  I  was  admitted  to  audience,  I  found  a  magistrate,  a  dissenting 
minister,  and  about  ten  or  twelve  coadjutors  convened.  The  magistrate,  having  a  Common  Prayer  Book,  recited 
to  me  the  petition  in  the  Litany  and  then  the  two  prayers  in  Evening  Service  for  the  king  and  royal  family, 
and  told  me  all  they  had  to  allege  against  me  was  the  using  those  prayers  publickly  in  the  church,  on  the  pre¬ 
ceding  day,  demanding  whether  I  was  conscientious  and  sincere  in  so  doing.  Upon  my  answering  affirmatively, 
he  said  such  a  practice  at  this  time  of  open  rupture  with  the  king  and  Parliament  of  England  was  full  evidence 
that  I  was  inimical  to  my  country,  and  that  my  attending  the  church  there  served  only  to  promote  discord  and 
divisions.  A  recital  of  all  that  passed  for  the  space  of  three  long  hours  while  I  was  kept  in  conference  or  rather 
in  durance  with  these  persons,  would  be  tedious  and  disgusting  to  you,  as  well  as  painful  to  me ;  it  may  suffice 


695 


to  say,  that  finding  me  not  inclined  to  submission,  they  adjudged  the  complaint  should  be  referred  to  the  committee 
of  Braintree  and  reported  to  the  general  assembly.  With  this  sentence  I  was  dismissed,  and  having  been  hindered 
by  this  interruption  from  a  visit  I  had  intended  to  some  respectable  members  of  our  communion,  then  and  still  con¬ 
fined  in  gaol  at  Plymouth,  on  account  of  their  steady  loyalty,  fearing,  also,  the  distress  of  my  wife  and  family, 
should  the  tidings  of  this  vexation  reach  them  in  my  absence  (as  they  did),  I  therefore  determined  to  return  home, 
where,  after  I  had  remained  ten  days,  I  was  summoned  to  attend  the  committee  of  Braintree,  in  the  report  trans¬ 
ferred  to  them  from  their  brethren  of  Scituate  ;  I  underwent  a  like  tedious  and  vexatious  examination  as  before,  to 
shorten  which  I  told  them  in  explicit  terms  that  so  long  as  I  was  at  liberty  to  officiate  publicly  I  should  think  it 
my  duty  to  pray  for  my  sovereign,  and  was  determined  to  do  so.  This  second  disquisition  was  ended  by  the  reso¬ 
lution  of  this  body  to  return  my  name  to  the  general  assembly  as  a  contumacious  fomenter  of  alienation  from  the 
united  colonies,  and  an  avowed  enemy  of  my  native  country.  This  report  has  accordingly  been  rendered,  but 
hitherto  I  know  not  of  any  notice  taken  of  it  by  the  assembly.  I  have  therefore  proceeded  in  the  usual  course  of 
my  public  duty  without  further  molestation,  only  I  have  thought  it  prudent  to  discontinue  my  attendance  at  Scituate 
and  Marshfield,  at  least  for  the  present.  I  am  grieved  at  being  thus  compelled  to  withdraw  from  those  deserving 
people,  what  services  I  might  be  capable  to  render  them,  as  they  kindly  accepted  my  endeavors,  and  had  they  been 
at  liberty,  were  disposed  to  make  me  some  allowance  from  their  rates  toward  the  support  of  my  family.  But  several 
of  the  most  substantial  of  those  members  are  deprived  of  the  possession  of  their  estates  and  others  under  other 
restrictions,  so  that  in  general  they  have  not  the  power  to  appropriate  any  portion  of  their  taxes  for  the  support  of 
those  means  of  religion  from  their  attachment  to  which  I  am  persuaded  no  sufferings  will  deter  them ;  and  under  all 
disadvantages  I  shall  think  myself  bound  to  be  of  all  the  use  I  am  able  to  them. 

The  total  independence  of  the  colonies  on  Great  Britain  being  now  proclaimed,  a  spirit  of  intolerance  against 
the  Church  of  England  seems  to  increase,  and  herewith  are  increased  our  fears  of  persecution  in  this  province.  The 
southern  colonies,  since  the  resolution,  have  chiefly  complied  with  the  alterations  in  the  liturgy,  presented  by  their 
respective  legislatures.  In  Connecticut  and  Rhode  Island,  the  churches  are  shut  up.  Our  rulers  here  have  not 
declared  their  pleasure  respecting  our  churches,  but  we  expect  some  injunctions  will  be  issued,  to  which  our  oaths 
and  consciences  will  not  suffer  us  to  submit.  Since  this  event,  only  Trinity  Church,  in  Boston,  is  open,  the  minister 
and  congregation  of  which  have  judged  proper  before  it  is  required  by  public  order  to  omit  the  prayers  for  the  king, 
etc.  My  church  at  Braintree,  and  Mr.  Clarke’s  at  Dedham,  agree  with  us  in  thinking  it  our  duty  to  risque  the  con¬ 
sequence  of  waiting  till  we  know  the  resolution  of  the  assembly.  If  besides  omitting  the  prayers  for  the  king  it  be 
enjoined  us  to  use  those  prayers  for  the  present  rulers,  we  determine  to  shut  up  our  churches,  and,  in  this  case,  I 
believe  only  the  church  I  have  mentioned,  if  so  much  as  that  one,  will  be  kept  open  in  this  province.  As  to  the 
omission,  I  humbly  presume  we  may  be  justified  in  complying  so  far,  in  order  to  preserve  the  essential  parts  of  our 
worship  and  prevent  its  being  wholly  abolished.  I  presume,  also,  that  we  are  not  without  some  precedents  (of  ven¬ 
erable  authority)  from  a  similar  practice  under  Cromwell’s  usurpation,  when  the  use  of  the  Liturgy  was  wholly  inter¬ 
dicted,  at  which  time,  Bishop  Bull,  then  a  private  clergyman,  did,  with  the  advice  of  Bishop  Sanderson,  somewhat  in 
the  same  manner,  so  wisely  and  cautiously  manage  himself  and  his  church  (as  Mr.  Neilson  relates  in  the  life  of  that 
prelate),  that  both  escaped  the  rage  of  those  evil  days,  and  by  God’s  providence  were  preserved  to  the  restoration  of 
monarchy  and  the  Church. 

Although  I  may  not  say  anything  of  the  present  operations  on  this  continent,  or  venture  any  conjecture  as  to  the 
issue,  yet  I  may  safely,  and  I  do  most  sincerely  say  that  I  wish  and  pray  for  peace  by  an  honorable  accommodation, 
and,  most  of  all,  for  the  recovery  of  the  national  constitution  to  its  former  strength,  influence  and  extent,  in  which 
connection  alone  I  am  persuaded  these  colonies  can  expect  to  be  blest  and  prospered. 

I  remain,  •< 

Reverend  sir,  etc., 

EDWARD  WINSLOW. 

This  interesting  letter  is  doubtless  the  one  referred  to  on  p.  588,  although  the  date  there 
assigned  to  it  is  September  instead  of  August. 


6g6 


P.  601. 

The  following  transcripts  from  the  records  of  Trinity  Church,  Boston,  found  among  the 
papers  of  the  late  Bishop  Parker,  of  Massachusetts,  will  explain  the  reference  in  the  text  to  the 
omission  of  the  prayers  for  the  king  and  royal  family : 


At  a  meeting  of  the  minister,  wardens  and  vestry  of  Trinity  Church,  on  Thursday  the  18th  day  of  July,  1776, 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Parker  informed  the  wardens  and  vestry  that  he  could  not  with  safety  perform  the  service  of  the  Church 
for  the  future,  as  the  Continental  Congress  had  declared  the  American  provinces  free  and  independent  States,  had 
absolved  them  from  all  allegiance  to  the  British  Crown,  and  had  dissolved  all  political  connection  between  them  and 
the  realm  of  England.  That  he  was  publicly  interrupted  the  Lord’s  Day  preceding  when  reading  the  prayers  in  the 
Liturgy  of  the  Church  for  the  king,  and  had  received  many  threats  and  menaces  that  he  would  be  interrupted  and 
insulted  in  future  if  the  prayers  for  the  king  should  be  read  again  in  the  church ;  and  that  he  was  apprehensive  some 
damage  would  accrue  to  the  proprietors  of  the  church  if  the  service  was  in  future  carried  on  as  had  been  usual.  And 
therefore  he  desired  their  counsel  and  advice.  Wherefore  the  said  wardens  and  vestry  taking  the  matter  into  con¬ 
sideration,  after  maturely  debating  thereon,  it  appeared  evident  that  the  temper  and  spirit  of  the  people  in  this  town 
was  such  that  they  would  not  suffer  any  prayers  for  the  king  to  be  publicly  used  in  Divine  service,  and  that  there  was 
no  other  alternative  but  either  to  shut  up  the  church  and  have  no  public  worship,  or  to  omit  that  part  of  the  Liturgy 
wherein  the  king  is  prayed  for ;  and  as  there  are  many  persons  of  the  Episcopal  persuasion  who  cannot  conscien¬ 
tiously  attend  the  worship  of  dissenters,  and  to  whom  it  would  be  a  great  detriment  and  grief  of  mind  to  have  no 
place  where  they  can  attend  the  worship  of  God  according  to  their  consciences ;  the  wardens  and  vestry  conclude 
that  it  would  be  more  for  the  interest  and  cause  of  Episcopacy,  and  the  least  evil  of  the  two,  to  omit  part  of  the  Lit¬ 
urgy  than  to  shut  up  the  church.  And  hoping  that  in  this  sad  alternative  it  will  not  be  imputed  to  them  as  a  fault  or 
construed  as  a  want  of  affection  for  the  Liturgy  of  the  Church,  if  under  these  circumstances  they  omit  that  part  of  it 
in  which  the  king  is  mentioned,  Therefore,  voted :  That  Mr.  Parker,  the  present  minister,  be  desired  to  continue 
officiating  in  said  church,  and  that  he  be  requested  to  omit  that  part  of  the  Liturgy  of  the  Church  which  relates  to  the 
king,  and  that  the  omissions  be  as  follows  : 

In  the  petitions  and  responses  after  the  Lord’s  Prayer,  in  the  Morning  and  Evening  Service,  the  following  to  be 
omitted :  O  Lord,  save  the  king,  and  mercifully  hear  us  when  we  call  upon  Thee.  The  two  prayers  for  the  King’s 
Majesty  and  the  Royal  Family,  in  the  Morning  and  Evening  Service,  to  be  omitted,  and  that  the  prayer  for  the 
whole  estate  of  Christ’s  Church  militant  be  used  at  Evening  Prayer,  instead  of  the  three  prayers  for  the  king,  Royal 
Family  and  clergy,  omitting  these  words  of  it:  And  especially  Thy  servant,  George,  our  king,  that  under  him  we 
may  be  godly  and  quietly  governed,  unto  his  whole  council,  aitd  to  all  that  are  put  in  authority  under  him.  That 
the  15th,  1 6th,  17th,  1 8th  and  20th  Petitions  of  the  Litany  and  the  Collects  in  the  Communion  Service  for  the  king 
be  omitted,  and  that  no  other  alterations  be  made  nor  any  additions  be  substituted.  Voted,  That  the  proprietors  of 
Trinity  Church  be  warned  to  meet  the  next  Sunday  morning  before  the  usual  time  of  service,  and  these  votes  be  laid 
before  them  for  their  concurrence  and  assent. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  proprietors  of  Trinity  Church  the  21st  day  of  July,  1766,  the  foregoing  votes  of  the  wardens 
and  vestry  of  said  church  containing  the  method  proposed  for  carrying  on  the  service  of  the  church  in  future,  and  the 
reasons  therein  alleged  for  omitting  part  of  the  Liturgy,  were  read  and  considered,  and  it  appearing  absolutely  neces¬ 
sary  that  some  alterations  be  made  in  order  that  the  proprietors  may  worship  in  safety  and  without  interruption. 
Voted  unanimously,  that  we  concur  with  the  wardens  and  vestry  in  the  proposed  omissions  and  alterations,  and  that 
Mr.  Parker,  the  present  minister,  be  requested  to  make  the  necessary  omissions  and  perform  the  service  as  is  therein 
proposed. 

A  true  copy  from  the  minutes.  , 


Attest. 


697 


P.  608. 

The  Rev.  Ranna  Cossit,  to  whom  reference  is  made  by  Rev.  Dr.  Walter,  will  receive  notice 
in  connection  with  the  “Papers  relating  to  the  Church  in  New  Hampshire.” 

P.  609. 

The  Rev.  Messrs.  Blackwell  and  Magaw  were  among  the  Pennsylvania  clergy  who  espoused 
the  popular  side  at  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  of  revolution. 

P.  611. 

The  Rev.  Joseph  Bennet  was  licensed  for  Nova  Scotia,  March  10,  1762.  Notices  of  him 
appear  in  Hawkins’s  Missions  of  the  Ch.  of  Eng.  pp.  363,  364  ;  in  Akins’s  British  Am.  Church, 
pp.  24,  25,  26;  in  Hills’s  Nova  Scotia  Church,  pp.  11,  12,  16,  31. 

Pp.  627,  628. 

By  “Nieland,”  the  Rev.  Mr.  Peters  would  indicate  the  Rev.  Ebenezer  Kneeland  (Yale  Col¬ 
lege,  1761),  who  was  for  a  time  assistant  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Johnson,  and  who  died  in  1777. 

88 


THE  END. 


INDEX 


Academical  Degrees.  Authority  to  grant,  conferred  on 
Harvard  College,  70. 

Acadie  delivered  up,  1 1 ;  referred  to,  99. 

Acts  of  Navigation  Notices  of,  16,  17,  18;  observed  in 
Plymouth  and  Connecticut,  24;  not  observed  in 
Boston,  27;  publicly  broken,  63. 

Addington,  Isaac,  Secretary  of  the  Mass.  General  Court, 
signs  document,  71,  87,  101. 

Albany,  Fort.  Complaint  of,  12. 

Allegiance  and  Supremacy.  Oaths  of,  not  required  in  New 
England,  6 ;  taken  in  Plymouth  and  Connecticut,  23. 

Allen,  James,  M.A.,  Fellow  of  Harvard  College,  68. 

Alston,  John,  attests  affidavit,  625. 

Altar  Furniture  asked  for  by  Newport  Church,  154, 

Amesbury.  Church  people  at,  fined,  207,  208;  service 
at,  464;  inhabitants  of,  to  the  Sec.,  469,  470;  com¬ 
mendation  of,  473 ;  referred  to,  494,  505,  506 ;  dis¬ 
appointment  of  the  people  at,  565. 

Andrewes,  Bishop.  Works  of,  in  Library  at  Marble¬ 
head,  136. 

Andros,  Col.  Edmund.  Advice  of,  rejected,  12;  Govern¬ 
ment  committed  to,  41,  42;  received  with  joy,  43; 
misrepresented,  52,  33 ;  account  of  revolution 
against  the  authority  of,  53-64. 

Annapolis,  Md.,  referred  to,  435,  436. 

Annapolis  Royal.  Missionary  at,  referred  to,  99,  552, 

553.  6n. 

Annis,  Joseph  (in  text  occasionally  “Amis,”  by  a  cleri¬ 
cal  error),  signs  Newbury  petition,  86,  107 ;  signs 
Newbury  address,  94;  signs  bond,  104. 

Antigua.  Exports  to,  16. 

Antoni,  John,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Anabaptists  persecuted,  5 1 . 

Apthorp,  James,  parishioner  of  Christ  Church,  Cam¬ 
bridge,  502. 

Apthorp,  Mr.  East,  signs  letter  to  Abp.  of  Canterbury, 
75  ;  signs  letter  of  United  Vestries,  335. 


Apthorp,  Rev.  East,  D.D.  Appointment  of,  to  Cam¬ 
bridge  Mission,  453  ;  letter  from,  to  the  Sec.,  457  ; 
ditto,  463,  464;  referred  to,  465,  466;  letter  from, 
to  the  Sec.,  473,  474;  ditto,  491,  492;  ditto,  500- 
502 ;  referred  to,  497,  498,  503  ;  letter  from,  to  the 
Sec.,  512  ;  resignation  of,  referred  to,  530. 

Aomoney,  Moset,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Aomoney,  James,  signs  Scituate  petition,  32. 

“  Arbella  Letter”  referred  to,  241,  242. 

Archdeacon  needed  in  America,  460,  462. 

Armagh,  Dean  of,  referred  to,  319,  337. 

Arnold,  Mr.  Josiah.  Immorality  of,  373. 

Arnold,  Rev.  Jonathan.  Letter  from,  to  Bp.  of  London, 
312;  referred  to,  325. 

Athanasian  Creed  referred  to,  336,  405. 

Ascension-Day.  Observance  of,  150. 

Ash-Wednesday.  Observance  of,  150. 

Assistants,  Courts  of,  how  constituted,  3 ;  referred  to, 

35- 

Atkins,  Henry.  Declaration  of,  respecting  loyalty  of 
Rev.  Mr.  Bass,  635. 

Atkins,  Joseph,  Churchwarden  at  Newbury,  379. 

Atkins,  William,  signs  Address  of  Newburyport  Vestry 
to  the  Society,  426. 

Auchmuty,  Robert,  Esq.,  desired  to  assist  in  prosecu¬ 
tion  of  Checkley  for  publishing  “  The  Short  and 
Easie  Method,”  142 ;  letter  to  Abp.  Potter,  solicit¬ 
ing  appointment  for,  318,  319;  signs  letter  of 
United  Vestries  to  the  Sec.,  335 ;  referred  to,  337. 

Avery,  Dr.  Letter  to,  from  Thomas  Prince,  448-450. 

Badger,  Rev.  Moses,  signs  letter  of  clergy,  541  ;  at 
Halifax,  586. 

Bailey,  Jacob,  signs  Scituate  petition,  320 ;  Warden  at 
Scituate,  328. 

Bailey,  James,  of  Medford,  parishioner  at  Cambridge, 
502. 


700 


Bailey,  Rev.  Jacob,  of  Maine,  “highly  useful,”  458; 
“good  conduct  of,”  483;  referred  to,  498,  531, 
599;  signs  letters  of  clergy,  532,  541;  letter  from, 
to  the  Sec.,  561,  562. 

Baker,  John.  Vestryman,  Christ  Church,  Boston,  454  ; 
signs  remonstrance,  520. 

Baker,  Samuel,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Bangor,  Lord  Bishop  of.  Sermon  by,  referred  to,  1 59. 

Baptism.  Children  to  be  admitted  to,  34 ;  half  the  people 
not  baptized,  51. 

Baptism.  Invalidity  of  Dissenters’,  asserted,  158,  167. 

Barbadoes.  Exports  to,  16-41,  55;  referred  to,  97. 

Barclay,  Rev.  William,  referred  to,  73,  84,  85,  220. 

Barden,  Thomas,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Barker,  George,  signs  Scituate  petition,  320. 

Barker,  Isaac,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Barker,  James,  signs  Scituate  petition,  320. 

Barker,  John,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Barker,  Joshua,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Barker,  Prince,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Barnard,  Thomas,  of  Salem.  Letter  from,  respecting 
Mr.  W.  Waller,  506-508;  referred  to,  51 1. 

Barns,  John.  Churchwarden,  of  King’s  Chapel,  164. 

Barrick,  James.  Vestryman,  Christ  Church,  Boston,  454. 

Barrington.  Woman  accused  of  witchcraft  at,  387. 

Bartlett,  John,  signs  Newbury  petition,  86,  107;  ditto 
address,  94;  ditto  bond,  104;  referred  to,  109,  112. 

Bartlett,  John,  2d,  signs  address,  94;  ditto  bond,  104; 
ditto  petition,  107. 

Bartlett,  John,  3d,  signs  address,  94  ;  ditto  bond,  104. 

Bartlett,  “  Mr.,”  referred  to,  84. 

Bartlett,  Nathaniel,  signs  address,  94;  ditto  bond,  104; 
ditto  petition,  107. 

Bartlett,  Richard,  signs  petition,  94 ;  ditto  bond,  104. 

Bartlett,  Samuel,  signs  petition,  86, 107;  forbidden  to  pro¬ 
ceed  in  erection  of  church,  87;  signs  address,  94; 
ditto  bond,  104;  ditto  memorial,  in;  ditto  re¬ 
monstrance,  1 13. 

Bartlett,  Thomas,  signs  bond,  104;  ditto  petition,  137. 

Bass,  John,  signs  Braintree  address,  220. 

Bass,  Rt.  Rev.  Edward,  D.D.,  first  Bishop  of  Massa¬ 
chusetts.  Notice  of,  441  ;  testimonials  to,  442,  443  ; 
letter  from,  to  the  Sec.,  464;  ditto,  467,  468;  ditto, 
469 ;  commends  Amesbury  petition,  473 ;  letter 
from,  to  the  Sec.,  494;  ditto,  505,506;  ditto,  512, 
513;  signs  letters  of  clergy,  532,  541 ;  letter  from, 
to  the  Secretary,  542;  referred  to,  599;  evidence 
against,  602-604;  defence  of,  609,610;  Rev.  Mr. 
Clark’s  letter  respecting,  611-613;  ditto,  from  Rev. 
Mr.  Walter,  613-615 ;  ditto,  615,  616;  letter  from, 


to  the  Sec.,  616,  617;  ditto,  617,  618;  papers  re¬ 
specting,  620,  621  ;  letter  from,  to  the  Sec.,  621, 
622;  ditto,  to  Gov.  Wentworth,  622;  Rev.  Mr. 
Peters’s  letter  respecting,  622-624;  further  papers, 
625-640. 

Battle,  Sussex,  Eng.,  10. 

Bates,  Clamon,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Bates,  Joseph,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Baxter,  Mr.  Richard,  writings  of,  23. 

Baylie,  Joseph,  forbidden  to  proceed  in  erection  of  place 
of  worship  in  Newbury,  87;  signs  Newbury  ad¬ 
dress,  94;  signs  bond,  104;  signs  petition,  107. 

Beach,  Rev.  John,  preparing  answer  to  a  pamphlet 
attack  on  the  Church,  486;  referred  to,  494,  495. 

Bearcroft,  Rev.  Dr.  Philip.  Letter  of,  to  the  Bp.  of  Ox¬ 
ford,  336-338 ;  ditto,  338,  339 ;  letter  from,  to  Mr. 
Meadows,  375,  376  ;  referred  to,  413  ;  letter  from,  to 
Dr.  Miller,  444. 

Beaver,  and  other  peltry  from  Nova  Scotia,  II;  trade 
in,  14;  plentiful  at  Salem,  333. 

Bedford,  Duke  of.  The  Ship  of  War,  referred  to,  597. 

Belcher,  Jonathan,  Governor  of  Mass.  Appointment  of, 
referred  to,  253,  254 ;  offers  land  for  church  at  South 
EnJ,  Boston,  268,  269  ;  letter  from,  to  Bp.  of  Lon¬ 
don,  270,  271 ;  memorial  to,  from  Commissary 
Price,  272,  273  ;  letter  from,  to  Bp.  of  London,  292, 
293 ;  petition  of  David  Shaw  to,  311,  312;  reflec¬ 
tions  upon,  319;  referred  to,  337,  339,  340,  341, 
372,  449- 

Belcher,  Josiah,  signs  Braintree  address,  220. 

Belcher,  Samuel,  Congregational  minister  at  Newbury, 
referred  to,  109,  III. 

Bellingham,  Mr.  Richard,  to  attend  upon  His  Majesty, 

38>  39- 

Bennet  College,  Cambridge,  Eng.,  referred  to,  518. 

Bennett,  Mr.  Cornelius,  catechist,  504. 

Bennett,  Rev.  Joseph,  of  Halifax,  referred  to,  61 1. 

Berkeley,  Dean,  “preached  before  the  College  at  New¬ 
port,”  266  ;  referred  to,  37 1. 

Bernard,  Mr.,  referred  to,  496. 

Berriman,  Rev.  Dr.  William,  referred  to,  157. 

Berwick-upon-Tweed  referred  to,  181. 

Beveridge,  Mr.  Archdeacon.  Letters  to,  72,  73,  75,  76 ; 
works  of,  referred  to,  136. 

Bilboa,  16. 

Bingham,  Rev.  Joseph.  Writings  of,  referred  to,  158. 

Bishop.  Need  of  a,  urged,  143,  175,  178,  226,  264,  433, 
592;  no  hope  of  a,  444;  schemes  for  appointment 
of,  519;  appeal  of  N.  E.  clergy  for,  531,  532. 

Bissett,  Rev.  George,  referred  to,  598. 


7oi 


Black,  Rev.  Mr.,  written  to  by  Checkley,  245. 

Blackwell,  Rev.  Robert,  Missionary  at  Gloster  and 
Waterford,  dismissed  from  the  service  of  the  Ven. 
Society,  602,  609. 

Boston  referred  to,  2,  3,  8,  9;  description  of,  10; 
corporation  of,  1 1 ;  Governor  of,  15;  the  mart 
town  of  the  West  Indies,  17;  ministers  of,  how 
paid,  22;  account  of  delivery  of  King’s  letter  to  the 
magistrates  of,  24-31  ;  people  of,  persecute  the 
Quakers,  41  ;  grand  revolt  at,  43 ;  large  and  well- 
peopled,  46;  transactions  in,  referred  to,  50,  51; 
particular  account  of  the  late  revolution  at,  53-64; 
conduct  of  clergymen  at,  65,  66;  Rev.  George 
Keith  at,  72;  letter  from  members  of  the  Church 
in,  74,  75  ;  society  formed  in,  for  the  suppression  of 
disorders,  70;  endeavors  of  Episcopal  ministers  of, 
at  Newbury,  109.  “A  levelling  spirit  in,”  122; 
stores  at  Winter  Harbor  to  be  transmitted  to,  124;  ob¬ 
servations  on,  126.  “  Prospect”  of, by  Mr.  William 

Price,  229,  230.  Teaching  Elders  of,  Overseers  of 
Harvard  College,  212,  214,  216,  235,257,  258,  260, 
261 ;  the  United  Vestries  of,  to  the  Sec.,  334,  335  ; 
freest  from  the  Whitefield  infatuation,  362;  Sir  Harry 
Frankland’s  account  of  state  of  religion  in,  423-425  ; 
three  churches  at,  429 ;  city  of,  mortified  at  acquit¬ 
tal  of  soldiers  who  caused  the  massacre,  555  ;  be¬ 
sieged,  580 ;  evacuated,  586. 

Bours,  Rev.  Peter.  Notice  of,  446 ;  letter  from,  to  the 
Sec.,  456,  457  ;  ditto,  467. 

Bradstreet,  Mr.  Simon,  a  magistrate,  referred  to,  21,  33. 

Bradstreet,  Rev.  Dudley,  referred  to,  91  ;  letter  respect¬ 
ing,  9§»  99- 

Rraintree.  Rev.  Mr.  Miles’s  sermon  at,  72,  73 ;  desire 
for  a  minister  at,  83  ;  answer  of  the  Church  at,  84, 
85  ;  referred  to,  89  ;  letter  of  missionary  at,  91,  93  ; 
memorial  concerning,  95;  letters  respecting,  95,  97  ; 
papers  respecting  Church  at,  205-207 ;  address 
from  Church  at,  208,  209  ;  ditto,  220 ;  ditto,  221  ; 
trouble  at,  97;  library  at,  136;  referred  to  in  Dr. 
Cutler’s  letter,  230;  Church  at,  referred  to,  250; 
communicants  of,  arrested,  251,  252;  condition  of, 
289,  290  ;  no  need  of  missionary  aid  at,  302 ;  state 
of,  326 ;  kept  clear  from  disorders  occasioned  by 
enthusiasm,  371  ;  churchwardens  of,  to  the  Sec., 
406,  407;  state  of,  443;  referred  to,  491,  492,  493; 
political  state  of  Church  at,  542,  543,  544,  547 ; 
condition  of  mission  at,  556,  558,  563,  564,  565, 
566,  572,  573,  581,  584,  588-594;  state  of  mission 
at,  516,  517,  521,  525,  535,  536,  582,  583;  referred 
to,  605. 


Brattle,  Thomas,  M.A.,  Treasurer  of  Plarvard  College, 

68. 

Brattle,  William,  M.A.,  Fellow  of  Harvard  College,  68. 

Brattle,  Major,  referred  to,  273. 

Bray,  Dr.  Thomas,  Commissary  of  Maryland,  referred 

to,  75.  302* 

Bray,  John,  signs  Scituate  petition,  320. 

Breynton,  Rev.  John,  D.D.,  referred  to,  552,  586,  61 1. 

Briant,  David,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Bridger,  John,  Esq.  (in  the  text,  “  Bridges,”  by  a  cleri¬ 
cal  error),  referred  to,  86,  127;  memorial  of,  99- 
110;  letter  from,  to  the  Sec.,  131,  132;  letter  from, 
to  Rev.  Mr.  Lucas,  132;  referred  to,  133;  letter 
from,  to  the  Sec.,  134;  referred  to,  136,  232. 

Bridge,  Mrs.,  referred  to,  344,  345. 

Bridge,  Rev.  Christopher,  recommended  to  the  Abp. 
of  Canterbury,  74,  75  ;  animadversions  upon,  76 ; 
letter  from,  to  the  Secretary,  79,  80 ;  ditto,  81 ; 
referred  to,  84,  247,  248,  344,  345. 

Bridge,  Rev.  Christopher  (son  of  above),  desired  rec¬ 
ommendation  to  the  Society,  317. 

Bridgewater.  Churchmen  at,  310 ;  applications  from, 
referred  to,  335;  state  of  Church  at,  455,  458,  465, 
493)  SI3>  577.  589i  services  at,  530,  531,  583; 
Churchmen  at,  564,  565. 

Brimfield,  Mass.,  referred  to,  31 1,  312,  331. 

Bristol,  Lord  Bishop  of,  referred  to,  453. 

Bristol,  Rhode  Island.  Church  people  imprisoned  for  not 
paying  rates  toward  support  of  Dissenting  minister 
of,  154;  referred  to,  208;  church  at,  referred  to, 
250 ;  no  need  of  missionary  aid  at,  302.  • 

Britton,  David,  referred  to,  304;  signs  Salem  address,  306. 

Brockwell,  Rev.  Charles,  removes  from  Scituate  to 
Salem,  320;  rude  treatment  of,  322;  complaints 
against,  made  by  Scituate  wardens,  327,  328 ;  refer¬ 
ences  to,  331;  letter  from,  to  the  Secretary,  332; 
ditto,  333 ;  ditto,  383  ;  ditto,  384-387  ;  referred  to, 
398,  399,  402,  428 ;  letter  from,  to  the  Bishop  of 
London,  441,  442;  letter  from,  to  the  same,  447, 
448 ;  referred  to,  450. 

Bromfield,  Mr.  Edward.  Letter  from,  76-79. 

Bromfield,  Mr.  Thomas.  Letter  to,  76-79. 

Brooks,  Benjamin,  imprisoned,  431. 

Brooks,  Mr.,  “  near  the  Maypole  in  the  Strand,”  Lon¬ 
don,  91. 

Browne,  Joshua,  signs  Newbury  petition,  86,  107  ;  for¬ 
bidden  to  proceed  in  erection  of  place  of  worship, 
87,  101 ;  signs  address  to  Ven.  Society,  94;  referred 
to,  102;  signs  bond,  104,  105;  referred  to,  106; 
signs  memorial,  HI  ;  signs  remonstrance,  1 1 3. 


702 


Brown,  Joshua,  Jr.,  signs  Newbury  address,  94;  signs 
petition,  107. 

Browne,  Rev.  Arthur,  signs  letters  of  clergy,  292,  541 ; 
ditto,  Amesbury  petition,  473 ;  referred  to,  395,  407, 
416,  505. 

Browne,  Rev.  Daniel,  of  Connecticut,  referred  to,  290. 

Browne,  Rev.  Isaac,  of  Connecticut,  recommended  to 
the  Ven.  Society,  290. 

Browne,  Rev.  Marmaduke,  signs  letter  of  clergy,  541 ; 
referred  to,  466. 

Brown,  Capt.  John,  of  Swanzea.  Letter  from,  to  the 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  72,  73  ;  “  dead,”  93,  94. 

Brown,  Mr.,  of  Medford,  parishioner  at  Cambridge,  502. 

Brown,  Thomas,  signs  Newbury  address,  94;  signs 
bond,  104;  signs  petition,  107;  signs  memorial, 
hi;  imprisoned,  1 1 2. 

Brown,  Tristram,  signs  Newbury  address,  94;  signs 
bond,  104;  signs  petition,  107. 

Brunswick,  New  Jersey.  Mission  at,  referred  to,  534. 

Buck,  Isaac,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Buckoz,  Richard,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Bull,  Bishop.  Nelson’s  Life  of,  589. 

Bull,  Henry,  Churchwarden  at  Newport,  R.  I.,  signs 
letter  to  Secretary,  155. 

Bullivant,  Justice  Benjamin,  taken  into  custody,  56 ; 
released,  61. 

Burditt,  Henry,  signs  Scituate  petition,  320. 

Burial  Office  obnoxious,  133. 

Burnet,  Gov.  William,  referred  to,  259,  260. 

Burt,  Abel,  of  Taunton,  referred  to,  342,  343. 

Byfield,  “  a  wicked  man  named,”  referred  to,  342,  343. 

Byfield,  Mr.  Nathaniel.  Account  of  the  late  Revolution 
referred  to,  62  ;  referred  to,  206. 

Byles,  Rev.  Mather,  D.D.,  recommended  for  Orders, 
536,  537  5  letter  from,  to  the  Secretary,  544,  545 ; 
ditto,  556,  557  ;  signs  letter  to  the  Secretary,  565; 
letter  from,  to  the  Secretary,  579,  580;  referred  to, 
586;  letter  from,  to  the  Secretary,  587,  588;  ditto, 
610,  611. 

Calley,  Capt.  James,  of  Marblehead,  referred  to,  1 14, 
136,  262. 

Calley,  Capt.  John,  of  Marblehead,  referred  to,  114. 

Cambridge.  Adjournment  of  General  Assembly  to,  122; 
colleges  in,  22,  65-67,  68;  mission  at,  452,  453, 
457>  463,  464,  466,  473,  474,  491,  492,  497,  500- 
502,  541,  569,  581 ;  Teaching  Elders  of,  Overseers 
of  Harvard  College,  212,  214,  216,  235,  257 ; 
University  of,  referred  to,  453. 

Camp,  Captain,  referred  to,  627. 


Canary  Islands.  Exports  to,  16. 

Candish,  Thomas,  of  Marblehead,  114. 

Caner,  Rev.  Henry,  D.D.,  recommended  to  the  Society, 
222 ;  references  to,  in  Gov.  Shirley’s  letter,  408, 
410,411;  referred  to,  425,  428,443;  letter  from, 
to  the  Secretary,  446 ;  ditto,  to  the  Archbishop  of 
Canterbury,  453,  454;  letter  to,  from  the  Arch¬ 
bishop,  453  ;  referred  to,  454;  letter  from,  to  the 
Secretary,  459-461;  ditto,  462,  463;  ditto,  to  the 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  471 ;  from  Archbishop 
to,  474-476;  referred  to,  476,  477;  letter  of,  to  the 
Archbishop,  482-489  ;  ditto,  489-491 ;  ditto,  to  the 
Secretary,  492,  493  ;  letter  from  the  Archbishop  to, 
494-497  ;  letter  from,  to  the  Archbishop,  497,  498  ; 
ditto,  499,  503-505;  ditto,  to  the  Secretary,  513, 
514;  ditto,  518,  519;  ditto,  522,  523;  referred  to, 
524,  526,  528;  signs  letters  of  clergy,  532,  541, 
565  ;  referred  to,  534,  557,  563  ;  letter  from,  to  the 
Secretary,  578,  579;  ditto,  580,  581 ;  ditto,  583, 
584;  ditto,  585,  586  ;  referred  to,  602,  603. 

Caner,  Rev.  Richard,  referred  to,  410. 

Canons.  Violation  of,  at  Marblehead,  130,  13 1;  New¬ 
bury  people  frightened  by,  133. 

Captain  Tom,  a  praying  Indian,  taken  and  hanged,  14. 

Carter,  James,  signs  Scituate  petition,  320. 

Castle  William.  Committee  of  Mass.  House  of  Repre¬ 
sentatives  visit,  124.  Vide  “  The  Castle.” 

Castor,  Mr.  Nathaniel,  of  Newbury,  referred  to,  376. 

Catechetical  Lecture  proposed  by  Gov.  Shirley,  401,  402, 
403;  referred  to,  411,  414,  419,  420,  427,  428. 

Catechising.  Observance  of,  148,  150,  152. 

Chamberlain,  Alexander.  Vestryman,  Christ  Church, 
Boston,  454. 

Chandler,  Rev.  Thomas  Bradbury,  referred  to,  623. 

Chapman,  Mr.,  referred  to,  627. 

Charles  II.  Letter  from,  to  the  General  Court  of  Massa¬ 
chusetts,  33-35  ;  answer  of,  to  a  petition,  35 — 37  ;  in¬ 
junction  from,  to  the  Governor  and  Council  of 
Massachusetts,  37-39;  referred  to,  41,  52. 

Charles  River  referred  to,  45. 

Charlestown  referred  to,  8,  9  ;  shipbuilding  at,  17  ;  teach¬ 
ing  elders  of  Overseers  of  Harvard  College,  212, 
214,  216,  235,  257  ;  ferry  referred  to,  217,  257. 

Chauncy,  Charles,  D.D.  Sermon  by,  on  Presbyterian  or¬ 
dination,  printed,  489  ;  Abp.  of  Canterbury  on,  495. 

Checkley,  Rev.  John.  Petition  of,  138  ;  action  of  council 
respecting  the  “  Short  and  Easie  Method,”  pub¬ 
lished  by,  142;  Lt.-Gov.  Dummer’s  account  of 
publication  of  said  work,  146 ;  letter  from  Rev. 
Mr.  Harris  respecting,  156-162;  referred  to,  201  > 


703 


“  that  turbulent  person,”  245,  246 ;  letter  from,  to 
Bp.  of  London,  250-252  ;  referred  to,  267  ;  trouble¬ 
some  temper  of,  323,  324  ;  letter  from,  to  the  Sec., 

378- 

Cheeseman,  George,  signs  Braintree  address,  209 ;  ditto, 
221. 

Cherner,  Elia,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Christ  Church,  Boston.  First  service  in,  142,  143; 
answers  to  queries  addressed  to  ministers  of,  147- 
149  ;  the  prospect  of  the  building  of,  a  motive  of 
the  conversion  of  Dr.  Cutler,  157;  notices  of,  159, 
160,  161  ;  state  of,  162-164;  account  of,  229,  230; 
referred  to,  269,  270 ;  Rev.  Mather  Byles  invited 
to,  536 ;  wardens  of,  to  the  Sec.,  537-539 ;  state 
of,  544,  545  ;  controversy  with  Dr.  Byles,  556, 
557 ;  implacable  temper  among  proprietors  of, 
579,  580;  action  of,  587;  Mr.  Parker’s  preaching 
in,  601.  Spire  built  and  ring  of  bells  pro¬ 
posed,  368 ;  books  presented  to,  405 ;  state  of, 
417,418,420,  421,  423,  424,  439,  440,441,449, 
454;  churchwardens  of,  to  the  Sec.,  520;  choice  of 
minister,  522,  523;  wardens  of,  to  the  Sec.,  526- 
529;  “  greatly  suffers,”  530;  referred  to,  534,  535. 

Christ  Church,  Cambridge.  List  of  parishioners  of, 

1763,  5°2- 

Christian,  Rev.  Mr.,  an  “  Irish  Minister,”  267. 

Christmas  Day.  Observance  of,  illegal,  6. 

Church,  Col.,  of  New  Bristol,  referred  to,  95. 

Church  of  England.  Days  appointed  by,  not  to  be  ob¬ 
served,  6  ;  a  Fellow  of  Harvard  College  removed 
for  not  renouncing  the,  23  ;  first  settlers  professed 
members  of,  50;  members  of,  made  prisoners,  52, 
53,  56;  members  of,  continue  sufferers,  61;  threats 
against  those  belonging  to  the,  61,  62;  but  one 
minister  of,  north  of  Virginia  in  1693-4,  65  ;  mem¬ 
bers  of,  sued,  97,  sneers  at,  98  ;  people  instructed 
in  doctrines  of,  105  ;  petition  in  favor  of,  107,  etc. 

Church  members  alone  admitted  freemen,  2 ;  no  evil 
seen  in,  5 ;  answer  to  queries  respecting  the  number 
of,  7,  8;  enriched  by  sale  of  arms  to  Indians,  14; 
persons  of,  not  hazarded  in  Indian  war,  1 5  ;  spoilt 
by  their  religion,  47  ;  hypocrisy  of,  48,  49. 

Church  school.  Proposal  for  establishing  a,  in  Boston, 
37L  372. 

Chapman,  Mr.,  referred  to,  627. 

Clapp,  Captain,  9. 

Claremont,  N.  H.  Mission  at,  referred  to,  618,  619. 

Clark,  Capt.,  of  the  ship  Duke  of  Bedford,  597,  598. 

Clarke,  Mayor  Thomas,  a  magistrate,  21. 

Clarke,  Rev.  Richard,  of  Conn.,  referred  to,  607. 


Clark,  Rev. William.  Letter  from,  to  the  Sec.,  548 ;  ditto, 
55G.551;  ditto,  552,  553;  ditto,  570-572;  referred 
to.  573.  578,  581,  583.  6°°;  address  of,  591,  592; 
letter  from,  to  the  Sec.,  574,  578;  ditto,  593-596; 
ditto,  596,  598  ;  referred  to,  602,  606  ;  letter  from,  to 
the  Sec.,  607,  608;  ditto,  611-613  ;  referred  to,  630. 

Clark,  Joseph,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Clergy  exempt  from  taxation,  18 ;  incline  to  His  Majes¬ 
ty’s  Government,  21. 

Cleverly,  John,  signs  answer  of  Church  in  Braintree, 
85  ;  Churchwarden,  226. 

Chingman,  Mr.  John,  Churchwarden  at  Braintree. 
Letter  from  Wm.  Vesey  and,  to  the  Sec.,  406,  407. 

Clinton,  Gen.  Kindness  of,  to  refugee  clergy,  605. 

Cobden,  Dr.,  referred  to,  519. 

Cobisceconte  (or  Gardnerstown).  Church  at,  562. 

Cockram,  Captain  John  (of  Fort  William  and  Mary, 
Newcastle,  N.  H.),  referred  to,  630. 

Coddington,  William,  signs  “Arbella  Letter,”  242. 

Cod  Fishery,  11,  12. 

Coducot,  John,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Coffin,  Daniel,  signs  Amesbury  petition,  470. 

Cohansie,  New  Jersey.  Services  at,  297. 

Colburn,  Samuel,  of  Dedham.  Will  of,  450,  451,  516, 
517,  536;  petition  to  Judge  of  Probate  respecting, 
567,  568,  574-577- 

Colden,  Abraham,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Colman,  Benjamin,  D.D.  Letter  of,  to  Bp.  of  London  in 
favor  of  Rev.  Mr.  Harris,  249 ;  ditto,  enclosing 
letter  from  Hampshire  Co.  ministers,  302,  303  ;  re¬ 
ferred  to,  331,  334,  346,  348,  399,  403. 

Commencement  at  Harvard  College  referred  to,  72. 

Commissaries.  Queries  to  be  answered  by,  153,154. 

Commissary.  Proposed  powers  of,  459-461. 

Commissioners,  Royal,  to  New  England,  36,  37,  38, 

39- 

Commodities  of  New  England,  16,  17,  46. 

Common  Prayer.  Book  of,  use  of  to  be  allowed,  34. 

Compton,  Henry,  Lord  Bishop  of  London,  Letters  to, 
from  Vestry,  etc.,  at  Boston,  82;  referred  to,  159, 
345- 

Confirmation.  Candidate  for,  recommended  to  the  Bp. 
of  London,  358,  359. 

“  Conforming  to  the  Church  of  England.”  “  The  real 
advantages  of,”  a  pamphlet,  referred  to,  475,  476, 
485,  486. 

Congregational  Churches  recognized  by  Massachusetts 
laws,  237-239. 

Connecticut  referred  to,  10,  15,  20,  29,  40,  44,  etc.; 
preaching  of  Wliitefield  in,  347  ;  in  a  lamentable 


704 


scene  of  disorder,  351  ;  Bibles  laid  aside  in,  353; 
dreadful  disorders  in,  360 ;  state  of  Church  in,  408, 
409;  list  of  churches  in,  1748,  429,  430. 

Connecticut  River.  Overflows  of,  43. 

Convention,  Annual,  of  Church  of  England  Clergy  re¬ 
ferred  to,  386,  524;  advantage  of  an  Annual,  460; 
letter  from  the  clergy  in,  530,  532 ;  ditto,  541  ; 
ditto,  565. 

Coinage.  Massachusetts,  4. 

Cooke,  John,  signs  address  to  Archbishop  of  Canter¬ 
bury,  75. 

Cooke,  Mr.,  Speaker  of  the  Mass.  House  of  Representa¬ 
tives,  123. 

Cook,  Lord.  Authority  of,  quoted,  42,  45. 

Cooper,  Mr.,  referred  to,  346. 

Cooper,  Myles,  LL.D.,  referred  to,  623. 

Coram,  Thomas.  Petition  of,  to  the  Archbishop  of  Can¬ 
terbury,  64-67 ;  letter  of,  to  the  Secretary,  342- 
345;  reference  to,  362,  385. 

Corn  Husking.  Sins  committed  in,  46. 

Cornwall,  Captain,  referred  to,  247. 

Cossit,  Rev.  Ranna,  referred  to,  608,  618,  619. 

Cotton,  John,  Registrar  of  Probate,  452. 

Cotton,  Mr.,  Dissenting  Minister  at  Bristol.  Church 
people  imprisoned  for  not  paying  rates  to,  154. 

Council.  Governor  and  the,  Executive  Power  of  Massa¬ 
chusetts  Bay,  2,  3. 

County  Courts.  Functions  of,  3. 

Courts  of  Assistants,  how  constituted,  3. 

Coventry,  Mr.  Secretary  Henry,  referred  to,  25,  30. 

Coweset,  Rhode  Island,  referred  to,  314. 

Cradock,  Mr.,  “going  to  England,”  294. 

Cradock,  Mr.  Matthew,  first  Governor  of  Massachusetts, 
32. 

Cradock,  George,  signs  letter  from  United  Vestries  of 
Boston,  335. 

Cranston,  Gov.,  of  Rhode  Island,  referred  to,  201. 

Creed.  Bishop  Pearson  on  the,  in  the  Library  at  Mar¬ 
blehead,  136. 

Creeds.  Treatise  upon,  by  Rev.  Nathan  Prince,  384, 
391-394- 

Creese,  Thomas,  signs  letter  to  Archbishop  of  Canter¬ 
bury,  75. 

Crocker,  John,  Churchwarden  at  Newbury,  signs  letter 
to  the  Secretary,  407;  signs  address  of  Vestry  of 
Newburyport  to  the  Society,  426. 

Cromwell,  Oliver,  9. 

Cross.  Sign  of  the,  “abominated”  at  Newbury,  133; 
considered  idolatry,  514. 

Croswell,  Andrew,  “enthusiastic  teacher,”  447. 


Cudworth’s  Intellectual  System.  A  copy  of,  referred  to, 

633- 

Cushing,  John,  referred  to,  172,  206. 

Customs  in  New  England,  18,  19,  20. 

Cutler,  Joseph,  Warden  of  St.  Paul’s,  Newburyport. 
Letter  from,  to  the  Secretary,  637,  638. 

Cutler,  Rev.  John  (son  of  Rev.  Dr.  Timothy  Cutler), 
desired  recommendation  to  the  Society,  317;  re¬ 
ferred  to,  348. 

Cutler,  Rev.  Timothy,  D.D.  Letter  from,  to  the  Secre¬ 
tary,  142-144;  answers  of,  to  queries  respecting 
state  of  Church,  147-149 ;  referred  to,  153;  letter 
from  Rev.  Mr.  Harris  respecting,  156-162;  letter 
from,  to  the  Secretary,  162-165  ’>  memorial  of,  re¬ 
specting  a  Synod,  170,  171,  173-175  ;  signs  letter  to 
Bishop  of  London,  176;  ditto,  to  the  Secretary, 
178;  newspaper  extract  respecting,  179,  180;  rep¬ 
resentation  of,  to  the  Lieut. -Governor,  182,  183; 
letter  from,  to  the  Secretary,  184,  185  ;  action  of 
Council  respecting,  186;  referred  to,  188;  petition 
of,  191-200  ;  account  of  steps  taken  on  the  petition 
of,  201,  202  ;  letter  from,  to  the  Secretary,  205  ; 
ditto,  210,  21 1;  memorial  of,  respecting  overseer- 
ship  of  Harvard  College,  212-214;  papers  relating 
to  the  same,  214-219;  letter  from,  to  the  Secretary, 
222,  223 ;  signs  letter  to  Secretary,  227 ;  letter 
from,  to  Gen.  Nicholson,  227,  228 ;  letter  from,  to 
the  Secretary,  228-232  ;  letter  from,  to  Gen.  Nichol¬ 
son,  234,  235  ;  answer  to  memorial  of,  235-241  ; 
answer  of,  241-243 ;  action  on  memorial  of,  244, 
245 ;  referred  to,  247 ;  letter  from,  to  Bishop  of 
London,  253,  254;  ditto,  to  the  Secretary,  256; 
ditto,  to  Overseers  of  Harvard  College,  257-259 ; 
ditto,  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  259-261  ;  ditto,  to 
the  Secretary,  263 ;  ditto,  to  Capt.  Delapp,  264- 
266  ;  referred  to,  267,  269,  270  ;  letter  from,  to  the 
Secretary,  273,  274;  referred  to,  274,  281,  283,  284, 
285  ;  letter  from,  to  the  Secretary,  290,  291  ;  signs 
letters  to  the  Society,  292  ;  letter  from,  to  the  Sec¬ 
retary,  295,  296  ;  ditto,  297,  298  ;  referred  to,  303  ; 
letter  from,  to  the  Secretary,  307;  ditto,  315;  re¬ 
ferred  to,  317;  letter  from,  to  the  Secretary,  321, 
322  ;  ditto,  329,  330  ;  ditto,  to  the  Bishop  of  Lon¬ 
don,  330,  331;  ditto,  to  the  Secretary,  335,  336; 
ditto,  439,  440,  441  ;  referred  to,  441  ;  ditto,  to  the 
Bishop  of  London,  345-348 ;  ditto,  to  the  Secre¬ 
tary,  348-350  ;  ditto,  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  350- 
352  ;  ditto,  to  the  Secretary,  354,  355  ;  ditto,  357, 
358  ;  ditto,  359,  360  ;  ditto,  362,  363  ;  ditto,  366- 
368 ;  ditto,  369,  370 ;  ditto,  to  the  Archbishop  of 


705 


Canterbury,  377  ;  ditto,  to  the  Secretary,  380  ;  ditto, 
382  ;  ditto,  387,  388  ;  ditto,  394,  395  ;  ditto,  396  ; 
referred  to,  400,  401,  413;  letter  of,  to  the  Secre¬ 
tary,  404,  405;  ditto,  4 1 7-41 9;  ditto,  419,  420; 
ditto,  420,  421  ;  ditto,  427,  428;  ditto,  433  ;  ditto, 
439.  440;  ditto,  440,  441  ;  ditto,  444,  445  ;  ditto, 
445  ;  referred  to,  449,  436 ;  unable  to  discharge 
duties  of  his  office,  454;  referred  to,  520,  522,  524, 
528,  529,  536. 

Daille,  Rev.  Peter,  recommended  to  the  Ven.  Society, 
80,  81. 

Dalton,  Capt.,  referred  to,  415. 

Dammon,  Lieut.,  referred  to,  183. 

Danforth,  Mr.  Surveyor,  of  Cambridge,  referred  to,  217. 

Danforth,  John,  M.A.,  Fellow  of  Harvard  College,  68. 

Danforth,  Mr.  Thomas,  a  magistrate,  21 ;  Treasurer  of 
Harvard  College,  218. 

Danforth,  Rev.  Mr.,  referred  to,  173. 

Danforth,  Samuel,  M.A.,  Fellow  of  Harvard  College, 
218. 

Daniel,  John,  signs  Braintree  address,  220. 

Dartmouth,  Lord,  addressed ;  referred  to,  101  ;  memo¬ 
rial  to,  102,  103. 

Davenport,  “  One,”  “  a  very  troublesome  person,”  362, 
363- 

Davenport,  Rev.  Addington,  recommended  for  Orders, 
290  ;  referred  to,  292  ;  letter  from,  to  the  Secretary, 
308-310;  referred  to,  323,  324;  successor  ap¬ 
pointed,  398  ;  deceased,  399,  400. 

Davis,  Ephraim,  signs  Newbury  bond,  104. 

Davison,  Nathaniel,  signs  Newbury  petition,  94. 

Davis,  Nicholas,  signs  Newbury  bond,  104. 

Deane,  Mr.,  referred  to,  415. 

Deacon.  Use  of  the  word  in  England  compared  with 
that  in  New  England,  236. 

Deblois,  Mr.  Gilbert,  referred  to,  588,  608. 

Decalogue.  Bishop  Andrewes  on  the,  in  the  Library  at 
Marblehead,  136. 

Dechain,  Rev.  Mr.  Donation  from,  to  Christ  Church, 
Boston,  405,  418,  419. 

Declaration  of  Archbishops  and  Bishops  respecting  ad¬ 
ministration  of  Baptism,  referred  to,  158,  167. 

Dedham.  Services  at,  263,  291;  Christmas  services  at, 
295 ;  Baptisms  at,  298 ;  administration  of  Sacra¬ 
ments  at,  370 ;  town  of,  referred  to,  433  ;  will  of 
Samuel  Colburn  of,  450,  451,  536,  567,  568,  574- 
577  ;  church  at,  opened,  465  ;  need  of  missionary, 
492>  493  5  state  °f»  5l6,  5X7>  525  i  church  at, 
532.  533-  535,  536,  548,  550,  55L  552>  553.  558- 

89 


561 ;  petition  of  members  of,  567,  568;  referred  to, 
570;  trouble  respecting  the  Colburn  bequest,  574— 
577;  referred  to,  600. 

Deists.  The  Short  and  Easie  Method  with  the.  Action 
of  Council  respecting  publication  of,  142;  notices  of 
the  publication  of,  146,  156-159. 

Delafaye,  Charles,  Secretary  of  the  Lords  Justices,  186, 
187;  letter  from,  187,  188;  ditto,  188;  ditto,  189, 
190. 

Delapp,  Capt.  John.  Letter  to,  from  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler, 
264-266. 

De  Laune,  Thomas.  A  Plea  for  Nonconformists  by, 
reprinted,  489,  542. 

Delis,  Simon,  signs  Scituate  petition,  320 ;  warden  at 
Scituate,  328. 

Denison,  Major  Daniel,  referred  to,  21. 

Denniman,  Moses,  signs  Braintree  address,  220. 

Derby,  Conn.  Church  Mission  at,  referred  to,  395, 
408,  409. 

Dighton.  Churchmen  in,  564. 

Dillingham,  Melitiah,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Diocese  of  London.  Colonies  in  America  annexed  to, 
171,  174. 

Dissenting  Gentleman’s  Answer  to  Rev.  Mr.  White’s 
Letters,  reprinted,  592. 

Dissenting  interest  in  Boston  suffering  from  enthusiasm, 
366,  367. 

Dolly,  William,  parishioner  of  Christ  Church,  Cam¬ 
bridge,  502. 

Dorchester.  Powder-mill  at,  10;  Teaching  Elders  of, 
Overseers  of  Harvard  College,  212,  214,  216,  235, 

257- 

Douay.  College  at,  referred  to,  245. 

Dover,  New  Hampshire.  Rev.  George  Keith’s  visit  to, 
72. 

Dowse,  Nathaniel,  of  Charlestown,  parishioner  at  Cam¬ 
bridge,  502. 

Drought,  Great,  in  New  England,  referred  to,  434,  437. 

Drunkenness  among  the  Indians,  13. 

Dudley,  Mr.  Joseph,  a  magistrate,  referred  to,  21,  137; 
letter  from,  to  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  74,  75  ; 
ditto,  to  the  Secretary,  80,  81  ;  signs  letter  to  Bishop 
of  London,  82  ;  referred  to,  83,  86,  87  ;  letter  from 
Secretary  of  Ven.  Society  to,  96;  answer  of,  97, 
98;  referred  to,  101,  106,  343,  344;  petition  to, 
107;  letter  from,  108. 

Dudley,  Paul,  M.A.,  Fellow  of  Harvard  College,  68  ; 
referred  to,  273  ;  Lecture  established  by,  at  Plar- 
vard  College,  489,  490. 

Dudley,  Thomas,  signs  the  “  Arbella  Letter,”  242. 


706 


Dudley,  William,  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representa¬ 
tives,  244,  245. 

Dutch.  Government  of  Massachusetts  friendly  to,  12; 
removal  of  the,  37. 

Dutton,  “  One,”  an  Anabaptist,  405. 

Dummer,  Lieut.-Gov.  William.  Memorial  of  Rev. 
Henry  Harris  addressed  to,  and  action  thereon,  144, 
145  ;  letter  from,  to  the  Secretary,  146,  147  ;  re¬ 
ferred  to,  156;  memorial  addressed  to,  170,  171  ; 
address  to,  from  the  reverend  ministers,  172,  173; 
memorial  presented  to,  174,  175;  Dr.  Cutler’s 
representation  to,  182,  183;  referred  to,  186,  201; 
letter  of,  205,  206;  referred  to,  212,  213  ;  memorial 
to,  214-216;  references  to,  235,  244,  245,  260,  505. 

Dunbar,  Lieut.-Gov.,  a  “surety”  for  a  child,  288. 

Dunster,  Henry,  President  of  Harvard  College,  referred 
to,  217,  218. 

Dyer,  Gyles,  signs  address  to  Archbishop  of  Canter¬ 
bury,  75. 

Dyre,  Barrat,  attests  deed  of  gift,  375. 

Dyre,  Elizabeth,  attests  deed  of  gift,  375. 

Easter-term.  Last  ^Wednesday  of,  the  election  day  in 
Massachusetts  Bay,  2. 

Eager,  Rev.  Thomas,  Missionary  at  Braintree.  Letter 
from,  to  the  Sec.,  91-93;  conduct  of,  referred  to, 
95 ;  complaints  of,  referred  to,  96 ;  “  rude  life  ” 
of,  97. 

Earthquake  in  New  England,  289;  felt  at  Newbury» 
364  ;  at  Salem,  383. 

Eastern  Indians.  French  missions  among,  365. 

Eaton,  Samuel,  M.A.,  Fellow  of  Harvard  College,  218. 

Ecclesiastical  government,  21,  22,  48,  49,  65. 

Edson,  Josiah,  signs  Scituate  petition,  320. 

Edinburgh  University.  Recommendations  from,  in  favor 
of  Rev.  Mr.  Hooper,  400. 

Edwards,  Jonathan,  Scribe  of  Associated  Ministers  of 
Hampshire  Co.,  Mass.,  301. 

Ellis,  James,  of  Cambridge,  imprisoned  for  refusing  to 
pay  rates  to  Dissenting  minister,  265,  285. 

Ellis,  Matthew,  “a  Churchman,”  imprisoned,  31 1 ;  peti¬ 
tion  of,  to  the  Ven.  Society,  317,  318. 

Elvins,  “  One,”  a  baker,  an  exhorter,  354. 

Endicott,  Gov.,  not  well  affected  to  His  Majesty,  37  ; 
signs  letter  to  Abp.  of  Canterbury,  75. 

Eneisdon,  “  One,”  master  of  a  powder  mill  at  Dorches¬ 
ter,  10. 

England,  Church  of.  Plot  against  the,  112,  113. 

Epidemic  disease.  Instructions  for  treatment  of,  pub¬ 
lished,  77. 


Episcopal  ordination.  Comments  of  associated  ministers 
of  Hampshire  Co.,  Mass.,  upon,  300. 

Established  Church.  Worship  of,  decried  as  heathenish, 
etc.,  50.  (  Vide  England,  Church  of). 

Excise  tax,  19. 

Exchange  Tavern,  Boston.  Meetings  at,  144,  145. 

Eyre  (or  Eayr),  John,  signs  Newbury  petition,  94,  106; 
signs  bond,  104. 

Fairfax,  Mr.  Removal  of,  to  Virginia,  304. 

Fairfield,  Conn.  Mr.  Caner  recommended  for  the  mis¬ 
sion  at,  222  ;  Church  mission  at,  referred  to,  395, 
408,  410,  41 1,  421. 

Fairweather,  Capt.  John,  referred  to,  61. 

Falmouth,  Maine,  referred  to,  581,  583,  584;  state  of 
Church  at,  599. 

Faneuill,  Benjamin,  parishioner  of  Christ  Church,  Cam¬ 
bridge,  502. 

Fanning,  Edmund,  LL.D.,  Lt.-Gov.  of  Nova  Scotiaj 
recommended  for  membership  of  the  S.  P.  G., 
626. 

Farnham,  Col.,  a  Newburyport  loyalist,  629,  630. 

Fast,  public,  voted  by  Mass.  House  of  Representatives, 

122. 

Fayerweather,  Rev.  Samuel,  signs  letter  of  N.  E.  clergy, 
532  ;  referred  to,  600,  615. 

Felt,  Eben,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Fever  and  ague  in  Connecticut,  43. 

Fifth  Commandment.  Woful  breach  of,  assigned  as  a 
reason  for  the  Indian  war,  13,  14. 

Fines,  Charles,  signs  the  “  Arbella  Letter,”  242. 

“Flying  Post.”  The  (newspaper),  referred  to,  179. 

Flynt,  Henry,  attests  document,  241,  259. 

Follansbee,  Thomas,  signs  Newbury  petition,  94. 

Form  of  Commission,  4. 

Fort  Mary,  Winter  Harbor.  Stores  at,  removed,  124. 

Foster,  John,  in  command  of  a  company  at  the  Boston 
“  Revolution,”  56,  58;  referred  to,  63. 

Foura,  William,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Foxcroft,  Justice  Francis,  taken  into  custody,  56;  signs 
address  to  Abp.  of  Canterbury,  75. 

Frankland,  Sir  Harry.  Letter  from,  about  state  of  religion 
in  Boston,  423-425. 

Franklin,  Benjamin,  referred  to,  634. 

Freeman.  No  one  not  a  Church  member  admitted  to 
be  a,  2. 

Free  schools  in  every  township  in  New  England,  65. 

French  Congregation  in  Boston,  no  convenient  place  to 
meet  in,  74;  not  able  to  support  their  minister,  80, 
81. 


707 


French.  Correspondence  between  the  Massachusetts 
Government  and  the,  u,  12. 

French  Missionaries  in  Maine,  365. 

French  Prophets.  The,  referred  to,  353. 

French  Protestants.  Settlement  of,  42. 

French  translations  of  practical  treatises,  77. 

French  War  referred  to,  457. 

Friendly  Association.  The,  of  Pennsylvania,  referred 
to,  479,  480. 

Frink,  Rev.  Samuel.  Recommendation  of,  for  Orders, 
499  ;  refused  mission  at  Rutland,  509. 

Frye,  Col.  Peter,  referred  to,  627  ;  letter  from,  to  the 
Sec.,  628,  629. 

Gahow,  Edward,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Gazette.  The  Boston  (newspaper),  referred  to,  179. 

Gardner,  Col.,  gives  evidence  of  Mr.  Bass’s  disloyalty, 
602,  603. 

Gardner,  Dr.  Sylvester,  referred  to,  373  ;  benefactor  of 
the  Church  in  Maine,  562. 

George,  Archimedes,  Esq.,  a  benefactor  of  the  Dedham 
Church,  559. 

George,  Capt.  John,  of  the  Rose  Frigate,  seized,  56. 

Georgetown,  Maine.  Mission  at,  established,  531  ;  state 
of  Church  at,  1788,  599. 

Gibbons,  John,  “  One,”  an  apothecary,  267  ;  removal  of, 
to  Boston,  304 ;  signs  Jetter  from  united  vestries  of 
Boston  to  the  Sec.,  335. 

Gibbs,  Rev.  William,  referred  to,  373,  380,  432,  491. 

Gibson,  Edmund,  D.D.,  Lord  Bishop  of  London.  Letter 
from,  to  Rev.  Mr.  Myles,  166,  167  ;  letter  to,  from 
Rev.  Mr.  Mossom,  168-170;  the  N.  E.  clergy  to, 
1 75,  176;  letter  from,  to  Duke  of  Newcastle,  179; 
ditto,  180,  181  ;  ditto,  184;  letter  to,  186,  187;  re¬ 
ferred  to,  188;  letter  to,  from  Rev.  Messrs.  Flarris 
and  Mossom,  200-202. 

Gillman,  Mr.,  an  enthusiast  teacher,  387. 

Gladley,  Cerdey,  signs  Scituate  petition,  320. 

Glebes.  Purchase  of,  desirable,  361 ;  importance  of 
securing,  409. 

Goddard,  Capt.,  referred  to,  273. 

Godfathers,  godmothers,  etc.,  abominated  at  Newbury, 
133- 

Godliness  of  members  of  the  Church  of  England 
asserted,  486. 

Goffe,  William  (the  Regicide),  received  in  Mass.,  6. 

Good  Friday.  Observance  of,  118,  150. 

Gookin,  Daniel,  receives  and  entertains  the  Regicides,  6. 

Gorges,  Mr.  Petition  of,  25,  26,  29,  30. 

Graham,  James,  taken  into  custody,  57,  58,  59. 


Grainger,  Mr.,  a  writing-school  master  in  Boston,  231. 

Graves,  Mr.  Thomas,  removed  from  his  Fellowship  a 
Harvard  College,  Cambridge,  23. 

Graves,  Rev.  John,  referred  to,  426,  462 ;  letter  from, 
to  the  Secretary,  536,  537;  referred  to  554,  6x2, 
613,  615. 

Graves,  Rev.  Matthew,  referred  to,  426,  554,  695. 

Gray,  Eliphalet,  of  Dedham,  referred  to,  451. 

Greaton,  Rev.  James,  referred  to,  454;  wardens  of 
Christ  Church,  Boston,  respecting,  520,  526-529 ; 
Dr.  Caner’s  commendation  of,  522,  523;  Wardens 
of  Christ  Church,  Boston,  respecting,  526-529 ; 
signs  letter  of  clergy,  532  ;  resignation  of,  534,  535  ; 
referred  to,  537,  538. 

Greene,  Thomas,  Esq.  Legacy  of,  to  Trinity  Church, 
Boston,  510;  sermon  at  funeral  of,  referred  to,  51 1. 

Grenville,  Nova  Scotia,  referred  to,  553. 

Griffith,  Mr.,  “  an  impudent  impostor,”  518,  519. 

Groton.  No  need  of  missionary  at,  302. 

Guinea.  Slaves  brought  from,  8;  ships  sent  to,  17. 

Guy,  Rev.  William.  Letter  from,  to  the  Sec.,  129. 

Hadden,  Samuel,  signs  Braintree  address,  221. 

Hale,  Mr.  Samuel,  referred  to,  629,  630,  640 ;  letter 
from,  to  the  Sec.,  633,  634. 

Halifax.  Churchmen  at,  310;  referred  to,  552,  553; 
loyalists  fleeing  to,  581,  586,  597;  referred  to,  590, 

611. 

Hall,  Rev.  Mr.,  Secretary  to  Bp.  Compton,  345. 

Hammond,  Dr.,  on  the  New  Testament,  in  library  at 
Marblehead,  136. 

Hampshire  County,  Massachusetts.  Letter  from  the 
associated  ministers  of,  to  the  Bp.  of  London,  299— 
301 ;  Dr.  Colman’s  letter  accompanying,  302,  303. 

Hampton.  Rev.  George  Keith’s  visit  to,  72. 

Hanover.  Churchmen  at,  imprisoned,  309 ;  threatened, 
310;  petition  of  Churchmen  at  Scituate  and,  320 
321 ;  mission  at,  493. 

Hanse  Towns,  in  Germany.  Exports  to,  16. 

Harris,  B.,  Churchwarden  at  Newbury,  379. 

Harris,  Mr.  Notice  of  a,  27,  28. 

Harris,  Rev.  Henry,  referred  to,  90;  visits  Newbury, 
105  ;  reports  respecting  Church  at  Newbury,  108  ; 
instructions  to,  115,  116;  referred  to,  136;  memo¬ 
rial  of,  144,  145  ;  account  of  memorial  of,  and 
action  thereupon,  145-147 ;  unhappy  conduct  of, 
referred  to,  155  ;  letter  from,  to  Bp.  of  London,  1 56 — 
1 62 ;  Dr.  Cutler’s  complaint  against,  161-165; 
letter  from,  to  Bp.  of  London,  200-202 ;  acted  as 
Overseer  of  Harvard  College,  210,  229,  258,  260 ; 


708 


referred  to,  227,  234;  letter  from,  to  the  Bishop  of 
London,  245,  246;  ditto,  246-248. 

Harrison,  Rev.  Mr.,  referred  to,  134. 

Hart,  Thomas,  collector,  referred  to,  431. 

Hartford.  Account  of,  43. 

Hartford  Gaol.  Churchmen  committed  to,  431. 

Harvard  College.  Answers  to  queries  respecting,  21-23  ; 
“  famous,”  47  ;  petition  of  Thomas  Coram  respect¬ 
ing,  64-67;  act  for  incorporating,  67-71;  Ven. 
Society  willing  to  encourage  young  students  at, 
70;  authority  to  grant  degrees  conferred  upon,  70  • 
application  of  graduate  of,  for  Orders,  135  ;  Dr. 
Cutler's  letter  to  the  Sec.  respecting  overseership  of, 
210,  21 1  ;  memorial  of  Dr.  Cutler  and  Mr.  Myles 
relating  to  the  same,  212-214;  memorial  to  the  Lt.- 
Gov.  respecting  the  same,  214-216;  orders  of  Gen¬ 
eral  Court  relating  to,  216-219;  overseership  of, 
referred  to  in  letter  of  clergy,  226 ;  ditto,  in  Dr. 
Cutler’s  letter,  231,  232  ;  ditto,  234,  235  ;  answer  of 
the  Overseers  of,  235-241  ;  reply  of  Dr.  Cutler  and 
others,  241-243 ;  action  respecting,  244,  245 ;  re¬ 
ferred  to,  254;  letters  of  Dr.  Cutler  to  the  Overseers 
of,  257-259 ;  letter  of  the  same  to  the  Bp.  of  Lon¬ 
don  respecting,  259-261;  ditto,  330,  331;  scholars 
at,  faulted  by  Whitefield,  347 ;  deficient  in  classic 
learning,  371  ;  not  much  danger  of  Church  students 
being  influenced  to  dissent  in,  372 ;  Fellow  and  Pro¬ 
fessor  of,  applying  for  recommendation  to  the  Soc., 
384,  391-394;  letter  from  President  of,  to  the  Sec., 
430;  a  seminary  of  schism,  441 ;  referred  to,  443- 
452>  453  i  Dudleian  Lecture  established  at,  489, 
490  ;  loss  of  library  by  fire,  512. 

Harvard,  Mr.  John,  referred  to,  22,  65. 

Harwood,  Rev.  Thomas,  Lecturer  at  the  King’s  Chapel. 
Letter  from,  to  the  Bp.  of  London,  266-269;  re_ 
ferred  to,  270,  271  ;  signs  letter  of  N.  E.  clergy  to 
the  Sec.,  292;  referred  to,  294. 

Haskins,  William,  attests  memorial,  126. 

Hatch,  Isaac,  signs  Scituate  petition,  320. 

Hatch,  Thomas,  signs  Scituate  petition,  320. 

Hatton,  Rev.  George,  “a  very  worthless  man,”  65,  66. 

Hathorne,  Major  William,  a  magistrate,  21. 

Hayden,  Jonathan,  signs  Braintree  address,  220. 

Hebrew  taught  at  Harvard  College,  23. 

Hebron,  Conn.  Church  mission  at,  referred  to,  331,  408, 
43°- 

Hewes,  John,  signs  Newbury  bond,  104. 

Hickes,  Rev.  Dr.  George,  referred  to,  158. 

Hicks,  Rev.  Mr.,  chaplain  of  the  Eltham  man  of  war, 
referred  to,  397. 


Hickox,  John,  imprisoned,  431. 

Hill,  Richard,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Hinckley,  Gov.  Thomas,  42. 

Hind,  Rev.  Dr.,  referred  to,  607,  608. 

Hinds,  Caleb,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Hoar,  Dr.  Leonard,  President  of  Harvard  College, 
23- 

Hoare,  Messrs.,  referred  to,  608,  632. 

Hobart,  Nehemiah,  M.A.,  Fellow  of  Harvard  College, 

68. 

Hobby,  Sir  Charles.  Notice  of,  75,  76. 

Plolland.  Exports  to,  16* 

Holloway,  Thomas,  signs  Scituate  petition,  320. 

Honeyman,  Rev.  James,  referred  to,  75,  95  ;  signs  letter 
to  the  Sec.,  155;  signs  address  to  Bp.  of  Lon¬ 
don,  176;  signs  letter  to  the  Sec.,  178;  petition  of, 
with  others,  to  King  in  Council,  191-200;  referred 
to,  201 ;  signs  letter  of  N.  E.  clergy  to  the  Sec., 
227  ;  referred  to,  373. 

Holyoke,  Edward,  D.D.,  President  of  Harvard  College. 
Letter  from,  to  the  Sec.,  430. 

Hooper,  Rev.  William,  going  to  England  for  Orders, 
.398;  Gov.  Shirley’s  recommendation  of,  398-402; 
referred  to,  403,411,  412;  letter  from,  to  the  Sec., 
413-415  ;  referred  to,  428  ;  letter  to,  respecting  Mr. 
W.  Walter,  506-508;  referred  to,  509;  letter  from, 
to  the  Abp.  of  Canterbury,  510,  511. 

Plopkinton.  Church  at,  contemplated,  313,314;  Com. 
Price’s  accounts  of,  316,  317,  322,  323,  325,  331, 
333,  334;  reference  to,  by  the  united  vestries  of 
Boston,  334,  335  ;  church  built  at,  337  ;  references 
to,  in  Com.  Price’s  letters,  340,  341,  352,  361,  362, 
381,  383,  384,  397,  403  ;  a  discredit  to  the  Society, 
414;  Church  at,  429 ;  opposition  at,  431;  state  of 
mission  at,  438,  439  ;  services  at,  464. 

Housatonick.  Indian  mission  at,  483,  484. 

Plouse,  David,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

House  of  Commons.  Gift  from  the  Speaker  of,  to  Church 
at  Salem,  385. 

Howe,  Sir  William,  makes  provision  for  refugee  clergy, 
604,  605. 

Hughes,  Gov.,  of  Nova  Scotia,  referred  to,  61 1. 

Humphries,  Henry,  of  Marblehead,  1 14. 

Huntingdon.  Church  at,  referred  to,  609. 

Huse,  William,  signs  Newbury  petition,  94,  107 ;  signs 
bond,  104;  referred  to,  112. 

Hutchinson,  Gov.  Thomas,  referred  to,  452,  567,  568, 
622,  623. 

Hymns  sung  in  a  procession  by  the  Independent  Enthu¬ 
siasts,  362. 


709 


Ignatius,  St.  Epistles  of.  Attempt  to  invalidate  the  evi-  | 
dence  of,  490. 

Indecott,  John,  signs  letter  to  Abp.  of  Canterbury,  75. 

Independency.  “  Paganizing,”  50,  51. 

“  Independent.”  The  term,  repudiated,  238. 

Independents.  Course  of  the,  at  Newbury,  109,  112. 

Indian  Corn,  the  staff  of  the  land,  46. 

Indians.  Trade  with  French  and,  11,  12;  supplied  with 
arms  and  ammunition  from  Fort  Albany,  12;  late  war 
with,  12-15  >  incursions  of  the,  in  Maine,  44;  work 
of  evangelizing,  referred  to,  47,  53,  54 ;  plan  for 
securing,  to  the  British  interest,  66 ;  proposal  of  Rev. 
Mr.  Harwood  to  labor  among,  268,  271. 

Indians.  New  England  Society  for  Propagating  Church 
knowledge  among,  proposed,  472,  475,  476,  477  ; 
objection  to,  477-480,  482-489;  action  respect¬ 
ing,  497- 

Induction  required  by  the  missionary  at  Newbury,  415- 
417.  425,  426. 

Inglis,  Rev.  Charles,  D.D.,  referred  to,  607,  614. 

Inman,  Mr.  Ralph,  of  Cambridge,  referred  to,  502,  600. 

Ipswich.  Shipbuilding  at,  17;  referred  to,  no;  disor¬ 
ders  at,  383,  387. 

Itinerant  Missionary.  Checkley’s  petition  for  appoint¬ 
ment  of,  138. 

Ivers,  Thomas,  warden  of  Christ  Church,  Boston,  454, 
529.  538. 

Tackson,  Bartholomew,  of  Marblehead,  114. 

Jackson,  George,  of  Marblehead,  114. 

Jacobites.  Non  jurors  and,  referred  to,  156,  157,  159, 
160,  201,  247,  249. 

Jaffray,  George.  Declaration  of,  respecting  Rev.  Mr. 
Bass’s  loyalty,  620,  621 ;  referred  to,  629,  630. 

James,  Benjamin,  signs  Scituate  petition,  320. 

Jamaica.  Exportations  from  New  England  to,  16. 

James  the  First  referred  to,  27,  33,  34. 

James  the  Second  referred  to,  52. 

Jamaica  (Salisbury).  Service  at,  128. 

Janverin.  Captain,  referred  to,  136. 

Jayne.  One,  an  enthusiast  at  Marblehead,  553,  554. 

Jeffries,  Mr.,  referred  to,  630. 

Jekyll,  John.  Churchwarden,  Boston,  116. 

Jenkins,  Lewis,  warden  of  St.  Paul’s,  Newburyport,  638. 

Jenkins,  Robert,  signs  remonstrance  to  the  Soc.,  520. 

Jennings,  Benjamin,  of  Charlestown,  parishioner  at 
Cambridge,  502. 

Jewet  (or  Juet)  (Jewett).  Justice,  of  Newbury,  referred 
to,  88,  109,  1 10. 

Jones,  Dr.,  a  Newburyport  loyalist,  637. 


Johnson,  Charles,  Clerk  of  Ch.  at  Marblehead,  “  sets  up 
for  an  expounder  and  preacher  of  the  Gospel,”  130, 

131- 

Johnson,  Isaac,  signs  the  “  Arbella  Letter,”  242. 

Johnston,  Jo.,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Johnson,  Rev.  Mr.,  Commissary  of  Barbadoes,  at  Marble¬ 
head,  303. 

Johnson,  Rev.  Samuel,  D.D.  Arrival  of,  referred  to,  142  ; 
signs  address  to  Bp.  of  London,  176;  petition  of, 
with  others,  to  King  in  Council,  191-200;  signs 
letter  of  N.  E.  clergy  to  Secretary,  227  ;  referred  to, 
408  ;  referred  to,  496,  627. 

Johnson,  Sir  William,  referred  to,  480. 

Keith,  Rev.  George.  Extract  from  a  letter  respecting, 
72,  73- 

Kennebec.  Mission  at,  458,  483,  498. 

Kennett,  Dr.  White,  Bishop  of  Peterborough,  referred  to, 
302. 

Kilby,  Mr.,  referred  to,  414. 

King’s  (Bishop)  treatise  on  the  Common  Prayer 
referred  to,  73,  90,  105,  161. 

Kingsbury,  Ezekiel,  of  Dedham,  referred  to,  450,  451, 
568,  574,  576. 

King’s  (or  Queen’s)  Chapel,  in  Boston.  Windows  of, 
broken,  etc.,  50 ;  letter  from  Gov.  and  members  of 
the  Church  of,  74,  75  ;  vestry  of,  to  Bp.  of  London, 
82;  referred  to,  105  ;  no  diminution  of  attendance  at, 
on  opening  of  Christ  Church,  143;  sermon  preached 
at,  referred  to,  145-147  ;  “thronged  and  crowded,” 
160;  referred  to,  246,  247,  248,  249;  Indians  at, 
268  ;  referred  to,  269 ;  new  church  to  be  built  in 
place  of,  362  ;  referred  to,  401,  403,  408,  410,  411, 
414,  419,  423  ;  taken  down,  467;  reference  to,  449, 
450,  471,  524;  wealthier  part  of,  removed,  584; 
referred  to,  586,  601. 

King  William  and  Queen  Anne  referred  to,  64. 

Kneeland,  Rev.  Ebenezer,  referred  to,  627. 

Kittery.  Church  built  at,  321  ;  Church  at,  395,  429. 

La  Bourne,  Mons.,  Governor  of  Acadie,  11,  12. 

Lady-day  appointed  as  a  fast  by  Gov.  Belcher,  270. 

Lake,  Lancelot,  signs  letter  to  Abp.  of  Canterbury, 
75- 

Lambton,  Rev.  John,  missionary  at  Newbury.  Letter 
from,  to  Gov.  Nicholson,  87,  88 ;  ditto,  88;  ditto,  89; 
ditto,  to  the  Secretary,  89-90;  referred  to,  91 ;  ad¬ 
dress  from,  to  Ven.  Society,  93,  94 ;  referred  to,  97. 

Laud,  Abp.  Comp,  between,  and  Abp.  Seeker,  referred 
to,  540. 


710 


Laurence,  Rev.  Roger,  referred  to,  158. 

Law  suits.  Tax  on,  1 8. 

Lawton,  Christopher  Jacob.  Deed  of  gift  from,  to  the 
Soc.,  375. 

Lee,  Joseph,  parishioner  of  Christ  Church,  Cambridge, 

S°2. 

Leete,  Gov.  William,  “  a  worthy  person,”  24. 

Lechmere,  Richard,  parishioner  of  Christ  Church,  Cam¬ 
bridge,  502. 

Leicester,  Worcester  Co.,  Mass.  Deed  of  land  in,  for 
the  use  of  the  Church,  375. 

Leigh,  Essex,  Eng.  Living  of,  referred  to,  471. 

Leonard,  Mr.,  of  Taunton,  referred  to,  343. 

Leverett,  Gov.  John,  4,  5,  9,  11,  21,  25  ;  Fellow  of  Har¬ 
vard  College,  68. 

Leward  Islands.  Exports  to,  41. 

Lewis,  Ezekiel,  referred  to,  273. 

Lexington.  Battle  of,  580,  581. 

Liberty  of  conscience  to  be  allowed,  34. 

Lidget,  Lt.-Col.  Charles,  taken  into  custody,  57 ; 
released,  61. 

Litchfield,  Conn.  Church  Mission  at,  referred  to,  408, 
429- 

Little  Compton  referred  to,  92,  93,  95,  129. 

Little,  Oliss,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

London.  Bishop  of,  referred  to,  50,  75,  76,  79,  81 ; 
letter  to,  from  Vestry  of  Boston,  82;  referred  to, 
83  ;  letter  to,  from  Church  at  Braintree,  84,  85 ;  re¬ 
ferred  to,  96 ;  letter  to,  from  Rev.  G.  Rawlins,  98, 
99 ;  referred  to,  99 ;  memorial  addressed  to,  100- 
102,  103;  referred  to,  107,  108;  instruction  of,  to 
Rev.  Henry  Harris,  115,  116;  referred  to,  129, 
131,  135,  140,  144,  145,  146;  queries  of,  to  be 
answered  by  the  ministers,  147-152;  queries  of, 
addressed  to  Commissaries,  153,  156;  referred  to, 
247  ;  inveighed  bitterly  against  at  Salem,  540. 

Lord’s  Day,  observance  of.  Efforts  to  secure,  77 ; 
“  free  from  former  profanations,”  224 ;  act  for  the 
better  observance  of,  230;  referred  to,  293. 

Long,  Abiel,  signs  address  from  Newbury  to  Ven.  Soc.,  94. 

Long,  Joseph,  Warden  of  Queen  Anne’s  Chapel,  New¬ 
bury,  469. 

Loyalists.  Treatment  of,  at  Dedham,  593,  595,  596, 

597- 

Lucas,  Rev.  Henry,  of  Newburg.  Letter  from,  to  the 
Secretary  S.  P.  G.,  1 1 5  ;  ditto,  117-119;  ditto,  127, 
128;  letter  to,  from  Mr.  John  Bridger,  132;  letter 
from,  to  the  Secretary,  132,  133;  death  of,  an¬ 
nounced,  134. 

Lunt,  Skipper,  forbidden  to  proceed  in  erection  of  place 


of  worship  in  Newbury,  87,  101 ;  signs  Newbury 
address,  94;  signs  bond,  104. 

Lyde,  Edward,  signs  address  to  Archbishop  of  Canter¬ 
bury,  75. 

Lynn.  Rev.  George  Keith’s  visit  to,  72. 

Lynde,  Benjamin,  referred  to,  172,  206,  273. 

Lyons,  Rev.  John,  of  Taunton,  “  gone  for  England,” 
513,  514;  referred  to,  530,  531;  signs  letters  of 
clergy,  532>  54*  • 

Marblehead  referred  to,  9;  petition  of  people  of,  124; 
petition  of,  139-141  ;  referred  to,  233,  235;  Church 
at,  address  of,  to  Gen.  Nicholson,  113, 114;  difficul¬ 
ties  in  the  way  of  the,  116,  117  ;  address  of  Vestry 
of,  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Ven.  Society,  126,  127  ; 
founders  of,  reduced  to  low  ebb,  128;  Vestry  of,  to 
the  Society,  130 ;  obstructions  to  ministerial  duty  at, 
130,  131  ;  state  of  Church  at,  136-138;  petition  re¬ 
specting,  etc.,  139-141 ;  queries  respecting,  149-151 ; 
letter  from  the  Secretary  respecting,  165  ;  letter 
from  Rev.  Mr.  Pigot  respecting  removal  to,  223, 
224 ;  Church  at,  referred  to,  230 ;  condition  of, 
253,  262,  288 ;  no  need  of  missionary  aid  at,  302 ; 
state  of  Church  at,  303,  304 ;  referred  to,  305  ; 
suffered  from  removals,  314;  state  of,  371,  379, 
390;  resignation  of  Rev.  Mr.  Malcom,  435  ;  letter 
from  Vestry  to  the  Secretary,  436 ;  notice  of,  446; 
state  of  Church  at,  456,  457,  467  ;  appointment  of 
Rev.  Mr.  Weeks  to  mission  at,  51 1;  state  of 
Church  at,  539. 

Macsparran,  Rev.  James,  D.D.,  referred  to,  136;  signs 
address  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  176;  petition  of, 
to  the  King,  191-200;  signs  letter  of  N.  E.  clergy 
to  the  Secretary,  227,  292;  referred  to,  312,  313, 
330;  scheme  of,  approved,  361 ;  letter  from,  to  the 
Secretary,  373  ;  labors  of,  in  behalf  of  Narragansett 
Indians,  referred  to,  483. 

Madagascar.  Slaves  brought  from,  8 ;  eight  ships  sent 
to,  17. 

Madeira  Islands.  Exports  to,  16. 

Maduit,  Mr.,  agent  for  Massachusetts,  509. 

Mahon,  Daniel,  Warden  of  Christ  Church,  Boston, 
538. 

Maine.  Number  of  inhabitants  in  Massachusetts,  in¬ 
cluding,  8 ;  comprised  within  the  bounds  of  Massa¬ 
chusetts,  10,  11;  correspondence  with  the  people 
of,  12;  people  of,  desire  a  General  Governor,  20; 
complaints  from,  29 ;  account  of  Province  of,  40, 
44 ;  referred  to,  40  ;  masts  found  in,  43,  44 ;  incur¬ 
sions  of  Indians  in,  44 ;  claimed  by  Massachusetts, 


45;  woods  in  the  Province  of,  122,  123;  visit  of 
Rev.  Mr.  Roe  to  Churchmen  in,  364,  365. 

Malbone,  Godfrey,  Churchwarden  at  Newport,  R.  I., 
signs  letter  to  Secretary,  155. 

Malcom,  Rev.  Alexander.  Letter  from,  to  the  Secre¬ 
tary,  371 ;  ditto,  379;  ditto,  390;  ditto,  to  the 
Bishop  of  London,  412,  413  ;  resignation  of,  435  ; 
letter  from,  to  the  Secretary,  435  ;  referred  to,  436. 

Manning,  Jacob,  signs  Salem  address,  306. 

Maquot  Indians,  12. 

Mapletoft,  Dr.  Works  of,  referred  to,  136. 

Marriage  to  be  performed  by  a  magistrate,  6;  laws 
relating  to,  a  discouragement  to  the  missionaries, 

155- 

March,  Capt.  Hugh,  opposes  erection  of  church  at  New¬ 
bury,  87,  101. 

Marshfield.  Churchmen  of,  persecuted,  310;  letter 
from  Church  at,  421,  422;  church  at,  finished,  422; 
state  of  Trinity  Church  at,  455,  458,  465,  493,  513, 
53°;  545;  546,  548,  561,  589,  600. 

Martha’s  Vineyard.  Indian  Mission  at,  484. 

Martyn,  Samuel,  of  Marblehead,  1 14. 

Marquand,  Peter,  signs  Braintree  address,  209. 

Maryland.  Exports  to,  16. 

Mason,  John,  Esq.,  referred  to,  9,  25,  26,  27,  28-31. 

Master  of  Arts.  No  degree  above,  given  at  Harvard 
College,  23. 

Magaw,  Rev.  Samuel,  dismissed  from  the  service  of  the 
Ven.  Society  for  disloyalty,  609. 

Massachusetts  Government.  List  of  churches  in,  1748, 
429- 

Masts.  Trees  for,  in  Maine  and  New  Hampshire,  43, 
44 ;  none  in  Massachusetts,  46. 

Matthews,  Caleb,  imprisoned,  431. 

Mather,  Cotton,  Fellow  of  Harvard  College,  68 ;  signs 
address  praying  for  the  meeting  of  a  Synod,  1 73  ; 
hearers  of,  referred  to,  50. 

Mather,  Increase,  President  of  Harvard  College,  68.  • 

Mather,  Samuel,  M.A.,  ‘Fellow  of  Harvard  College, 
218. 

Maurice,  Mr.  Secretary  William.  ( Vide  Morris.) 

Maurice’s  River,  N.  J.  Services  at,  297. 

Mayhew,  Jonathan,  D.D.,  referred  to,  475,  481,  497, 

498,  499>  5°°;  501:  5°2,  5c>3;  5o8,  5°9- 

Meadows,  Mr.  John.  Letter  to,  from  Rev.  Dr.  Bear- 
croft,  375,  376. 

Medford,  Mass.,  referred  to,  31 1. 

Mendon,  Mass.  Services  at,  298. 

Mercenary  motives  charged  upon  Episcopal  converts, 
301. 


Merrett,  Mr.  John.  Controversy  with  Rev.  Mr.  Graves 
referred  to,  462  ;  referred  to,  464. 

Merrill,  Abraham,  referred  to,  102 ;  signs  bond,  104, 
105  ;  signs  petition,  107  ;  referred  to,  109  ;  signs 
remonstrance,  113. 

Merrill,  John,  summoned  before  a  Justice  to  pay  a  rate, 
88;  imprisoned,  89;  signs  Newbury  petition,  94, 
107;  signs  bond,  104;  signs  memorial,  ill. 

Merrimack  River  referred  to,  45  ;  land  on,  to  be  settled 
on  the  Newbury  Church,  105. 

Messerve  (Messerve),  Mr.  George,  Collector  at  Ports¬ 
mouth,  N.  H.,  referred  to,  629,  630. 

Methodism.  Confusions  of,  439  ;  prevails  at  Newbury, 
512,  513. 

McDaniel,  Mr.  Hugh,  opposed  to  Rev.  Mr.  Greaton,  528. 

McGilchrist,  Rev.  William.  Letter  from,  to  the  Secre¬ 
tary,  406;  referred  to,  415,  445,  446;  letter  from, 
to  the  Secretary,  456 ;  ditto,  466 ;  ditto,  503 ; 
ditto,  514,  515  ;  ditto,  519;  ditto,  524;  signs  letters 
of  clergy,  532,  54 1 ;  letter  from,  to  the  Secretary, 
540;  ditto,  546,  547;  ditto,  555;  ditto,  563;  re¬ 
ferred  to,  599,  600. 

McNeal,  Mr.,  referred  to,  385. 

Middlesex  County,  Mass.,  referred  to,  10,  67,  68. 

Middleborough.  Services  at,  530,  531. 

Miller,  Rev.  Ebenezer,  D.D.  Address  of  Churchmen 
in  Braintree  in  favor  of,  208,  209;  papers  presented 
by,  to  Bp.  of  London,  220,  221  ;  referred  to,  251 ; 
letter  from,  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  252 ; 
ditto,  to  the  Sec.  289,  290 ;  signs  letter  of  N. 
E.  clergy  to  the  Sec.,  292;  letter  from,  to  the 
Sec.,  326;  letter  from,  to  the  Sec.,  360;  ditto, 
389 ;  commendation  of,  407 ;  referred  to,  428 ; 
letter  from,  to  the  Sec.,  442,  443  ;  ditto,  443  ;  letter 
to,  444;  letter  from,  to  the  Sec.,  465,  466;  illness 
of,  491  ;  death  of,  492;  funeral  of,  referred  to,  497  ; 
reflection  upon,  500,  503;  referred  to,  516,  574; 
Synod  in  Connecticut  referred  to,  360. 

Miller,  Mr.  Mr.  Bass  sends  letter  by,  603. 

Miller,  William.  Affidavit  of,  respecting  Rev.  Mr.  Bass, 
624,  625. 

Mills,  Mr.,  Schoolmaster  at  Boston,  149,  230,  231. 

Mitchell,  Jonathan,  M.A.,  Fellow  of  Harvard  College, 
208. 

Mieux,  Rev.  Richard.  Letters  of  Orders  of,  used  by  an 
impostor,  518,  519. 

Ministers  in  New  England  ordained  by  the  people,  6; 
free  from  taxation,  18;  answers  to  queries  respect¬ 
ing,  21,  22;  government  managed  by,  45. 

Mohawk  Indians,  12,  54 ;  mission  among,  484. 


712 


Mohawk  Sachems  attend  King’s  Chapel,  268. 

Moody,  Major,  suspended,  124,  125. 

Morland,  William,  warden  of  St.  Paul’s,  Newburyport, 
620. 

Morley  and  Monteagle.  Baronies  of,  claim  of  Rev. 
George  Pigot  to  the,  262. 

Mornuet,  Isaac,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Morris,  Rev.  Theophilus.  Complaints  against,  374. 

Morice,  Rev.  William,  D.D.  Letter  from,  to  Rev.  Mr. 
Bass,  634,  640. 

Morris,  Col.  Lewis.  Letter  from,  to  Archdeacon  Bev¬ 
eridge,  72,  73. 

Morris  (or  Maurice).  Mr.  Secretary  William,  35,  37,  39. 

Morrison,  Capt.  Testimony  of,  respecting  Rev.  Mr. 
Bass,  622,  623,  625,  626. 

Morton,  Charles,  Vice-president  of  Harvard  College,  68. 

Mossom,  Rev.  David.  Letter  from,  to  the  Secretary, 
134,  1 35 ;  ditto,  136-138;  petition  of,  to  Governor 
Shute,  139;  order  of  Gov.  upon  petition  of,  138; 
petition  to  justices  of  Salem,  140,  141  ;  answers  of, 
to  queries  addressed  by  Bp.  of  London,  149-15 1 ; 
referred  to,  153;  letter  to,  from  the  Secretary,  165  ; 
letter  from,  to  Bp.  of  London,  168-170;  ditto,  200- 
202 ;  “  gone  to  Virginia,”  221 ;  referred  to,  227, 
234,  245  ;  letter  from,  to  the  Sec.,  254,  256 ;  referred 
to,  288. 

Mount  Hope,  13. 

Mrs.  Temple  and  family,  of  Charlestown,  parishioners  at 
Cambridge,  502. 

Murray,  Mr.,  referred  to,  400. 

Myles,  Mrs.,  referred  to,  344. 

Myles,  Rev.  Samuel.  Extract  from  a  letter  from,  72,  73  ; 
labors  of,  at  Swanzey,  73,  74 ;  letter  from,  to  Dr. 
Beveridge,  75,  76;  ditto,  80;  referred  to,  81 ;  letter 
from,  to  the  Secretary,  83  ;  referred  to,  84 ;  memo¬ 
rial  from,  95,  96  ;  referred  to,  136,  145  ;  letter  from, 
to  Bp.  of  London,  253,  254;  referred  to,  155,  161, 
163  ;  signs  statement  respecting  Rev.  Mr.  Harris, 
164;  letter  to,  from  Bp.  of  London,  166,  167; 
referred  to,  168;  memorial  of,  170,  171,  173- 175; 
referred  to,  176,  185,  188;  petition  of,  with  others, 
to  King  in  Council,  19 1-200  ;  memorial  of  Dr. 
Cutler  and,  respecting  overseership  of  Harvard  Col¬ 
lege,  212-214;  ditto,  to  Lt.-Gov.  Dummer,  214- 
216;  referred  to,  220;  church  of,  too  small  for  ! 
congregation,  229 ;  memorial  of,  referred  to,  235  ; 
answer  of  Overseers  to,  235-241 ;  answer  of,  241-  j 
243  ;  action  upon  memorial  of,  244,  245  ;  “  con¬ 
fined  to  his  house  by  sickness,”  245  ;  referred  to, 
246,  247,  248,  249,  259,  260,  344,  345,  411,  416.  I 


Nabenos,  John  (or  Johnson),  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Narragansett  country.  Account  of,  40,  42,  43  ;  claimed 
by  Massachusetts,  45  ;  Rev.  Christr.  Bridge  ordered 
to  remove  to,  79,  80;  residence  at,  in  winter,  unde¬ 
sirable,  129  ;  memorial  of  vestry  of,  referred  to,  228, 
235;  Church  at,  391  ;  Church  at,  395,  429. 

Narragansett  Indians.  Efforts  for  the  proselyting  of  the, 
225;  mission  among,  account  of,  482,  483. 

Navy.  Trees  for  masts  for  the  English,  43,  44. 

Natick.  Indian  mission  at,  484. 

Needham.  Church  family  residing  in,  363. 

Nelson,  John,  in  command  of  a  company  during  the 
“Revolution”  at  Boston,  56;  appointed  in  com¬ 
mand  of  the  fort,  58;  cashiered  for  civility  to  Sir 
Edmund  Andros,  60  ;  signs  letter  to  Archbishop  of 
Canterbury,  75. 

Negroes.  Impediments  to  instructing,  326;  queries  con¬ 
cerning,  referred  to,  336  ;  benefactions  for,  338 ;  con¬ 
version  of,  referred  to,  341 ;  two  baptized,  369,  370. 

New  Bristol  referred  to,  95. 

Newbury.  Church  at,  petition  for  protection  in  building 
the,  96 ;  Act  of  General  Coilrt  respecting,  87 ; 
letter  from  Rev.  Mr.  Lambton  with  reference  to, 
87,  88 ;  ditto,  88 ;  ditto,  89,  90 ;  ditto,  from  Gov. 
Nicholson,  91;  address  from,  93,  94;  state  of  the, 
99-108;  case  of  the  Churchmen  at,  109,  no; 
memorial  from.  III  ;  remonstrance  from,  112,  1 1 3 ; 
ornaments,  vestments,  and  books  of,  stolen,  115; 
church  broken  open,  117,  118;  account  of  founda¬ 
tion  of,  127,  128;  acknowledgment  of  bell  pre¬ 
sented  to,  131,  132;  letters  respecting,  132,  133, 
134;  referred  to,  137;  proceedings  at,  141 ;  que¬ 
ries  respecting,  and  answers,  151,  152;  growth  of 
Church  at,  203,  204 ;  account  of,  232,  233  ;  Church 
at,  referred  to,  250 ;  condition  of,  288,  289 ;  no 
need  of  missionary  aid  at,  302  ;  results  of  Method¬ 
ism  in,  364,  368,  369 ;  dissatisfaction  in,  374 ;  free 
from  contagion  of  enthusiasm,  377  ;  churchwardens 
of,  to  the  Secretary,  379 ;  referred  to,  383 ;  two 
Churches  at,  395  ;  Churchwardens  of,  to  the  Secre¬ 
tary,  407  ;  state  of  the  Church  at,  512,  513,  617, 
618,  619,  620,  621. 

Newburyport.  Vestry  of,  to  the  Society,  425,  426 ; 
Church  at,  429;  state  of,  43 1 ;  drought  and  severe 
weather  at,  434,  437  ;  referred  to,  441,  442,  455  ; 
intrusion  of  dissension  at,  467,  468  ;  Churchwardens 
of  Queen’s  Chapel  in,  to  the  Society,  468,  469 ; 
state  of  Church  at,  599. 

New  Cambridge,  in  Farmington,  N.  E.  Letter  from 
Wardens  of  Church  in,  to  the  Society,  432. 


7X3 


Newcastle,  Duke  of.  Letter  from  Bishop  of  London  to, 
179;  ditto,  180,  181 ;  ditto,  184;  referred  to,  186. 

Newcastle,  on  the  Piscataqua  River,  630. 

New  College  at  Cambridge,  Mass.,  referred  to,  22,  65. 

New  England.  “The  Present  State  of,  by  Mr.  Ran¬ 
dolph,”  1-24  ;  answer  to  query  respecting  the  legis¬ 
lative  and  executive  powers  of  the  Government  of, 
1-5 ;  laws  and  ordinances  in  force  in,  contrary  to 
those  of  England,  5-7 ;  number  of  Church  mem¬ 
bers,  etc.,  in,  7,  8 ;  number  of  horse  and  foot,  etc., 
in,  8,  9;  castles  and  forts  in,  9,  10;  reported  bound¬ 
aries  and  contents  of  land  in,  10,  11 ;  correspondence 
with  the  French  and  the  Government  of  New  York, 
11,  12;  cause  of  war  with  the  Indians,  1 3— 1 5  i 
commodities,  etc.,  of,  16-18;  taxes  and  fines,  etc., 
imposed  in,  18-20;  people,  how  affected  to  the 
Government  of  England,  etc.,  20,  21  ;  present  state 
of  Ecclesiastical  Government,  Universities,  etc.,  21- 
24 ;  reception  and  treatment  of  Royal  Commission¬ 
ers  sent  to,  36,  37-39 ;  account  of  the  Colonies  and 
Provinces  of,  39-53. 

New  Haven.  College  at,  65  ;  Church  interest  at,  143, 
144;  mission  at,  referred  to,  534;  church  built  at, 
321. 

New  Hampshire.  Number  of  inhabitants  in  Massachu¬ 
setts,  including,  8;  included  in  Massachusetts,  10, 
II  ;  correspondence  with  people  of,  12;  people  of, 
desire  a  general  Governor,  20 ;  complaints  from, 
28;  account  of,  40,  42,  43;  list  of  churches  in, 
1748,  429. 

New  Jersey.  College  to  be  established  in,  65. 

“  New  Lights.”  Proceedings  of,  at  Newbury,  368,  376, 
377  ;  at  Salem  and  at  Hopkinton,  383  ;  referred  to, 
406. 

New  London.  Church  built  at,  321 ;  dissatisfaction  in 
the  Church  at,  374;  referred  to,  395;  Church  at, 
395.  430. 

Newman,  Mr.,  referred  to,  84,  85,  270. 

Newport,  on  Rhode  Island.  Address  of  the  N.  E. 
clergy  assembled  at,  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  175, 
176;  letter  from  clergy  assembled  at,  to  the  Secre¬ 
tary,  177,  178;  Church  at,  referred  to,  227;  Dean 
Berkeley  preaches  before  clergy  at,  266 ;  no  need 
of  missionary  aid  at,  302 ;  referred  to,  466,  600. 

Newton.  Attorney-General,  referred  to,  344. 

Newton,  Thomas,  signs  letter  to  Archbishop  of  Canter¬ 
bury,  75  ;  Churchwarden,  1 16. 

Newtown,  Conn.  Church  built  at,  321 ;  referred  to,  395. 

New  York.  Government  of,  11,  12;  correspondence 
with,  12;  ammunition  sent  to,  27. 


“  NewsJJLetter.”  The  Boston  (newspaper),  extracts 
from,  179,  180;  reference  to,  182,  183,  186. 

Nevis.  Exports  to,  16. 

Nicene  Creed  referred  to,  336. 

Nicholas,  Mr.  Ed.,  35. 

Nicholson,  Gov.  Francis,  referred  to,  63 ;  letters  to, 
from  Rev.  John  Lambton,  87,  88,  89,  91 ;  re¬ 
ferred  to,  90,  95,  97  ;  memorial  to,  99-110;  ditto, 
ill  ;  remonstrance  to,  1 1 2,  113  ;  Church  at  Marble¬ 
head  to,  113,  1 14 ;  referred  to,  120;  address  to, 
from  Church  members  in  Braintree,  208,  209 ;  Dr. 
Cutler’s  letter  to,  227,  228. 

Nicholls,  Rev.  Robert  Boucher,  invited  to  Salem,  563. 

Ninaagret,  Charles  Augustus,  an  Indian  Sachem.  Efforts 
for  the  proselyting  of,  225. 

Nonconformists.  De  Laune’s  Plea  for,  reprinted,  489, 
542. 

Non-importation  Agreement  broken,  555. 

Non-jurors  and  Jacobites  referred  to,  156,  157,  159,  160, 
167. 

Northampton  Enthusiasts.  Notices  of,  345-348. 

Northbury.  Church  at,  395,  429. 

Norfolk  County,  Mass.,  referred  to,  10. 

North  Groton,  Conn.  Church  built  at,  321,  429. 

Norton,  John,  referred  to,  33 ;  letter  to,  from  Mr.  Ran¬ 
dolph,  25-31. 

Norwalk,  Conn.  Church  Mission  at,  referred  to,  408, 
410,  429. 

Notitia  Parochialis.  Form  of,  referred  to,  488. 

Nova  Scotia,  11,  99. 

Oakes,  Urian,  President  of  Harvard  College,  23. 

Oath  of  a  stranger  in  Massachusetts,  7  ;  of  an  inhabi¬ 
tant,  7. 

Obaldiston,  Richard,  D.D.,  Bishop  of  London.  Letter 
from,  concerning  the  N.  E.  Society,  476,  477. 

Offertory  at  Newbury  referred  to,  102. 

Ogle,  Sir  Challoner,  referred  to,  470. 

Old  Church  in  Boston  referred  to,  50. 

Oliver,  Daniel,  referred  to,  1 7  2. 

Oly,  Ephraim,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Ordeway,  John,  forbidden  to  proceed  in  erection  of  place 
of  worship,  87,  101. 

Ordination.  Liberty  of,  237  ;  manned  of,  300. 

Ornaments,  vestments,  and  books  of  Church  at  Newbury 
asked  for,  1 03  ;  stolen,  115. 

Orphan  House,  Georgia.  Collection  for,  347. 

Ositaway,  Daniel,  signs  Newbury  petition,  94;  signs 
bond,  104. 

Otis,  David,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 


90 


7H 


Otis,  Job,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Otis,  Job,  Jr.,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Oulton,  John,  of  Marblehead,  referred  to,  114,  262. 

Owen,  Dr.  John.  Writings  of,  23. 

Packer,  Capt.,  referred  to,  619. 

Pain,  Samuel,  signs  Braintree  address,  221. 

Palmer,  John,  taken  into  custody,  57,  59. 

Palmer,  Samuel,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Papists  released  by  the  revolutionists  in  Boston  (1689), 
61  ;  liberty  of  conscience  withheld  from,  25 1  ;  num¬ 
ber  of,  in  Boston,  363 ;  zeal  of,  for  proselyting 
Indians,  365,  366. 

Parker,  the  Rev.  Samuel,  D.D.  (afterward  second 
Bishop  of  Massachusetts),  referred  to,  601,  612, 
615,  619,  623,  629,  632,  634,  639. 

“  Passes  for  ships  ”  to  be  had  from  the  Governor  of 
Massachusetts,  5. 

Pearce,  Rev.  Dr.,  of  St.  Martin’s,  London,  referred  to, 
267. 

Pearson,  Bishop,  “  On  the  Creed,”  in  the  Library  at 
Marblehead,  136;  “  Vindication  of  the  Epistles  of 
St.  Ignatius,”  by,  referred  to,  490. 

Pemaquid,  Maine,  referred  to,  45,  60. 

Pembroke.  Churchmen  at,  310,  320;  Mission  at,  493. 

Pennsylvania  Quakers.  Case  of,  referred  to,  336,  338. 

Penn,  William,  courted  by  the  Massachusetts  authori¬ 
ties,  52. 

Peters,  Bemslie,  of  Hebron,  Conn.,  referred  to,  628. 

Peters,  Father,  referred  to,  52. 

Peters,  Rev.  Samuel,  LL.D.,  referred  to,  579,  602; 
letter  from,  to  the  Secretary,  622-624 ;  ditto,  625, 
626  ;  ditto,  627,  628 ;  ditto,  629,  630 ;  ditto,  630, 
631. 

Philip,  The  Sachem,  referred  to,  12,  13,  15. 

Phillips,  George,  signs  the  “  Arbella  Letter,”  242. 

Phillips,  Rev.  Francis  (of  Conn,  and  Penn.),  referred  to, 
128. 

Phipps,  David,  parishioner  of  Christ  Church,  Cam¬ 
bridge,  302. 

Phips,  Spencer,  referred  to,  206. 

Phcenix,  the  Ship.  A  chaplain  of,  the  first  missionary  at 
Newbury,  94. 

Piercy,  Lord,  at  the  Battle  of  Lexington,  580,  581. 

Pierson,  Rev.  John,  of  New  Jersey,  recommended  to  the 
Ven.  Society,  290 ;  letter  from,  to  the  Secretary, 
296,  297. 

Pigeon,  John,  Warden  of  Christ  Church,  Boston,  454,  526. 

Pigot,  Rev.  George,  signs  address  to  the  Bishop  of  Lon¬ 
don,  176;  petition  of,  and  others,  191-200;  re¬ 


ferred  to,  201 ;  letter  from,  to  the  Secretary,  223, 
224  ;  signs  letter  of  the  clergy,  227  ;  letter  from,  to 
the  Secretary,  253  ;  ditto,  262  ;  ditto,  303,  304 ; 
referred  to,  306. 

Pike,  Capt.,  referred  to,  11. 

Pipestave’s  Hill,  Newbury,  referred  to,  106,  127;  meet¬ 
ing-house  at,  referred  to,  431. 

Pipon,  Ensign,  refuses  to  surrender  the  “  Castle,”  58, 
59;  released,  61. 

Piscataqua,  New  Hampshire.  Services  at,  288 ;  re¬ 
ferred  to,  466. 

Piscataqua  River  referred  to,  9,  28. 

Pitt,  William  Ben.,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Plant,  Rev.  Matthias.  Letter  from,  to  the  Secretary, 
141  ;  answers  to  queries  respecting  state  of  Church, 
1 5 1 ,  152  ;  referred  to,  153  ;  signs  address  to  Bishop 
of  London,  176;  petition  of,  with  others,  to  King 
in  Council,  191-200;  referred  to,  201  ;  letter  from, 
to  the  Secretary,  203,  204 ;  referred  to,  205,  206  ; 
letter  of,  to  the  Secretary,  207,  208 ;  conduct  of, 
toward  other  clergy  of  N.  E.,  227,  228;  letter 
from,  to  the  Secretary,  232,  233 ;  referred  to,  234  ; 
letter  from,  to  the  Secretary,  288,  289 ;  signs  letter 
of  N.  E.  Clergy  to  the  Secretary,  292 ;  letter  from, 
to  the  Secretary,  364 ;  ditto,  368 ;  ditto,  369  ;  com¬ 
plaints  against,  374,  407  ;  letter  from,  to  the  Secre¬ 
tary,  415-417;  referred  to,  425,  426;  letter  from, 
to  the  Secretary,  431  ;  ditto,  434;  referred  to,  441, 
442,  443- 

Plaxton,  Hon.  George,  Treasurer  of  Barbadoes,  304 ; 
signs  Salem  petition,  306. 

Plymouth  Colony  referred  to,  10,  15,  20,  29,  39;  account 
of,  40,  41,  42,  45. 

Pollen,  Rev.  Thomas,  settled  at  Jamaica,  L.  I.,  466. 

Poll  Tax  in  Massachusetts,  18,  20. 

Popple,  Mr.,  referred  to,  274,  285,  286. 

Porteous,  Beilby,  D.D.  (Bishop  of  London).  Sermon 
of,  referred  to,  627. 

Porter,  Mr.  Samuel  (lawyer  at  Salem),  referred  to,  630. 

Portland,  Duke  of,  referred  to,  470,  471. 

Portsmouth  referred  to,  8 ;  shipbuilding  at,  17;  com¬ 
plaints  from  people  of,  28,  29 ;  destitute  of  public 
worship,  44 ;  Church  at,  395,  429 ;  referred  to, 
579,  58o,  589,  599. 

Portugal.  Exports  to,  from  New  England,  16. 

Potter,  Archbishop.  Letter  to,  in  favor  of  Robert 
Auchmuty,  Esq.,  318,  319;  ditto,  from  Com.  Price, 
328,  329. 

Povey,  Lieut. -Gov.  Thomas,  signs  letter  to  Archbishop 
of  Canterbury,  75. 


7 15 


Pownalboro,  Maine.  State  of  Mission  at,  561,  562,  599. 

“  Praying  Indians.”  Cruel  and  barbarous  enemies  of 
the  English,  14. 

“  Predestination.  Dialogues  respecting,”  published, 
156,  157- 

Presbyterian  Ordination.  Dr.  Chauncy’s  sermon  on  the 
validity  of,  referred  to,  489,  490. 

Price,  Mr.  William.  “  Prospect  of  Boston,”  by,  229, 
230  ;  signs  letter  from  United  Vestries  to  the  Secre¬ 
tary,  335. 

Price,  Rev.  Roger,  Commissary.  Notices  of,  266,  267, 
268;  the  manners  of,  complained  of,  270,  271; 
memorial  of,  to  the  Governor,  272,  273  ;  signs 
letter  of  N.  E.  Clergy  to  the  Secretary,  292 ;  letter 
from,  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  293-295 ;  ditto, 
313,  314;  ditto,  3 1 5—3 17;  ditto,  to  the  Secretary, 
322,  323 ;  ditto,  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  323, 
324 ;  ditto,  to  the  Secretary,  325  ;  ditto,  325,  326  ; 
ditto,  to  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  328,  329  ; 
ditto,  to  the  Secretary,  331,  332;  ditto,  to  the 
Bishop  of  London,  333,  334 ;  memorial  of,  referred 
to,  337  ;  letter  from,  to  the  Archbishop  of  Canter¬ 
bury,  339,  340 ;  ditto,  to  the  Bishop  of  London, 
340,  341 ;  ditto,  to  the  Secretary,  341  ;  ditto,  352 ; 
interview  of,  with  Whitefield,  346  ;  letter  of,  to  the 
Secretary,  361,  362;  ditto,  374;  deed  to,  in  trust, 
375  ;  referred  to,  378 ;  letter  of,  to  the  Secretary, 
380-382;  ditto,  383,  384;  ditto,  395,  396;  ditto, 
397 ;  ditto,  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  398 ;  Gov. 
Shirley’s  account  of,  403  ;  ditto,  410;  opposition  of, 
to  Mr.  Hooper,  412,  413,  414;  referred  to,  393, 
416,  421,  425,  426;  letter  from,  to  the  Secretary, 
43 1  i  ditto,  434  5  ditto,  438,  439  ;  ditto,  446  ;  ditto, 
47°,  471. 

Prince,  Rev.  Nathan,  Fellow  of  Harvard  College.  Op¬ 
position  to  recommendation  of,  384,  386 ;  letter 
from,  to  the  Society,  391-394. 

Prince,  Rev.  Thomas,  the  New  England  Antiquary. 
Letter  from,  to  Dr.  Avery,  448-450. 

“  Prohibited  Degrees.”  Table  of,  referred  to,  405. 

Protestant  Dissenters.  Invalidity  of  Baptism  by,  as¬ 
serted,  158. 

Providence,  Rhode  Island,  referred  to,  223,  228,  235  ; 
Church  at,  395,  429  ;  Dissenting  minister  sent  to, 
483- 

Public  worship.  Efforts  to  secure  attendance  upon, 

77- 

Punishment  of  offenders  by  Massachusetts  laws,  3,  4. 

Puritans  referred  to,  167. 

Pynchon,  Mr.  John,  a  magistrate,  21,  38,  39. 


Quakers.  The  sufferance  of,  assigned  as  an  occasion  for 
God’s  suffering  the  Indian  war,  14;  indulgence 
not  to  be  shown  to,  34 ;  the  “  grandees  ”  of  Rhode 
Island,  40;  persecutions  of,  41;  plundered,  42 ;  a 
sort  of  Canaanites,  45  ;  wheat  blasted  at,  time  of 
cruelty  to,  46  ;  laws  respecting,  referred  to,  272,  273, 
278. 

Quakers  in  Pennsylvania.  Case  of,  referred  to,  336, 
338  ;  relief  granted  to,  in  Massachusetts,  339,  340, 
34i- 

Quebec.  Loyalists  fleeing  to,  581. 

Queen’s  Chapel  at  Newbury,  86,  87,  88,  89 ;  “a  hand¬ 
some  building,”  90;  memorial  of  J.  Bridger  respect- 
ing,  99-1 IO;  referred  to,  127;  broken  into,  467, 
468 ;  remonstrance  of  wardens  of,  468,  469. 

Quincy,  Edmund,  referred  to,  206. 

Quincy,  John,  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representa¬ 
tives,  referred  to,  273. 

Randall,  Caleb,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Randel,  Joshua,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Randolph,  Edmund.  “  The  Present  State  of  New  Eng¬ 
land,”  by,  1-24;  narrative  of  the  delivery  of  the 
King’s  letters  to  the  magistrates  of  Boston,  by,  25- 
31  ;  further  paper  illustrating  “  the  present  state,” 
3 1 — 39 ;  account  of  the  colonies  and  provinces  of 
New  England,  by,  39-53;  referred  to  in  particular 
account  of  the  late  revolution  at  Boston,  53-64. 
Vide  notes  and  additional  papers  for  further  refer¬ 
ences  and  documents. 

Ratcliffe,  Rev.  Robert,  Chaplain  to  Sir  Edmund  An¬ 
dros,  not  permitted  to  visit  him  when  in  custody, 
60. 

Rate.  Payment  of  a,  required  at  law,  88. 

Ravenscroft,  Captain  Samuel,  taken  into  custody,  56. 

Rawlins,  Rev.  Gershom.  Letter  from,  to  the  Bp.  of  Lon¬ 
don,  98,  99. 

Read,  Ebenezer,  of  Woburn,  parishioner  at  Cambridge, 
502. 

Read,  George,  of  Woburn,  parishioner  at  Cambridge, 
502. 

Read,  Seth,  of  Woburn,  parishioner  at  Cambridge,  502. 

Read,  Swithen,  of  Woburn,  parishioner  at  Cambridge, 
502. 

Read,  John,  signs  answer  to  Overseers  of  Harvard  Col¬ 
lege,  243. 

Rehoboth.  Churchmen  at,  taxed  for  support  of  dissenting 
worship,  265. 

Remington,  Jonathan,  referred  to,  273. 

Revenue.  Disposal  of,  19,  20. 


7 1 6 


Revolution.  The,  in  Boston  (1689),  referred  to,  39-49  ; 
“  A  particular  account  of  the  late,”  53-64.  Vide 
notes  and  additional  papers. 

Rhode  Island.  Account  of,  40,  41  ;  referred  to,  39,  45  ; 
Gov.  and  Council  of,  support  petition  of  Indians  for 
a  missionary,  483 ;  a  “  fertile  soil  of  Heresy  and 
Schism,”  225;  list  of  churches  in,  1748,  429. 

Richards,  Joseph,  of  Dedham,  witnesses  will  of  S.  Col¬ 
burn,  451,  452. 

Richards,  Samuel,  referred  to,  450,  45 1. 

Richards,  Timothy,  signs  will  of  S.  Colburn,  451,  452. 

Robinson,  Bp.  John,  referred  to,  159. 

Roe,  Daniel,  imprisoned,  431. 

Roe,  Rev.  Stephen.  Letter  from,  to  Secretary,  364-366  ; 
Com.  Price’s  comments  on,  380,  381  ;  notices  of,  in 
Gov.  Shirley’s  letter  to  the  Sec.,  399,  400,  401. 

Rogers,  Isaac,  signs  Newbury  petition,  94. 

Rogers,  John,  signs  bond,  104. 

Rogers,  “  Mr.,”  of  Ipswich,  a  follower  of  Whitefield, 
354,  387- 

Rogers,  Robert,  signs  Newbury  petition,  94,  107  ;  signs 
bond,  104. 

Rose  Frigate,  the,  referred  to,  56,  58,  63,  64. 

Roxbury.  Teaching  Elders  of,  Overseers  of  Harvard 
College,  212,  214,  216. 

Royall,  Col.,  referred  to,  484,  494,  503. 

Royall,  Mrs.,  of  Medford,  parishioner  at  Cambridge, 
502. 

Russell,  Mr.  James,  a  magistrate,  21. 

Rutland,  Vt.  Mission  at,  499,  509. 

Ryland,  Samuel,  parishioner  of  Christ  Church,  Cam¬ 
bridge,  502. 

Sacrament  of  the  Lord’s  Supper.  Persons  of  good  and 
honest  lives  and  conversations  to  be  admitted  to,  34 ; 
three-fourths  of  the  country  never  participate  in,  51. 

Sagomis,  Philip,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Saint  George’s  River,  Maine.  Communicants  at,  365. 

Salem  referred  to,  8 ;  shipbuilding  at,  17;  petition  to 
justices  of,  140,  141  ;  monthly  lecture  at,  262  ;  no 
need  of  mission  at,  302;  application  of  people  of, 
303-306  ;  church  built  at,  32 1  ;  large  congregation 
at,  322 ;  church  at,  referred  to,  337,  429 ;  earth¬ 
quake  at,  383 ;  state  of  Church  at,  384-387,  388, 
389.  395.  4o6,  429,  456,  514,  515,  524,  540;  politi¬ 
cal  excitement  at,  540 ;  number  of  baptisms  in  town 
of,  1768,  547;  Church  silently  increasing,  555; 
Church  widened,  563  ;  condition  of,  599,  600. 

Salem,  New  Jersey.  Account  of  mission  at,  296,  297. 

Salisbury,  Bishop  of.  Sermon  of,  referred  to,  51. 


Salisbury.  Shipbuilding  at,  17;  Rev.  George  Keith 
preaches  in,  72 ;  service  at  Jamaica,  in  the  town  of, 
128. 

Salter,  Mr.  Testimony  of,  respecting  disloyalty  of  Mr. 
Bass,  622,  623,  624,  625,  626. 

Saltonstall,  Richard,  signs  the  “  Arbella  Letter,”  242. 

Sanders,  John,  signs  Braintree  address,  220. 

Sandys,  Lord,  referred  to,  494. 

Sanford,  “  Mr.,”  referred  to,  294. 

Sansom,  “  Mr.,”  referred  to,  627. 

Sawyer,  John,  signs  Newbury  bond,  104. 

Sawyer,  Joshua,  signs  bond,  104;  signs  petition,  107. 

Sawyer,  Joseph,  signs  bond,  104. 

Sawyer,  Samuel,  signs  Newbury  address,  94;  signs 
bond,  104;  signs  memorial,  in;  signs  remon¬ 
strance,  1 13. 

Scituate.  Account  of  service  at,  179,  180,  182,  183, 
185  ;  services  at,  289,  290  ;  state  of  mission  at,  308- 
310;  petition  from  inhabitants  of,  320,  321  ;  ill 
treatment  of  Rev.  Mr.  Brockwell  at,  322 ;  Church¬ 
wardens  of,  to  the  Secretary,  327,  328  ;  Dr.  Cut¬ 
ler’s  intercession  for,  329,  330  ;  referred  to,  335,  337  ; 
Church  at,  395  ;  referred  to,  421  ;  Church  at,  429  ; 
state  of  St.  Andrew’s  Church  at,  455,  458,  465,  493, 

513,  523,  53°.  545,  546,  548,  56L  583,  585,  588, 
600,  689. 

Scotland.  Society  in,  for  support  of  missions  among 
Indians,  484,  498,  503. 

Seabury,  Rev.  Samuel,  recommended  to  the  Ven.  Soc., 
256;  signs  letter  of  N.  E.  clergy  to  the  Secretary, 
292. 

Searle,  Thomas,  of  Marblehead,  referred  to,  114. 

Seeker,  Thomas,  D.D.,  Abp.  of  Canterbury.  Letter 
from,  to  Dr.  Caner,  474-476  ;  ditto,  494-497  ;  letters 
to,  vide  Caner,  Henry  ;  Smith,  William. 

Sergeant,  Rev.  Winwood,  referred  to,  530  ;  signs  letters 
of  clergy,  532,  541 ;  letter  from,  to  the  Secretary, 
543;  ditto,  569;  referred  to,  581,  587,  595,  600, 
603,  608,  633. 

Sewell,  Dr.  Joseph,  referred  to,  403. 

Sewell,  Rev.  Mr.,  referred  to,  173. 

Shaw,  David.  Petition  of,  31 1,  312. 

Shaw,  Francis,  Vestryman  Christ  Church,  Boston,  454, 
527.  529- 

Shaw,  Rev.  William,  of  Marblehead.  Letter  of,  to  the 
Secretary,  116,  117;  ditto,  128,  129;  memorial 
from,  130,  131 ;  referred  to,  136. 

Shepherd,  “  Mr.,”  “  Teacher  of  Lynn,”  59. 

Shepherd’s  “  Sound  Believer”  commended  by  Whitefield, 
347- 


717 


Sheriff,  Col.,  referred  to,  604. 

Sherlock,  Bishop,  referred  to,  471. 

Sherren,  Thomas,  parishioner  of  Christ  Church,  Cam¬ 
bridge,  502. 

Shillaber,  “  Mr.”  Extreme  old  age  of,  304. 

Shirley,  Gov.  William,  a  member  of  the  Church  of 
England,  340;  letter  from,  to  the  Secretary,  371, 
372;  Com.  Price’s  comments  upon,  380,  381; 
letter  from,  to  the  Secretary,  398-402  ;  ditto,  403, 
404;  ditto,  408-411 ;  referred  to,  414. 

Shipbuilding  in  New  England.  Notice  of,  64. 

Shrimpton,  Samuel,  takes  part  in  the  Boston  Revolution 
of  1689,  57,  58. 

Shute,  Gov.  Samuel.  Memorial  of,  121-126;  referred 
to,  130,  137  ;  petition  to,  139  ;  order  of,  upon  Mr. 
Mossom’s  petition,  140;  letter  from,  to  the  Bishop 
of  London,  referred  to,  145,  157  ;  reference  to,  159, 
165. 

Silvester,  Richard,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Silvester,  William,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Simpson,  Mr.  Jonathan,  recommended  for  Confirmation, 

358,  359- 

Simsbury,  Conn.  Glebe  purchased  at,  374 ;  notice  of, 
380  ;  Church  at,  430. 

Skelton,  Mr.,  of  Woburn,  parishioner  at  Cambridge,  502. 

Slackom,  George,  of  Marblehead,  referred  to,  1 14. 

Slaves  in  New  England  referred  to,  8;  none  in  Ply¬ 
mouth  and  Connecticut,  23;  instruction  of,  231, 
233- 

Small-pox  in  Boston.  Notices  of,  443,  444. 

Smith,  Col.,  “  of  the  10th  Regiment,”  referred  to, 
580. 

Smith,  Dr.,  physician  at  Newburyport,  referred  to,  616. 

Smith,  Major  John.  Hospitality  of,  42. 

Smith,  Rev.  Mr.,  of  the  Bahamas,  desired  at  Salem,  304, 

3°5- 

Smith,  Rev.  William,  D.D.,  Provost  of  College  and 
Academy  of  Philadelphia.  Letter  from,  to  the 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  477-481. 

Society  for  the  Propagation  of  Religion.  Account  of, 
76-79. 

Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts 
willing  to  encourage  young  students  at  Harvard 
College,  79,  80 ;  Rev.  Peter  Daille  recommended 
to,  80,  81  ;  letters  to  the  Secretary,  83,  89,  90,  91, 
91-93;  address  to,  from  Newbury,  93,94;  Secre¬ 
tary  of,  to  Gov.  Dudley,  96 ;  Gov.  Dudley  to 
Secretary  of,  97,  98 ;  references  to,  98,  99,  100, 
106,  1 15,  116,  117,  119,  120,  127,  129,  130,  131, 
132,  et  saepe. 


Southack,  Cyprian,  signs  address  to  Archbishop  of  Can¬ 
terbury,  75. 

South  Meeting-house  in  Boston  referred  to,  50. 

Soldiers  in  New  England  referred  to,  8,  9. 

Spain.  Exports  to,  from  Massachusetts,  16. 

Spanish.  Translations  of  Practical  Treatises  into,  77. 

Speckman,  William,  signs  letter  of  United  Vestries  of 
Boston  to  the  Secretary,  335. 

Sprague,  Richard,  referred  to,  31 1,  312,  318. 

Spy  Pond.  Alarm  of  Indians  at,  55. 

Stamford,  Conn.  Church  Mission  at,  referred  to,  408, 
410,  429. 

Stamp  Duties.  Disorders  arising  from  the  requirement 
of,  referred  to,  52 1,  522. 

St.  Andrew’s  Day.  Service  on,  289,  290. 

St.  Ann’s  Parish,  Jamaica,  470. 

Star,  Comfort,  M.A.,  Fellow  of  Harvard  College,  218. 

State  of  Religion  in  New  England  (1727).  Notice  of 
the,  224,  226. 

St.  Christopher.  Exports  to,  from  Massachusetts,  16. 

Sterling,  Capt.  James,  referred  to,  144,  145,  164. 

Steward,  one,  “  a  Surgeon,”  267. 

St.  George’s  Parish,  South  Carolina.  Application  for, 

135- 

Stockbridge,  Benjamin,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Stockbridge,  Micali,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Stockbridge,  Thomas,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Stockbridge  Indians.  Mission  to  the,  483,  484. 

Stoddard’s  “  Safety  of  Appearing  in  the  Righteousness 
of  Christ,”  commended  by  Whitefield,  347. 

Stoughton.  Service  at,  465  ;  need  of  missionary,  492, 
493;  referred  to,  516,  517,  525;  Church  at,  532, 

533>  535;  S59>  5^6,  5^7,  570-572,  5 73,  577- 

Stoughton,  Israel.  Executors  of,  referred  to,  217. 

Stoughton,  Mr.  William,  a  magistrate,  21 ;  opposed  to 
schemes  of  independence,  49 ;  founder  of  Stoughton 
Hall,  Cambridge,  65 ;  approves  act  establishing 
Harvard  College,  71. 

Stowell,  Joseph,  of  Dedham,  witnesses  S.  Colburn’s 
will,  451,  452. 

Stratford,  Conn.,  referred  to,  223,  228,  233 ;  no  need  of 
missionary  aid  at,  302. 

Stukely,  Capt.,  reprimanded  by  Bishop  Compton,  247. 

Styles,  Ezra,  D.D.,  President  of  Yale  College.  Sermon 
by,  referred  to,  490,  495,  496,  504,  505. 

Sudbury.  Church  services  at,  359,  367 ;  communicant 
living  in,  363. 

Suffolk  County,  Mass.,  10. 

Surplice.  Church  at  Newbury  not  supplied  with  a,  152. 

Swallow  Man  of  War.referred  to,  470. 


\ 


7 1 B 


Swanzey.  Letter  from,  petitioning  for  a  clergyman,  73, 
74 ;  minister  for,  desired,  83 ;  visited  by  Rev. 
Thos.  Eager,  92,  93 ;  referred  to,  96. 

Symonds,  Lieut.-Gov.  Samuel,  referred  to,  21. 

Symonds,  Mr.,  of  Woburn,  a  parishioner  at  Cambridge, 
502. 

Symsbury,  Conn.  Mission  at,  referred  to,  489,  496. 

Synod.  Memorial  respecting  a  proposed,  170,  17 1 ; 
address  of  the  reverend  ministers  praying  for  a, 
172,  173;  letter  of  Bishop  of  London  respecting, 
179;  ditto,  180,  181  ;  ditto,  184;  legal  opinions 
respecting,  186-190;  petition  of  clergy  respecting, 
191-200;  failure  of,  referred  to,  252;  opposition 
to,  referred  to,  301,  505. 

Synod  of  1646.  Massachusetts,  238,  239. 

Synods.  The  attempt  to  call,  the  occasion  of  vacating 
the  Charter  of  the  Massachusetts  Colony,  275. 

Taalmon,  John,  of  Marblehead,  referred  to,  1 14. 

Tailer,  Lieut.-Gov.  William,  signs  letter  to  Archbishop 
of  Canterbury,  75  ;  letter  from,  to  the  Secretary, 
120;  referred  to,  126;  referred  to,  206,  207,  227, 
228,  234,  235. 

Taunton.  Churchmen  at,  331  ;  applications  of,  referred 
to,  335>  383 ;  gift  of  land  to  Church  at,  342-345 
( vide  362) ;  request  service  of  a  clergyman,  360 ; 
referred  to,  383,  513,  514;  Church  at,  395,429; 
mission  at,  522,  530,  531,  564,  572. 

Talbot,  C.  P.  Yorke  and.  Opinion  of,  respecting 
grievances  complained  of  by  N.  E.  clergy,  274- 
288. 

Talbot,  Rev.  John,  referred  to,  84. 

Taylor,  Lieut.-Gov.  William,  attends  King’s  Chapel, 
268.  Vide  Tailer,  Lieut.-Gov.  William. 

Tanniatt,  Thomas,  churchwarden  at  Newbury.  Letter 
from,  to  the  Secretary,  407. 

Taxes  in  New  England,  18,  19,  20. 

“  Teaching  Elders.”  Ministers  of  Church  of  England 
owned  as,  210,  2x5,  216,  226,  235,  236;  New  Eng¬ 
land  use  of  the  phrase,  236-241  ;  argument  respect¬ 
ing  meaning  of,  241—243. 

Tea.  Destruction  of,  in  Boston,  referred  to,  569. 

Temple,  Mr.  Robert,  of  Boston,  referred  to,  160. 

Temple,  Mr.  Robert,  of  Medford,  parishioner  at  Cam¬ 
bridge,  502. 

Tennent,  Rev.  Gilbert,  visit  of,  to  Boston,  355,  356. 

Thacher,  Peter,  M.A.,  Fellow  of  Harvard  College, 

68. 

Thaxter,  Samuel,  referred  to,  206. 

Thayer,  Rev.  Mr.,  referred  to,  173. 


The  “Castle”  (in  Boston  Harbor)  described,  9;  re¬ 
ferred  to,  53,  56,  57,  58,  59,  61,  63.  Vide  “  Castle 
William.” 

Thomas,  John,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Thompson,  Mrs.,  of  Medford,  parishioner  at  Cambridge, 
502. 

Thompson,  Rev.  Ebenezer.  Services  of,  in  the  church 
in  Marshfield,  421,  422;  letter  from,  to  the  Secre¬ 
tary,  422,  423  ;  ditto,  455  ;  ditto,  458  ;  ditto,  465  ; 
ditto,  493;  ditto,  513;  ditto,  523;  ditto,  530;  signs 
letters  of  clergy,  532,  541  ;  letter  from,  to  the  Secre¬ 
tary.  545.  546;  ditto,  548;  ditto,  561  ;  referred  to, 
564,  581  ;  death  of,  referred  to,  583,  585,  589,  590, 
591- 

Tiffany,  Recompine,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Tillotson,  Archbishop.  Works  of,  in  Library  at  Mar¬ 
blehead,  136. 

Titcomb,  Penuel,  forbidden  to  proceed  in  erection  of 
place  of  worship,  87,  10 1. 

Tiverton,  “  near  Rhode  Island.”  People  of,  petition  for 
a  minister,  95  ;  referred  to,  129. 

Tomlinson,  Mr.,  referred  to,  414. 

Thompson,  Samuel,  signs  Braintree  address,  220. 

Toppan,  Christopher,  Dissenting  teacher  at  Newbury, 
376,  377- 

Torrey,  Joseph,  Dissenting  minister  at  Narragansett, 
482,  483. 

Torrey,  Samuel,  M.A.,  Fellow  of  Harvard  College,  68. 

Tory,  David,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Tory,  Will.,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Touzell,  John,  signs  Salem  address,  306. 

Townsend,  Captain,  received  Sir  Edmund  Andros  in 
custody,  57. 

Townsend,  Penn.,  referred  to,  71. 

Tracey,  John,  Warden  of  St.  Paul’s,  Newburyport,  620. 

Tracey,  Mr.,  referred  to,  639. 

Trade  and  Plantations.  Committee  for.  Report  on  “  the 
Present  State  of  New  England  ”  made  to,  1-24. 

Tranberry,  Rev.  Mr.,  a  Swedish  missionary  of  New 
Jersey.  Services  by,  referred  to,  296. 

Trecothick,  Mr.,  of  Cambridge,  Mass.,  474,  491. 

Trenton,  New  Jersey.  Mission  at,  534. 

Tressey,  Captain.  Vide  Turfrey,  Capt.  Geo. 

“  Trial  of  Mr.  Whitefield’s  Spirit.”  The,  referred  to,  358. 

Trinity  Church,  Boston.  Movement  for  founding,  268, 
269;  referred  to,  324,  331,  332;  Rev.  Mr.  Hooper 
appointed  to,  398,  399,  400 ;  welcome  of  Mr. 
Hooper  by  the  people  of,  413,  414;  account  of, 
424 ;  referred  to,  447 ;  legacy  to,  from  Thomas 
Greene,  510,  511 ;  “still  open,”  601. 


719 


Trinity  College,  Dublin,  referred  to,  319. 

Troutbeck,  Rev.  John,  referred  to,  454,  602 ;  signs  letter 
of  clergy,  532,  541. 

Tuney,  John,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Turfrey,  Capt.  George,  taken  into  custody,  57,  58,  59 ; 
released,  61  ;  signs  address  to  Archbishop  of  Can¬ 
terbury,  75. 

Turner,  Dr.,  of  Braintree,  presented  by  Grand  Jury,  221. 

Turner,  Henry,  signs  Braintree  address,  209 ;  ditto,  221. 

Turtles  referred  to,  431. 

Tyler,  Samuel,  attests  documents,  241. 

Tyng,  Mr.,  referred  to,  11,  21. 

Uniformity.  Act  of.  Extent  of,  181. 

Usher,  John,  Agent  of  Massachusetts,  purchases  title  of 
Province  of  Maine,  45  ;  referred  to,  58. 

Usher,  Rev.  John.  Memorial  from,  133  ;  referred  to, 
141  ;  refuses  to  sign  address  of  clergy  to  Bishop  of 
London,  176;  signs  letter  of  N.  E.  clergy  to  the 
Secretary,  292,  532 ;  referred  to,  227,  234. 

Vassall,  John,  parishioner  of  Christ  Church,  Cambridge, 
502. 

Vassall,  Henry,  parishioner  of  Christ  Church,  Cambridge, 
502. 

Vaux,  Mr.  George,  referred  to,  394. 

Vesey,  Benjamin,  signs  address  from  Braintree,  209; 
ditto,  221. 

Vesey,  John,  of  Braintree,  referred  to,  206 ;  signs  address, 
209  ;  ditto,  220,  221. 

Vesey,  Mr.  William,  signs  answer  of  Church  in  Brain¬ 
tree,  85,  referred  to,  92,  136,  220;  letter  from,  to  the 
Sec.,  406,  407. 

Vesey,  Rev.  William,  of  New  York,  referred  to,  84; 
referred  to,  92. 

Vesey,  Solomon,  signs  Braintree  address,  220.  * 

Vickers  (or  Vichny),  Fige,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Viets,  Rev.  Roger,  of  Conn.,  referred  to,  489,  496, 
608. 

Vining,  B.,  collector  at  Salem,  304;  signs  Salem  ad- 
address,  306. 

Virginia.  Exportations  to,  from  New  England,  16. 

Wadsworth,  Benjamin,  M.A.,  Fellow  of  Harvard  Col¬ 
lege,  68. 

Walter,  Nehemiah,  M.A.,  Fellow  of  Harvard  College, 

68. 

Walter,  Rev.  William,  D.D.  Mr.  Barnard’s  letter 
respecting,  506-508;  referred  to,  510,  51 1;  signs 
letter  of  clergy,  532,  541  ;  referred  to,  602,  604, 


607;  letter  from,  to  the  Secretary,  608-610;  ditto, 
613-615;  ditto,  515,  616  ;  ditto,  618,  619. 

Warthen,  George,  Warden  Queen  Anne’s  Chapel,  New¬ 
bury,  469. 

Warwick.  Man-of-war,  413. 

Warwick,  Rhode  Island.  Church  built  at,  32 1 ;  mission 
at,  referred  to,  395,  429. 

Washington,  “  Mr.”  (Gen.  George),  referred  to,  614. 

Waterbury,  Conn.  Mission  at,  referred  to,  408,  429. 

Waterhouse,  David,  in  command  of  a  company  at  the 
Boston  “Revolution,”  1689,  56,  58;  referred  to, 
62. 

Waterhouse,  George,  referred  to,  630. 

Watertown.  Teaching  Elders  of,  Overseers  of  Harvard 
College,  212,  214,  216,  235,  237. 

Wearing  of  long  hair  and  periwigs,  etc.,  assigned  as  a 
reason  for  the  Indian  war,  13,  14. 

Weaver,  Josiah,  signs  Newbury  address,  94. 

Weeks,  Rev.  Joshua  Wingate.  Letter  from,  to  the  Sec¬ 
retary,  51 1;  ditto,  515;  ditto,  517,  518;  ditto,  524; 
signs  letters  of  clergy,  532,  541 ;  letter  from,  to  the 
Secretary,  539;  ditto,  546;  ditto,  549,  550;  ditto, 
551  ;  ditto,  553,  554;  “  popular,”  555  ;  referred  to, 
362;  “fled,”  581,  587;  state  of  Church  in  1778, 
by,  599-601 ;  referred  to,  546,  547,  602,  603,  604, 
61 1,  614,  616,  630,  632. 

Welsh,  Joseph,  parishioner  of  ChristChurch,  Cambridge, 
502. 

Welton,  Dr.  Robert  (non-juring  bishop).  Notice  of, 
178. 

Wells,  Mr.,  referred  to,  273. 

Welch,  Thomas,  signs  Scituate  petition,  320. 

Wentworth,  Gov.  John,  of  New  Hampshire,  retires  to 
Boston,  587;  referred  to,  622;  letter  from,  to  the 
Secretary,  629. 

Wentworth,  Mark  Henry.  Declaration  of,  respecting 
Rev.  Mr.  Bass’s  loyalty,  620,  621 ;  referred  to,  629. 

Wesleys.  The,  expected  in  Boston,  356,  357. 

Westerly,  Rhode  Island.  Application  from,  291,  292 ; 
Church  at,  395,  429. 

West  Indies.  Boston  the  mart  town  of  the,  17. 

West,  John,  taken  into  custody,  57,  58,  59. 

Weymouth,  Lord,  written  to  respecting  Church  affairs  at 
Newbury,  103. 

Whalley,  Edward  (the  regicide),  received  in  Massa¬ 
chusetts,  6. 

Wheeler,  Rev.  William  Willard,  recommended  for 
Orders,  531 ;  referred  to,  532,  533,  536;  signs  letter 
of  clergy,  541. 

Whig,  “  The  Independent,”  referred  to,  230,  274. 


720 


White,  Benjamin,  signs  Braintree  address,  220. 

White,  Captain  William,  taken  into  custody,  56. 

White,  Daniel,  signs  Marshfield  petition,  422. 

White,  John,  M.A.,  Fellow  of  Harvard  College,  68. 

White,  Samuel.  Declaration  of,  respecting  Rev.  Mr. 
Bass,  625. 

Whitefield,  Rev.  George,  “  the  occasion  of  much  debate 
and  inquiry,”  340;  Dr.  Cutler’s  account  of,  345- 
348;  ditto,  349,  350;  ditto,  350-352;  Com.  Price’s 
account  of,  352 ;  Rev.  Mr.  Brockwell’s  ditto,  353, 
354;  Dr.  Cutler’s  further  account  of,  355;  Rev. 
Mr.  Brockwell’s  ditto,  356,  357  ;  Dr.  Cutler’s  ditto, 
357,  358,  359,  36°;  references  to,  362,  371,  379, 
380,  382,  388,  389,  392,  395,  396,  397,  404,  406, 
419,  424;  at  Marblehead,  551,  553,  554. 

Whitehall  referred  to,  37,  39. 

Wickwack,  William,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Widdaw,  coast  of  Africa.  Chaplaincy  at,  470. 

Wigglesworth,  Michael,  M.A.,  Fellow  of  Harvard  Col¬ 
lege,  68. 

Willard,  Josiah,  attests  action  of  Council,  etc.,  142,  145, 
171,  175,  1S6,  206,  207,  244,  245,  273. 

Willard,  Mr.  Samuel.  Declaration  of,  respecting  Inde¬ 
pendency,  50,  51 ;  Fellow  of  Harvard  College,  68, 
71;  President  of  said  College,  72;  “Body  of  Di¬ 
vinity,”  by,  commended  by  Whitefield,  347. 

Williams  (Bp.).  Lawfulness  of  worshipping  God  in  the 
Common  Prayer,  referred  to,  105,  161. 

Williams,  Jonathan,  referred  to,  634. 

Williams,  Mr.,  Schoolmaster  in  Boston,  referred  to,  269. 

Williams,  Rev.  Mr.,  referred  to,  173. 

Williams,  Richard,  signs  Newbury  address,  94';  signs 
bond,  104;  signs  Newbury  petition,  107. 

Williams,  William,  Moderator  of  associated  ministers 
of  Hampshire  Co.,  Mass. ;  letter  from,  to  Bp.  of 
London,  299-301. 

Williamson,  Mr.  Secretary,  26. 

Wills,  William,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321, 

Winslow,  Governor  Josiah.  Indians  surrender  to,  15  ; 
popular,  24 ;  interview  of,  with  Mr.  Randolph,  29. 


Winslow,  Rev.  Edward.  Letter  from,  to  the  Secre¬ 
tary,  516,  517;  ditto,  521,  522;  ditto,  525;  signs 
letters  of  clergy,  532,  541 ;  letter  from,  to  the  Sec¬ 
retary,  532,  533  ;  ditto,  542;  ditto,  543,  544;  ditto, 
547;  referred  to,  548;  letter  from,  to  the  Secretary, 
556;  ditto,  558;  ditto,  563,  564;  ditto,  564,  565; 
ditto,  572,  573;  referred  to,  570,  574,  577,  581; 
letter  from,  to  the  Secretary,  382,  583 ;  ditto,  584, 
585  ;  ditto,  588-591  ;  referred  to,  595  ;  letter  from, 
to  the  Secretary,  604-606 ;  referred  to,  607,  608, 
612. 

Wing,  Samuel,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Winter  Harbor.  Stores  at,  removed  to  Boston,  124. 

Winthrop,  Dr.  Waite,  takes  part  in  the  Revolution  of 
16S9,  51. 

Winthrop,  Gov.  John,  signs  the  “  Arbella  Letter,”  242. 

Winthrop,  Mr.  William,  of  New  London,  616. 

Wishart,  Mr.,  recommends  Rev.  Mr.  Hooper,  400. 

Wiswall,  Rev.  John,  of  Maine,  taken  prisoner  and 
escaped,  581  ;  going  to  England,  583,  584;  referred 
to,  587,  603. 

Withcomb,  John,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

Woodbury,  Mr.,  an  enthusiast,  387. 

Woodman,  Dea.  Archelaus,  referred  to,  431. 

Wood,  Rev.  Thomas,  of  Halifax,  referred  to,  552,  553, 
611. 

Woods,  Rev.  John,  Chaplain  of  the  Chester  man-of- 
war,  referred  to,  398. 

Woodward,  Ebenezer,  signs  Scituate  petition,  320. 

Woolston,  Thomas.  Notice  of,  referred  to,  274. 

Word  of  God.  Offenders  tried  by,  6. 

Yale  College,  Conn.,  referred  to,  65. 

Young,  Joshua,  signs  Scituate  petition,  321. 

York,  Duke  of.  Report  concerning,  26. 

Yorke,  P.  and  C.  Talbot.  Opinions  of,  respecting 
grievances  complained  of  by  N.  E.  clergy,  274- 
288. 

York,  Maine.  Service  at,  288. 

Yorkshire  Co.,  Mass.  Reference  to,  10. 


4 


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